Putting the established to the test - succession in family businesses.

On November 8, 2023, the doors of the Münster branch proudly welcomed an exclusive gathering of women from diverse family businesses. Branch manager Sebastian Plath alongside Christin Barz welcomed a purposely small group of women from family businesses to the branch's premises at Münster harbor. The agenda included a presentation on the topic of company succession followed by a discussion and networking at a get-together.

Navigating succession - a key element for Family Business Continuity.
More and more entrepreneurs are having to deal with the issue of succession or sale. Especially in the Münsterland and East Westphalia regions, which have many medium-sized family businesses. In recent years, more and more women have taken the helm. To address this shift, Berenberg has created a platform for women to share their experiences and insights.

Inspiring Perspectives with Dina Reit.
We at Berenberg want to allow women to get into contact with other women in similar situations. Furthermore, with Dina Reit, we were able to win a well-known entrepreneur as a speaker. She has succeeded in gaining reach for herself and her company via the social media platforms LinkedIn and Instagram. She herself took over her father's company some time ago. She talked about how she and her father embarked on the path of company succession together, what she does differently to her father, how she is changing the company and which new channels she and the company are now using. Her insights resonated deeply with the attendees.

Meaningful exchange in a supportive environment.
Following the presentation, the ladies discussed the emotional, sensitive and pivotal topic of company succession. Hearing opinions and perspectives from outside your own family bubble and getting inspiration from other entrepreneurial families is often the start of a successful business succession. In particular, the small group of participants and the Women Only platform ensured that a space could be created in which women in similar situations could openly share opinions, seek advice and explore innovative approaches to family business continuity. The participants used the opportunity to converse openly about sensitive challenges in a supportive setting.

Empowerment through Berenberg Connect.
Once again, this event showed the inherent value and unconstrained character Women Only events have, fostering a spirit of free exchange and empowerment to other participants. We are committed to this format and are already planning our next event with and for women, continuing to create spaces for growth and exchange.