Succession and family governance: when family offices become the guardians of intergenerational peace

By 1+1 | Strategy, Capital & Execution

In high-net-worth families, estate planning is often approached too late, or only from a tax perspective. However, for a family office, the real added value lies not only in optimizing the transfer of assets, but also in preserving the essentials: clan cohesion, continuity of family leadership, and the emotional stability of heirs.

A recent concrete case illustrates this responsibility soberly: a mother who has managed several estates in her life wishes to appoint two relatives as co-executors, avoiding unnecessary professional fees, while ensuring that her wishes are respected without conflict. Her priority? Keep things clear, simple, and peaceful.

Estate governance: an implicit mandate of the family office

Large families don't just bequeath assets. They bequeath dynamics, memories, and unresolved tensions. This is where the family office plays a fundamental role. Not as a technical expert, but as a guardian of human and wealth continuity.

The challenge:

• 68% of high-net-worth inheritances lead to family conflicts (source: Family Firm Institute).

• More than 60% of wealthy families do not have a clear emotional succession plan (UBS Global Wealth Report 2024).

• Half of family liquidators abandon their role during the process due to lack of support or preparation.

Anticipating transmission: a strategic duty

Best practices observed in North American and European family offices now include family succession protocols integrating three dimensions:

1. Legal – notarized will, protection mandate, trust.

2. Emotional – estate instructions, letters of transmission, intergenerational dialogue.

3. Operational – clear designation of roles, preparation of the liquidator, involvement of professionals already known to the family.

In our example, the presence of a trusted accountant, an already involved notary, and the explicit designation of two responsible individuals creates a discreet but effective continuity mechanism. This structure protects assets... but more importantly, relationships.

What family offices should put in place

At 1+1 Strategy, Capital & Execution, we recommend that family offices implement a 5-step protocol to support family succession in all its dimensions:

1. Anticipated succession governance

Create a succession charter or legacy protocol integrated into family governance.

2. Assessment of relational dynamics

Identifying the sources of tension, the natural allies, the emotional relays. It's a discreet but structuring task.

3. Support for the appointed liquidator

Training, coaching, or co-management with the family office. Don't leave them alone.

4. Drafting of non-binding succession directives

A will says who gets what, a letter says why: this “why” prevents 80% of disputes.

5. Confidential meeting for moral transmission

Meeting of 2 or 3 key people, facilitated by a family office advisor, to anchor wishes and build a moral pact.

Don't wait for a crisis to structure peace

A well-orchestrated succession plan isn't just a simple transfer of assets. It's a strategic act. A mechanism for protecting human assets. An insurance policy against emotional turmoil.

Family offices that integrate this dimension into their offering will not only be wealth managers, but architects of intergenerational peace.

At 1+1 Strategy, Capital & Execution, we help family offices build integrated, human succession processes that are aligned with the emotional realities of their client families.