Our services

The services we offer to clients shouldn't be seen in isolation; we work in an integrated and holistic way, with the services we provide very much depending on the specific client situation. These can include the following:

Creating a family Constitution
A written and formalised constitution is often one of the key outputs of our work with clients. Simply put, a family constitution is a series of moral statements of intent, often referring to legal documents, created through an inclusive process working with all family members. When well prepared, a constitution creates alignment on key issues and improves the chances of the business succeeding. A family constitution would typically address fundamental issues such as:

- the vision and values of the family
- the family's involvement in the business
- roles and responsibilities
- board membership
- long-term strategic goals of the business
- succession management
- share ownership, dividends and voting control
- how and when to employ non-family members
- family meetings
- family office
- the role of the Family Council, if appropriate

Our experience demonstrates that in many ways it is the process of creating a constitution that is more important at the end of the day, than the words. While the process of preparing a constitution can be lengthy and complex, in the end it is this process which adds the most value and strengthens both the family and the business.

Clear communication, and frank discussion are vital, and listening to the points of view of others is key. The aim is to arrive at a point where important and often taboo matters have been discussed openly, and all opinions have been considered. We will work with you to facilitate discussions around the key issues and over time will translate the outputs into written form.

Once written, a constitution allows for certainty in areas where there might once have been friction or doubt. We believe a constitution should be an on-going, living document, designed to evolve with the demands of the family and the business. We will work with you to update and amend your constitution as needed.

Vision
Often a business is founded with a very different vision to that which becomes central to its continued existence. We always ask family members what seems like an easy question: "what is the purpose of the business?" and often find that the family have either lost track of the overall purpose, or have differing views as to the purpose.

A clear vision, creates unity and enables the family to speak with one voice. This provides the management team with a clear mandate, allowing them to drive forward the business in the direction in which the family want it to go.

Using our tried and tested approach, we are able to help family groups build their alignment, and come together to speak with 'one voice'.

Values
Our research has shown that families with a strongly aligned set of values working towards a common vision are unassailable, and certainly will have a much better chance of long term sustainability.

We can help you to articulate your family values and in turn harness them to create long term competitive advantage.

Communication and Facilitation
Within a family business, you will often find that there are important matters which simply never get spoken about: the proverbial elephant in the room.

Our aim is to create a safe setting in which family members can discuss even taboo subjects. By setting up the right framework for regular and efficient communication this can be achieved. We find that within a family business, the secret to good communication is acknowledging and understanding everybody's individual perspective. Understanding your position in the classic three circle model helps facilitate this.

Having an independent facilitator makes this a lot easier, and opens up the communication process. Using a wide variety of tools and techniques to do this, depending on the individual family and their specific situation and circumstances, we find that by the time we have finished working with a family their internal communications are greatly improved.

Succession planning
Succession can take weeks or years, depending on the people and the circumstances of the case in question. By opening up the right communication process, ensuring that people are being honest with each other, succession need not present the challenges and difficulties that it so often does.

We believe that with the appropriate planning, communication, and inter-generational team work, succession planning presents a tremendous opportunity for an enterprise to become stronger as it passes from one generation to the next.

We accept that this represents one of the biggest challenges for a family business. We therefore work in close collaboration with you and facilitate discussions between key family members (or non family members, as the case may be) in order to create a succession plan which will enable a smooth transition. This needs to be carefully tailored to every situation as whilst the principles are similar, personalities and circumstances vary greatly.

"Of course, I could always stay on in a purely advisory capacity..."

Leadership development
Being born into a family business does not automatically equip you with the skills to lead nor the knowledge of how to fulfil your responsibilities to yourself, your family and your shareholders.

We are pragmatic in our approach and we help individuals and groups identify their needs, and then work with them to develop a plan to meet these objectives.

Family Meetings
Family meetings are a forum for discussing important issues such as plans for future ownership of the business, family partnership in the business, and helping children manage inherited wealth, etc.

