Join the family firm? Only 1 in 5 grads say yes

JUST one in five college students globally are interested in taking over the family firm, says a study that has examined the succession intentions of more than 34,000 members of next-generation family businesses.

The EY study, carried out by the University of St Gallen Center for Family Business in Switzerland, found that 19.7 per cent of respondents are open to the prospect of taking over their family firm.

Of that proportion, 3.5 per cent want to take over directly after graduating; 4.9 per cent plan to do so five years later.