Business as a heirloom. Overview of the oldest family-owned companies in the world Companies that have existed for over 100 years

According to a study by Italian economists, the richest families in Florence today are descendants of the richest Florentine families who lived in the city on the Arno River almost 600 years ago.

Many Florentine taxpayers for the years 1427 and 2011 have the same not only surnames and incomes, but also professions. A family business is the strongest and most durable. There are several hundred family-owned companies on the planet over 200 years old. Japan amazes with its long-livers: the age of several Japanese enterprises is approaching one and a half thousand years.

Seven hundred year old wine

Lamberto Frescobaldi lives near Florence, in a medieval castle that belonged to his ancestors for many centuries and runs the family business. Signor Frescobaldi's ancestors were winemakers - they supplied red wine to the court of Pope Leo X and Michelangelo.

"A person should feel his heritage on the tongue," quotes the 53-year-old Florentine winemaker Bloomberg. "The main thing is to dispose of it correctly ..."

Many generations of the Frescobaldi clan have been engaged in the preservation and augmentation of the family fortune for more than 700 years. For Lamberto, the family heritage is contained in one word - "wine". His acquaintance with red wine took place at the age of six, when Lamberto took part in a summer celebration with winegrowers.

"Of course, they could not treat me with water," he defends the workers. "After all, I was the son of the owner!"

Lamberto Frescobaldi graduated from the University of California at Davis with a degree in Viticulture and is now the head of the Marchesi Frescobaldi Group. It bottles 11 million bottles of wine a year and is one of the largest in Italy. Lamberto even named his dog Brunello after the Brunello di Montalcino wine that his company produces.

Before taking up wine production in 1308, the Frescobaldi traded in wool and were bankers. They financed, for example, the wars of King Edward I in Wales and France. The Frescobaldi family has left a noticeable mark on the history of Florence. They built the first bridge in the city - the Holy Trinity Bridge. Among the members of this family are Giloramo Frescobaldi, one of the most famous composers of the early Baroque, and the poet Dino Frescobaldi. Dino collected and preserved the first seven songs of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy when he was sent into exile. This helped Dante complete the ingenious creation.

The Frescobaldi dynasty is not unique to Florence, the main city of Tuscany. Bank of Italy economic analysts Guglielmo Barone and Sauro Mochetti decided to trace intergenerational mobility in the city on the Arno. They compared the data on payments of the Florentine taxpayers for the years 1427 and 2011 and found a very significant consistency of socioeconomic status, which persists not for years, but for centuries.

Mobility is usually measured by intergenerational elasticity, or the correlation between paternal status and that of an adult son. The elasticity of intergenerational income, i.e. the ease with which individuals can change their income and level of socioeconomic status from generation to generation, measured from 0 to 1. Zero means complete intergenerational mobility, and 1 means complete inability to change income or status. The higher the elasticity, the lower the mobility. In the case of incomes by country, for example, elasticities range from less than 0.2 in the Scandinavian countries to almost 0.5 in Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Research organization Conference Board of Canada estimates income elasticities in the UK at 0.48 and in Italy at 0.5. These estimates, the London Independent stresses, are relatively high compared to countries like Denmark and Norway, where the elasticities are 0.15 and 0.18, respectively.

Florentine phenomenon

Giloramo Frescobaldi did not make wine, he glorified his family as one of the most famous composers of the early Baroque

Most scientists have studied intergenerational mobility empirically and paid attention to the correlation of socioeconomic status between two neighboring generations - parents and their children. They share the theory that the economic advantages and disadvantages of previous generations quickly fade away after a few decades. American sociologists Gary Becker and Nigel Thomas, for example, argue in the book Human Capital, The Rise and Fall of Families (1986) that almost all advantages or disadvantages in ancestral income disappear in three generations.

Barone and Mochetti take the opposite point of view.

"The dramatic political, demographic and economic upheavals that have occurred in the city (Florence) over six centuries have failed to cut the Gordian knot of socioeconomic heritage," they write in a study published on the VoxEU economic portal.

