Our Q2 2026, sixty-fourth edition tracks recent news concerning European FICs, featuring 40 from Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, UK, Norway, Bermuda, Finland, Estonia and Italy.
People news dominates this month. Changes at 12 FICs, with senior appointments for family and non-family, existing executives and new hires. Interestingly, three of the new non-family executives were recruited from other family businesses. And sadly, we mark the news of the passing of two family leaders.
In transactions, FICs, their portfolio companies and venture arms made acquisitions in medtech, real estate, transport, banking and manufacturing, and investments in biotech, food, tech, sports, transport, sustainable and, of course, AI. Two sales – a manufacturing business to a multi-national industrial, and the heritage 285-hectare home for a FIC for over 100 years. Two FICs raised debt finance, one via a bond issue and the other by a bank loan.
Annual reports from eight and Q1 numbers from six FICs came in. Nine were up, three down and two had no change. It is widely felt that the post-covid days of record-breaking profits is behind us, with FICs having to work hard to maintain growth.
In other news, in the only such story this issue, one FIC made a substantial charitable donation. Another adopted a new one-tier management and control system. A FIC celebrated its 130th anniversary and another presented the two-millionth of its flagship product to President Macron of France.
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