I’ve written several times about the challenges of advisor succession, and now want to look at this from a family risk perspective. If your advisor is suddenly unable to work, is it the advisory firm’s problem, or yours?
While the personal connection between a family of significant wealth and its advisors is important, succession arrangements on the advisor side can have a huge impact on the family. From a risk perspective, it’s important to avoid any “single points of failure”. Each advisor needs a back-up in case of emergency. This applies to wealth managers, lawyers, accountants and other family advisors.
A recent survey in Canada showed that 69% of advisors are nearing retirement or have started creating a succession plan, but only 11% said they have a formal succession plan. Advisors seem to be ageing, and this is also a concern for families who need advisors to be able to connect with rising generation family members.
Consider This: Have you included advisors as part of your family’s risk register? Does each of your advisors have a back up? Do you consider succession as a factor in your choice of advisors?
The original article was published in Succession Planning: A Family Perspective on Advisor Succession - David Werdiger
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A successful family advisor, business strategist, entrepreneur, and thought leader with a proven track record of achievement in driving innovation and growth for entrepreneurial endeavours and not-for-profit organisations.
David's experience includes founding and building multiple businesses from the ground up, and expanding and leading operations into new markets. He is recognised by colleagues as a creative problem-solver and strategist with expertise in coming up with ideas and creating new ways of improving business, strategy, operations, and results.
As a business and family advisor, he provides clients with expert business advice on intergenerational business and wealth transition, advancing entrepreneurial efforts, setting up good governance, improving financial and operational results, and strategic direction. He is also a seasoned program leader with an aptitude for providing governance in corporate and philanthropic pursuits with a strong focus on culturally focused non-profits.