Italian economists chose 1427 for a reason: Florence, waging a grueling war with Milan, was on the verge of financial and political collapse. And, in order to increase the collection of taxes, the Florentine priors enumerated 10 thousand taxpayers (not only the names and surnames of the heads of families were indicated, but also their profession, income and fortunes).

Guglielmo Barone and Sauro Mochetti compared this data with the 2011 tax returns of the Florentines. It turned out that a good nine hundred surnames still exist today. Moreover, many carriers of old noble names continue to pay high taxes, that is, they are rich now. Of course, due to the peculiarities of Italian surnames (they were often given according to the place of birth), simple coincidences are possible, but most of the representatives of the same surnames are still blood relatives.

The city's socioeconomic ladder was dominated by powerful and wealthy guilds six centuries ago. Among the wealthiest Florentine taxpayers of the time were representatives of the Shoe Guild, Silk Guild, and Wool Guild. Representatives of the guild of judges and notaries were quite a bit inferior to them in income.

Lamberto Frescobaldi heads the company Marchesi Frescobaldi, one of the largest in Italy, and his ancestors supplied red wine to the court of Pope Leo X

For example, a number of the wealthiest families in Florence today are descendants of the most successful 15th century shoe makers. In the guild of footwear, the coincidence of the names of the wealthy taxpayers in 1427 and 2011 is 97%, and in the silk guild and the guild of judges and notaries - 93%. Every third Florentine rich man of the 15th century remains wealthy today.

Analyzing tax records for 2011, Italian economists found that the five richest names on the list of Florentine taxpayers five years ago, which they do not name for ethical reasons, are broadly the same as those who paid the highest taxes 600 years ago. The richest Florentine families in 2011 earned from € 64,228 to € 146,489.

Top five poorest taxpayers in Florence in XV and XXI centuries there are also big matches. The annual income of low-paid Florentines in 2011 ranged from € 5,945 to € 9,702.

A number of professions such as shoemakers, lawyers, bankers and jewelers show high temporary resilience. A similar positive correlation, albeit to a lesser extent, has been found in physicians and pharmacists.

"The ancestors of the richest taxpayers of our time occupied the very top of the socioeconomic ladder six centuries ago," say Italian scholars.

Research by Italian economists attests to the constancy of status. Moreover, it is the most stable among the richest.

A study by Italian economists shows that changes in wealth and socioeconomic status over 25 generations have been minimal, with limited opportunities to move up the socioeconomic ladder in Florence for 600 years.

Guglielmo Barone and Sauro Mochetti believe that low social and economic mobility is not only socially unfair, it can cause serious harm to society: “Societies characterized by a high transfer of socioeconomic status are often unfair. Low mobility can reduce the efficiency of such a society, therefore that it wastes the talents and experience of its members of low birth. "

According to Barone and Mochetti, the rich have a better chance of maintaining high status for centuries - thanks to the so-called "glass floor, which protects the descendants of the wealthy from falling off the economic ladder."

Someone may have associations between the studies of Italian scientists and the French economist Thomas Piketti, the author of the theory about the growth of income inequality, especially among the richest 1% of the population. The Italians themselves deny any connection with the works of Piketti, emphasizing that the purpose of their research is economic mobility. It is about the rich staying rich, but it does not mean that they are necessarily getting richer. Italian economists argue that their research shows the constancy of status, and it is the most stable among the richest.

And Barone and Mochetti's range of research is much wider: their focus is not on the 1% of the rich, but on the entire population of Florence.

By countries and continents

Photo: Science Museum London / DIOMEDIA

In Japan, the percentage of family businesses among registered firms is approaching one hundred (96.5%)

Of course, the state can be inherited. Parents play important role in determining social status. Other studies support this theory. Sociologists, for example, came to the conclusion that even now, 140 years after the abolition of the class of Japanese samurai, their descendants are included in the social elite of the Land of the Rising Sun, despite the fact that samurai and other representatives of the Japanese aristocracy have long lost their privileges, and all Japanese, under the current constitution, are equal. About the preservation - for centuries - of wealth and status, writes in his book "The Ascent of a Son" and professor at the University of California Gregory Clark. And he does not hide his surprise at how much the well-being and state of his contemporaries depends on what their ancestors did and how successfully they did it several centuries ago.

