Succession and sustainability are key concerns for Emile Weber

Drawing on the company’s experience of the strategic challenges in sustainability and passing on a family business, the Luxembourg-based expert in mobility and travel specialist Emile Weber offers valuable insights into generational transition and the ongoing support provided by Banque de Luxembourg. To mark the company's 150th anniversary, I talked to Fernand Heinisch, Managing Partner, and his niece, Catherine Havé, Head of Tour Operating and CSR, who joined the family business four years ago.

Interview with Fernand Heinisch, Managing Partner, and Catherine Havé, Head of Tour Operating and CSR
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Q: Could you start by telling us what you were looking for in terms of support for the succession of your family business?

Fernand Heinisch:
At the time, there were four of us running the business, and it always worked well. Now with the next generation, up to eight people will have to agree on how the company evolves. This meant we had to introduce a certain degree of formality.

Catherine Havé:
I knew it was important to prepare for this handover and set up some guidelines to ensure an orderly process.

Q: How did Banque de Luxembourg support you during this transition? What did you find most valuable?

Fernand Heinisch:
The approach was inclusive in a range of ways: it allowed for participation from those currently at the helm alongside the rising generation – which includes several from the next generation who had already expressed their desire to join the company at an operational level, as well as those who were still undecided or had already chosen other paths. It was an opportunity to find out a little more about everyone’s aspirations, but also to spark reflection about future careers.

The help of an external intermediary was crucial. The Bank provided us with a framework and facilitated our discussions to reach a consensus that everyone accepted. Open communication was the guiding principle of the process and it enabled us to establish clear rules and achieve a kind of ‘peace of mind’, particularly for the generation in charge.

Catherine Havé:
The process certainly rekindled some family members’ interest in joining the company one day. And very importantly, it gave us, the next generation, an overview of the business that we hadn’t had before. It also encouraged us to take greater interest in the business to make an informed decision at the end of the process.

I found the discussions about defining the conditions for joining the company particularly interesting. Thinking together about what education, experience, etc. were necessary to access a particular position within the company gave each of us a very clear and concrete idea of the route we needed to take in order to work for it.

Q: Was there anything in particular that stood out for you during this process?

Fernand Heinisch:
We weren't used to talking about the business within the family. We needed to create a space for that. It was a very beneficial exercise for both generations. The youth council and the family day are concepts we discovered through the process with Banque de Luxembourg, and we have continued to develop them since then.

Catherine Havé:
The Bank's programmes have taught me so much: the Summer Academy opened my eyes to the different roles you can play in a family business. I was able to meet other young people and freely discuss lots of questions with them. The Family Business Junior Executive Programme gave me the opportunity to take a step back, to leave the business for a few days and gain some perspective on where I stand, and think about my professional goals and my future. It also reminded me of the importance of communication.

Q: So, wrapping up, how have our workshops fed into your thinking on the challenges of sustainability?

Catherine Havé:
When I started working on it, I didn't know much about the subject. But as I got to grips with the scale of the issue, I also began to see a whole lot of opportunities for our business. Yes, we use electric buses, but we could and should do much more. The societal aspect is essential for us — but it's also the one that's most challenging.

Fernand Heinisch:
For us, sustainability means investing in the future of our business. Even though it wasn’t a word we used, that didn't stop us from bringing it to life as a value.

Q: How has collaboration between different generations been beneficial, particularly on this issue?

Fernand Heinisch:
We learned from each other. Fernand Weber, the oldest of us, was often the most innovative!

Catherine Havé:
The generation in charge gave us plenty of leeway. We dared to seize the moment. And we learned to persevere with our ideas.

Our discussions illustrate how the handover between generations can be turned into a strength by integrating innovation, tradition and sustainability. Banque de Luxembourg is proud to support its clients in such processes, valuing both historical expertise and tomorrow’s ambition.

 

Find out more about Banque de Luxembourg’s dedicated programmes for the Next Gen.

We support the Next Gen, both directly during the integration phase when they are joining the family business as well as through dedicated programmes. The focus is on personal development and peer-to-peer discussions, through workshops and case studies from practitioners and family entrepreneurs.