Alex Bergfeld

German living in Asia.
Director - Courage Institute; Prof. @ UIDE;
PhD (Succession in UHNW Family Firms);
MBA (Business Acceleration);
Martial Artist 🥋

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

The #AtOneImpactWeek is about to start. Thank you to the organizer's TPC, Not.17. Looking forward to a week of impactful exchanges.

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

A common misconception is that #legacy is what you leave behind. But in reality it is what you build into others. Legacy without strong #identity is meaningless.

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

#FamilyBusiness #successors don’t need wine tastings or conferences to become #stewards They need #adventures that test their #courage, and #resilience, sharpen their #character, and prepare them to carry #legacy across centuries. #DynastyMakers #Stewardship #CourageInstitute

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

Titles don’t build trust.
In #familybusinesses across #Africa and the #MiddleEast, #reputation within the extended family carries more weight than org charts.
Power flows through #respect, not just roles, and is built through active #stewardship.

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

#Familybusiness #governance isn't plug-and-play.
What works in #Europe might clash with #MiddleEastern, #SoutheastAsian, or #LatinAmerican norms.
Cultural context matters—especially in governance design.
#CourageInstitute #GovernanceAcrossCultures #Succession

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

In #Asia, filial piety shapes #succession.
In #LatinAmerica, #familismo guides business loyalty.
In #Europe, shapes of #aristocraticcontinuity still echoe in #governance.
Cultural values deeply influence how #familyfirms own, lead, & let go.
#CourageInstitute #StewardsoftheFuture

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

Think MBA? Think again.
What #familybusiness successors really need:
- #Selfawareness
- #RelationshipManagement
- #OwnershipMindset
We don’t just teach business.
We teach #legacy and #stewardship
#CourageInstitute #OwnershipEducation

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

From #Singapore / #Asia to #Ecuador / #LatinAmerica to #Europe, we've seen:
Global #familyfirms struggle with the same issue - Balancing #tradition with #transformation.
They need tailored #education, not general blabla. That’s why we created the #CourageInstitute. #Exciteucation

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

Until you as the #successor are the #steward of your #familybusiness, your full-time job is to become one. #stewardship #legacy #championofcontinuity #guardianofgovernance #CourageInstitute

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

Just like a captain doesn’t sail without training…
A #familybusiness successor shouldn’t lead without learning.
#Ownership is a role.
#Stewardship is a #capability.
We train future owners to be both.
#LegacyStewardship #CourageInstitute

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

#Succession in #FamilyBusiness involves transforming the entire #FamilyBusinessSystem, not just handing over #leadership.
Research shows that over 30,000 family businesses undergo succession annually, affecting over 480,000 employees. #CourageInstitute

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

#FamilyFirms don’t just manage businesses.
They steward #legacy, #identity, and #impact.
#Succession should not be treated as a mere handover. It’s a Family Business System transformation. #GuardiansOfGovernance #FamilyFirmLeadership #CourageInstitute

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

After years of research, advising families across continents, and launching the #CourageInstitute, one thing is clear:
Next-gen success depends less on titles and more on #capabilities.
We don’t inherit #stewardship - we train for it.
#FamilyBusiness #NextGen #Succession

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

70%+ of businesses worldwide are #FamilyFirms.
But not all families are prepared to lead them into the future.
That’s where #ActiveOwnership & the right #Capabilities come in.
Follow me for insights that help family firms thrive across generations.
#FamilyBusiness #Succession

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

Excited about the opportunity to give the keynote speech on "Asian Business Families: Structures, Roles, and Mindset" for the seminar "Succession Strategies in Asian Business Families and the Importance of Valuation" at @UIDE. #Succession #familybusiness #ownership

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

Still an amazing result. Well done #teamgermany #handball #HandballEM

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

Happy to see my article on Next Generation Identity in Family Business Systems published on #thunderbirdinternationalbusinessreview
https://t.co/wZtY35HTtu

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

Thank you Tanja Carter for donating this #Movember. Together we are changing the face of men's health. https://t.co/xDO0ejw9wj

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

And one personal insight in respect to current events, private as well as global: You cannot change people, you can only change people.

[Alex Bergfeld @AlexBergfeld]

To answer a question I was asked earlier: Family business succession processes do not only entail the transfer of leadership and ownership but also the transition of values and a clear mission of the family enterprise.