Logic would seem to suggest that when it comes to Japan, dramatic social upheavals such as the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ended Japan's feudal system, or defeat in World War II, should trigger low social mobility. However, Clark's work refutes this logic.

A study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that in many European countries not only wealth and income are sticky, but also professions, which also pass from generation to generation.

More than a third of the richest Italians inherited their money. In the United States, there are 29% of such, and in China, according to a 2014 study by the Institute international economy Peterson, only 2%.

The highest level of billionaire heirs among developed economies is in Germany, 65%. In general, heirs and heiresses make up about half of Western European billionaires.

"You can hardly find another country where the social origin of income is higher than in Germany," says Marcel Fratzscher, director of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), in a recent book.

The high proportion of wealthy families in Germany is partly the result of a tax system that, literally until 2016, allowed family-owned businesses, including a host of medium-sized firms, to transfer financial assets by inheritance, while paying a very low special tax.

A descendant of possibly the richest European family in the 16th century, Count Alexander Fugger-Babenhausen considers the preservation of the family fortune a great responsibility. The 34-year-old aristocrat recently returned to his homeland after several years of work in a London investment bank. He now manages family assets and is involved in charity work.

Residents of the Augsburg Fuggerei, cozy two-storey houses with terraces, pay one Rhine florin, bequeathed by Jacob Fugger, for living annually, which corresponds to the current ... € 0.88. In exchange for a purely symbolic rent, they have to say prayers three times a day to save the soul of the founder of the social shelter and his relatives.

By the way, 140 Fugger apartments also proved their strength, having survived an astronomical number of wars and partial destruction during the Second World War. They were restored according to old plans. The unique Renaissance finishes have also been preserved, including, for example, lever mechanisms for opening doors, which allowed residents to let guests in without leaving the only heated room in the house.

Family business is the strongest

There are about 200 family-owned companies in the world with annual turnover exceeding $ 2 billion. Suffice it to say that Wal-Mart Stores, the largest retail chain on the planet, is family-owned.

Family businesses play a very important role in the economies of many countries. Its strongest position is in trade and services. Family businesses employ nearly half work force planet, they generate more than half of the world's GDP.

"The family business came into being before multinational corporations," writes Professor William O "Hara, director of the Institute, in Centuries of Success. family business(IFE) at Bryant University. — It appeared before the Industrial Revolution. The family business existed before Greece and the Roman Empire. Most of the old family companies, for all their individuality and dissimilarity, are united by the fact that they work in basic areas. human activity and are engaged in the production of alcoholic beverages and food products, weapons, transportation of goods, construction, etc. "

In Japan, the percentage of family businesses among registered firms is close to one hundred (96.5%). The Indians and Mexicans are slightly inferior to the Japanese. In these countries, the share of family businesses is 95%

If we talk about geography, then the family business has received the greatest development in three countries. In Japan, the percentage of family businesses among registered firms is close to one hundred (96.5%). The Indians and Mexicans are slightly inferior to the Japanese. In these countries, the share of family businesses is 95%.

According to American economists Melissa Shanker and Joseph Astrakhan, there are 24 million family businesses in the United States. They employ 62% of all American workers, and their contribution to the country's GDP is 64%. BusinessWeek estimated that in 2006, more than a third of Fortune 500 members (35%) were family-owned companies.

The notion that family businesses are short-lived is hardly true: Family Business magazine counted several hundred family businesses that are more than two centuries old.

Some ten years ago, the Japanese construction company Kongo Gumi was considered the oldest company on the planet. She continues to work now, but, alas, she left the family category.

The family business was founded by the carpenter Shigemitsu Kongo, who came to Osaka at the end of the 6th century with his family and numerous relatives from the Korean kingdom of Baekje. He built the Shitennoji Temple in the ancient capital of Japan, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the country. Construction, which began in 578, stretched out over a decade and a half.

Congo took root in Osaka and founded a company that is more than 14 centuries old today! Kongo Gumi specialized in the construction of religious buildings, and the Kongo people have retained this specialization to this day. In 2004, for example, temples accounted for nearly 80% of the $ 67.6 million in revenues.

