Ermias Mebrate Mengistu leads the IESE Africa Initiative, launched in 2009 to promote Africa-focused research, programs, exchange modules and faculty development on the continent. On an April morning in Addis Ababa, a group of Ethiopian family business leaders gathered at WeVenture Hub. There was no podium or formal presentation—just coffee and a guest with an…

On a recent family trip to a shopping mall, our younger daughter pointed to a drastically reduced product and enthusiastically lobbied for us to purchase it. After all, it seemed so cheap. The original price was prominently displayed, crossed out, and replaced by a much lower number. The discount appeared irresistible. So I found myself…

For years, succession has been viewed as the primary hurdle in family businesses. But today, many business families face a different challenge. The issue is no longer finding talent—inside or outside the family—but managing the growth of the family itself. As generations advance, the family often grows at a faster pace than the business. What starts…

There is a commodity that sits beneath almost every international business trip, expatriate relocation, and cross-border supply chain, yet we rarely name it. Oil. At first glance, this may seem like an old-world concern. After all, we live in an age of digital collaboration, virtual teams, AI-enabled work, and increasingly sophisticated alternatives to physical travel.…