Learning how to plan and run successful family meeting is vital. It is all too easy for a family to sit round the table for dinner, and avoid difficult topics!

Peter Leach LLP works with clients to plan and facilitate family meetings, enabling better family relations and communication, helping those involved recognise and resolve differences.

Coaching and mentoring
Coaching provides individuals and family teams with the awareness, skills, objective feedback and support to thrive in a family business environment.  Through ongoing confidential conversations, structured feedback and learning exercises, a coach will work with you to improve your personal and professional life.

Coaching enables you to learn more about yourself and how you interact with the world, and to identify your strengths and areas for development.  Only by understanding where you are today can you develop a plan to build upon what you do well, and strengthen areas that need improvement.    

Through effective coaching, your communication with other family members and business associates will improve, you will find it easier to raise difficult topics for discussion, and you and your family can work through the complexities of living and working in a family business.  

Mentoring is another essential tool for family business leaders.  Those who have grown up working with family members often benefit from a carefully selected mentor to encourage them to maximise their potential, by supporting them  and sharing their experiences and wisdom.

Mentoring takes the form of a one-on-one relationship between mentor and the family member, facilitating the sharing of ideas and experiences. Key to its success is an environment of mutual trust and respect.  Ideally  mentors should  be working in a similar field, and have an objective viewpoint that can provide new ideas and support for the mentee.

It is vital that the next generation is mentored by the best candidate.  Often, this person is not his or her parent, as the parent-child relationship makes it difficult for true mentoring to occur.    

We help clients identify suitable mentors and coaches to match their needs on a case-by-case basis.  Through our global network of business leaders and professional coaches, we identify the best person for each individual family member.  

Responsible ownership
Responsible ownership is about shareholders understanding their responsibilities to the business and to the other shareholders, to ensure they always act in everyone's best interest. We strive to help clients better understand the concept of responsible ownership, and act accordingly.

Understanding the responsibilities of ownership reduces risk, provides greater shareholder alignment and greater awareness of the challenges and opportunities facing the business.

Managing Differences
Whilst many talk of the need for conflict resolution within a family business, we prefer the term 'managing differences'. To us, conflict implies that a fight has erupted, and a 'solution' is needed, whereas we believe that differences are both inevitable and natural, and as such, can be managed.

From our experience, if they are managed correctly, having multiple points of view can actually help the family and the business, as diversity should be regarded as a strength not a weakness.

We help clients approach seemingly difficult issues that may arise between family members, by facilitating these discussions in a safe and constructive environment.

Establishing a family office
Every family office has a different purpose. Some intend their family office to engage in investment management on behalf of the individual family members, and possibly the collective group. Others want their office to look after their administrative needs, like tax returns, banking and possibly organising the domestic arrangements for family members, possibly becoming in the process a concierge service for the family.

It is therefore important to identify first what the family wants from their family office, before deciding how it should be structured. The office can be set up while the family still has an enterprise that is operational, but more often it is set up when there has been some sort of liquidity event, and the family is looking to manage and organise their individual and shared funds. As a result, many family offices are populated by accountants and trust lawyers who handle legal and taxation matters.

Having been involved in the establishment of many family offices we are able to offer advice on what might be best for the family, and how it could be structured. We also have a network of specialist associates who can help as required.

Philanthropy
Many families are excellent at organising philanthropic activities, and these provide a rich source of learning for the extended family. Having a collective family philanthropic objective can also act as further family glue. By allowing the family to give back to society at large, philanthropy enables them to stay together, working in a harmonious fashion. Families often have charitable foundations and decide on particular areas of interest, be it alleviating poverty, or concentrating on education or health.

In dealing with family governance we find that philanthropic policy is often on the agenda. We work with the family to identify their needs and areas of interest, helping them create an aligned and inclusive charity policy. This means that family members can not only get involved, but also take pride in the activities carried out by their charitable foundation or other vehicle.