The Congo family is first mentioned in one of the oldest written records in Japan - Nihon Seki, dating back to 720. For 1428 years, the company has been led by 40 presidents. They all bore the Congo surname, although not all were Congo-born. When sons were transferred to the family, the company was headed by sons-in-law. Required condition: they had to take the name of the founder of the business. Unlike most family businesses, which automatically go to the eldest son, the most capable son or son-in-law has always become president of Kongo, regardless of seniority.

Kongo cherishes history and traditions. The last president of the company, Masakazu Congo, claims that 90% of the carpentry technology used by Shigemitsu is still in use.

There is only one female name in a three-meter scroll with a list of company executives: Yoshi Kongo took over the family business after the suicide of the 37th president.

After the Meiji Restoration, the authorities stopped funding the construction of temples. The company's financial position began to deteriorate. In the 20th century, Kongo had to build schools, nursing homes and other buildings and structures, and even make coffins during the war.

In 2004, Kongo's profits were down more than a third, 35% from 1998. Layoffs and austerity on everything, including stationery didn't help. Debts reached $ 343 million. By the beginning of 2006, the company could no longer service them. Ten years ago, Masakazu declared the firm, which employed 100 people, bankrupt. The company was bought by construction giant Takamatsu. Kongo retained its name but became one of the Takamatsu divisions.

After the "death" of Kongo, the title of the oldest family company passed to another Japanese company - now the oldest is considered to be Hoshi Ryokan, which has been in the hotel business for nearly 1300 years.

Hoshi owns a hotel in Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture. The year 718 is considered her date of birth. According to legend, the god of the sacred mountain Hakusan told the Buddhist priest Taiko in a dream to find an underground source of hot water with healing properties. The source was found at the indicated location. Taiko ordered the carpenter Garjo Hoshi to build an inn near him, which later became the Hoshi inn.

Photo: Sergey Vishnevsky, Kommersant

Ten years ago, the oldest company on the planet was the Japanese construction company Kongo Gumi, founded by Shigemitsu Kongo, who came to Osaka at the end of the 6th century and built the Shitennoji Temple in the ancient capital of Japan.

A hundred and a half "Hoshi" rooms can accommodate about 450 guests. For 1298 years the hotel has been owned by 46 generations of Garjo's descendants. It is now owned by Zengoro Hoshi.

Of course, there are also representatives of the Old World on the list of family companies with a long history. Until recently, the oldest of them was the French company Chateau de Goulaine, whose main field of activity is still winemaking. The Gulen family owns a medieval castle near Nantes, built around 1000, and extensive vineyards. The castle has a museum with a large collection of rare butterflies; weddings and other celebrations are often held.

In the spring of this year, the Gulens put up a castle with vineyards for sale. Therefore, the title of the oldest family company in Europe may soon pass to the Italian Fonderia Pontificia Marinelli, which specializes in casting church bells. The foundry has been located for a thousand years in the very center of the peninsula, in the town of Agnon. Just like in Kongo, foundry workers from Marinelli still use the wax mold technique invented by the founder of the company.

The company's bells ring in churches in New York, Beijing, Seoul, Jerusalem, European and South American cities. Marinelli is led by Pascale Marinelli. The company employs 20 people, a quarter of them are named Marinelli.

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Business that is 1,000 years old: Top 10 companies that have existed for more than a thousand years

Imagine your business will last for hundreds of years. Your great-grandchildren will continue the work you started and will increase wealth and joy in our world. How can this be achieved? What is the key to long-term success, not within the framework of one human life, but over the centuries?

The modern world is challenging business: the average lifespan of companies is steadily declining. The percentage of public companies that left the market has grown to 10% annually, although 50 years ago this figure was 4 times less.

The average company is now 12 years old, and a Fortune 500 member is 40-50 years old. Business mortality is only growing. This is helped by economic crises, unpredictable government policies, fraudulent attacks and exsanguinating wars with competitors.

Mistakes made by the company's management also become a significant obstacle to survival: disrespectful attitude towards customers and employees, excessive loans without proper justification, contradicting company policy.

