3 minPortrait of the Jans family: legacy and family business succession planning
Passing on a business is a milestone in a company’s history. For families, the process is more than a financial handover – it’s about legacy, history, continuity, values and the human relationships built up over several generations. Banque de Luxembourg’s support for the Jans family demonstrates our philosophy of working with family businesses: providing attentive, long-term support and listening closely to what is at stake for your family.
Watch this family's story of passion and resilience as founder Clause Jans and his sons Marc and Steve trace the history of the family business and the obstacles overcome along the way.
Anne Goedert and Charles Sunnen discuss the approach and the meaning behind the bank’s initiatives to support the current and next generations of business leaders.
Anne, where should we start with succession planning?
Anne Goedert: With people. Always. Behind every business are men and women, a family, relationships, sometimes tensions, and sometimes a lot of attachment. Succession planning is never only legal and financial. A crucial stage, it is often emotionally charged. It should be handled with respect, delicacy and skill.
Here at Banque de Luxembourg, our role is to dive deeper, to understand not only the business person's history, journey, and values, but also their questions and doubts. Armed with this knowledge, we can provide the right support.
The Jans family embodies family entrepreneurship. What struck you about their journey?
Charles Sunnen: The strength of the intergenerational bond and the fact that each person has their place. Claude Jans built his business around a clear vision, high standards and sound values. His sons, Marc and Steve, grew up in this environment, but each had his own path to follow and challenges to meet.
Succession is never linear. There are doubts, rocky periods, and important decisions to be made. Our aim was to be there through the transitions, supporting our client with an eye to the challenges for the company and the need to maintain family harmony
How does Banque de Luxembourg give practical support to entrepreneurs at these pivotal moments?
AG: We work closely with our clients, often building relationships over many years. We are involved well before the decision-making process begins to understand both how the business works and the family dynamics.
Our support goes beyond business. We guide our clients, helping them to organise and plan the stages in the transfer and to ask the right questions: about governance, roles, how to protect the family’s and the company's long-term future.
You often stress the importance of dialogue. Why is it so crucial in family business succession?
AG: Because many difficulties are rooted in the unsaid. Talking about succession planning can be tricky. It calls up the passing of time, changing roles and people’s place in the family. But it’s also the ideal opportunity to discuss vision, pass on values and build a future together.
This is our rationale for encouraging dialogue – in the family and the company. Well managed, dialogue helps to ease tensions and leads to sounder decisions.
The bank also organises workshops with the Luxembourg Family Business Network (FBN). What is their aim?
CS: The workshops meet a very specific need: to help participants gain more objectivity. We held a session with the Luxembourg FBN in January for the upcoming generation of family businesses that are either dealing with or have dealt with similar situations. Sharing experiences is extremely valuable.
The workshops provide a confidential and supportive setting in which to address sensitive issues, such as succession, who does what in each generation and family governance. Our aim is to clarify the complexities for businesspeople so they feel less alone.
To wrap up, Banque de Luxembourg has made a film about the Jans family. Why?
CS: Because some stories deserve to be told. The film JANS is about much more than the company’s story. It tells about passion, resilience and the desire to pass on the family's legacy. It shows that behind every family business are courageous choices, a willingness to question and strong values.
This film perfectly communicates our conviction that supporting our business clients means being there for the long term. During periods of growth, but also during periods of transition. Always with the same high standards, the same attentiveness and always maintaining the same close relations.