Dubai Centre for Family Businesses highlights how Wilsdorf family preserves legacy, wealth

emirates7 - The Dubai Centre for Family Businesses, which operates under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, recently hosted the latest event in its ‘Governance Series.’

The session featured an in-depth exploration of how the Wilsdorf family successfully managed their wealth while preserving their family values across generations. Hans Wilsdorf was the founder of the watch brand Rolex.

Attended by 28 representatives of family businesses in Dubai, the session featured Dr. Moritz Kübel, CEO of Perpetual, the independent investment arm of the Wilsdorf family. Dr. Kübel outlined the role played by Perpetual in safeguarding the family’s legacy that has spanned more than a century, highlighting the importance of maintaining family heritage, establishing robust governance frameworks, and ensuring the transmission of core values across generations. He also discussed mechanisms for building a sustainable family legacy that protects values and ensures long-term wealth continuity.

Dr. Kübel offered an in-depth look into Perpetual’s investment philosophy. He elaborated on how Perpetual, as an international and multi-generational family office, strategically invests across a broad spectrum of asset classes, with a particular emphasis on private markets. The discussion underscored the importance of sophisticated financial stewardship and governance structures in transitioning from business success to enduring family capital.

The Governance Series forms part of Dubai Centre for Family Businesses’ ongoing efforts to support family enterprises. It features a range of educational seminars addressing critical topics such as legal frameworks and governance structures, which are fundamental to effective succession planning, long-term business success, and regulatory compliance. The series enables participants to benefit from the experiences of other family businesses and strengthen their own organisational frameworks.

The Governance Series aims to empower family businesses in Dubai to overcome common challenges, grow their operations, and encourage networking and knowledge-sharing between local, regional, and international family enterprises. It also offers a platform to showcase multi-generational success stories and learn from real-world experiences.