I. From Preservation to Innovation — The Mission of a New Generation
In the history of family enterprises, the first generation thrives on entrepreneurial spirit,
while the second faces the dual challenge of inheritance and innovation.
Their task is not merely to preserve wealth,
but to redefine the family’s values and direction.
Standing amid the tides of globalization, digitalization, and sustainable transformation,
they must carry forward their legacy with a new language and mindset.
Whether a family business can endure beyond three generations depends on one key question:
Does the second generation have the courage to stop being a replicator and become a creator?
II. International Case 1 — Hermès: The Balance Between Tradition and Innovation
Hermès is one of the most successful family brands in the world.
Its secret lies in this principle — every generation knows when to preserve and when to innovate.
The sixth-generation leader Axel Dumas continues the brand’s artisanal heritage,
refusing mass production to protect craftsmanship and exclusivity,
while simultaneously driving modernization through youthful design and sustainability,
expanding into fragrances, jewelry, and digital art.
The Hermès governance model is exceptionally disciplined:
family ownership is centralized through a holding company to prevent external interference,
and a Family Education Fund has been established to ensure that the next generation
deeply understands and respects the brand’s culture.
👉 Insight: Succession does not mean conservatism — a stable structure is the foundation of true innovation.
III. Asian Case 2 — Samling Group (Malaysia): From Timber to Sustainable Energy
The Samling Group, originally rooted in forestry and timber processing,
faced a turning point under its second-generation leadership.
Recognizing global environmental shifts and the rise of carbon neutrality,
the successor boldly transformed the enterprise into a sustainable energy and renewable resources company.
The new generation integrated the business into a full ESG framework,
collaborated with international financial institutions to issue green bonds,
and founded a family foundation dedicated to community education and public health.
This transformation not only preserved the vitality of the enterprise,
but also rebuilt the family’s moral capital on the global stage.
👉 Insight: The value of the second generation lies not in continuing the industry, but in continuing the impact.
IV. Chinese Case 3 — Wowprime Group (Taiwan): From Dining Empire to Cultural Brand
Wowprime Group, founded by Dai Sheng-Yi, established itself as Taiwan’s restaurant empire.
Under the leadership of the second generation, the focus expanded
from chain restaurants to cultural branding.
The new generation introduced data analytics, consumer behavior insights, and healthy dining concepts,
while implementing ESG initiatives and employee mental wellness programs,
transforming the company into a brand that truly embodies “people-centered warmth.”
Within the family, a succession evaluation system and advisory council
were also established to ensure dual-track governance —
professional enterprise management and structured family governance.
👉 Insight: The key for the second generation is not to take over the business, but to upgrade the culture.
V. Structure × Culture × Health — The New Trifecta of Modern Leadership
Today’s second-generation leaders are no longer mere managers —
they are integrators, creators of value, and guardians of culture.
Successful successors often demonstrate three core strengths:
1️⃣ Structural Strength: Establishing a family constitution and family office to ensure transparent governance.
2️⃣ Cultural Strength: Anchoring the business in mission and shared values to foster unity and social responsibility.
3️⃣ Health Strength: Integrating AI-driven health management and longevity strategies to sustain leadership capacity.
By combining structure, culture, and health,
family enterprises can evolve from being “the first generation of wealth”
to “the generations of wisdom.”
Succession thus becomes not a relay — but a shared evolution.
VI. Conclusion — The Power of the Second Generation: Making the Family Relevant Again
The true value of the second generation lies not in preserving the glory of their predecessors,
but in creating new meaning for the family’s existence in the modern world.
When structure brings stability to governance,
when culture brings warmth to the brand,
and when health ensures the longevity of leadership —
this generation becomes more than heirs.
They become architects of a new civilization.
The true successor is not the one who inherits wealth,
but the one who ensures that the family’s spirit endures through change.
