Julius Baer-EY report says family firms lack succession readiness
In short
A Julius Baer and EY report says only 2.3% of wealthy family businesses are ready for succession. It also says 65.9% of families think the next generation is not ready yet.
This matters for business families because passing on ownership can be hard when decisions are informal and family governance is weak. The report does not say which firms were included.
What the reporting says
Julius Baer and EY’s Family Barometer Report 2026 found that only 2.3% of wealthy family businesses are ready for succession. The report said 65.9% of families believe the next generation is not yet ready, and it pointed to emotional attachment, informal decision-making and weak family governance as obstacles. The immediate issue for business families is whether ownership transfer can happen smoothly, but the reporting does not state which firms were surveyed.
Why it matters
Julius Baer and EY’s Family Barometer Report 2026 says only 2.3% of wealthy family businesses are ready for succession, while 65.9% of families believe the next generation is not yet ready. The report highlights emotional attachment, informal decision-making and weak family governance as reasons the transition remains difficult. For India’s business families, the issue is less about ownership transfer alone and more about preparing the family to decide what comes next.