The Family Barometer is our annual deep dive into the issues that matter most to wealthy families. The 2026 edition draws on insights from over 1,700 experts from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Produced for the first time in collaboration with EY, it explores the opportunities and challenges families face before, during, and after the sale or transfer of their business.
Key findings from the 2026 survey
Most family businesses are not ready for a transition
Only 2.3 percent of families planning an exit are fully ready.
Family alignment is critical to exit readiness
The most common sticking points are emotional attachment, disagreement about the future of the family business, valuation expectations, timing, and legacy concerns.
Discipline doesn’t end with the sale
The families that navigate the transition most successfully bring the same discipline to stewarding wealth that built the business.
That switch from entrepreneur to wealth owner is a completely new experience.