Against this background, I want to learn from those who have not just existed for 50 or more years. I would like to take an example from companies that have existed for hundreds of years and, despite wars, economic crises, government changes and redrawing of country borders, have remained afloat. What makes these companies different and how can you use their experience to build your own near-immortal business?

10. The Bingley Arms (953)

6. Stiftskeller St. Peter (803)

60 years older than its European neighbor, the oldest European company, or rather the Stiftskeller St. Peter (Cellar of St. Peter's Monastery). It is located in Salzburg, Austria. Unlike previous leaders, the restaurant's evidence is relatively shaky - the mention of a tavern on this site in the papers of the scientist Alcuin.

Despite this, the expensive restaurant attracts a lot of visitors, holds musical evenings in honor of Mozart and does not hide its Medieval origins and monastic past.

5. Genda Shigyo (771)

Another Japanese company that has not even changed its profile in its 1200-year-old life. She produces paper bags and decorative ribbons for decoration. The color of the ribbon is responsible for mood, emotions, meaning. But due to the fact that modern Japanese youth do not feel awe for old traditions, business has a hard time.

It will be a shame if the old company fails to adapt to the new realities. Maybe they should expand their market with the help of a company in or in order to then enter the US market?

4. Tech Kaihatsu (760)

The only heavy industry company in the ranking that considers the forge, created in 760, as its ancestor. Located in Japan. Researchers argue whether the company is as old as it says, but in the meantime, it makes machinery.

Apparently she managed to switch from blades and horseshoes to something more modern, which helped her survive.

3. Hōshi Ryokan (718)

Family hotel in Japan, owned by 46 Hoshi. Traditional hotel, traditional appearance, traditional approach to customers. This has been working for 1300 years.

2.Koman (717)

Another Japanese hotel is on the second line of the oldest companies in the world. According to legend, the founder of the hotel had a dream in which divine messengers asked him to build a temple. During the construction, hot springs were discovered and a hotel was created next to the temple.

In addition to history, the hotel has a convenient location: many attractions and the Sea of Japan nearby.

1.Nisiyama Onsen Keiunkan (705)

The oldest company is again a Japanese hotel. For all the time, the owners have not changed - the hotel is owned by the same family as in 705. 52nd generation, by the way.

The hotel is decorated in a traditional Japanese style, there is no WiFi, the locks on the doors are not replaced with plastic cards and, of course, there are excellent thermal springs in which you can enjoy the moment in peace and quiet.

What, are we helping to create a long-lived business?

Each of us wants to create a project that will outlive him. Business is no exception. What can we understand from the example of the longest-lived companies? What advice do they give us from the depths of centuries?

Let's take away the joke about the need to work in Japan. Mentality, family values, obedience and discipline have really helped Japanese businesses survive for centuries. Another thing is that modern companies in Japan are experiencing difficulties no less than their counterparts in Russia or.

From a practical point of view, it is worth noting that 8 out of 10 companies are in the service sector. Even a paper bag and gift ribbon company is closer to services than manufacturing. This can be explained relatively simply: as long as there are people, they have needs that can be satisfied.

Industry, production, no matter how advanced it is, undergoes changes much more often than the needs of people. With the advent of new technologies, entire industries are being destroyed, along with jobs and industrial facilities.

If you provide information services, give consultations or feed people with unusual sweets, then the chance to withstand the struggle for life increases.

Next point: good location. If people constantly walk around the business, new customers and visitors come, then it is much easier to keep the company. V modern world a good location doesn't have to be a kiosk in Times Square. It can be either, or, or. Even a convenient e can close the distance between you and your customers.

Another distinctive feature: a certain attitude towards people. Focusing on customers and staff allows you to level out problems in the economy, to survive when others lose everything. It is not for nothing that the word “loyalty” is repeated several times in the Top. Create loyal customers who trust you, who feel your care, and this will help create an "immortal" business.

And one more thing, which is clearly not traced, but which cannot be dispensed with: the ability to find a middle ground between the new and the traditional. In the modern world, which offers new technologies and approaches almost every day, you have to choose: what works and what is distracting.

On the one hand, recipes proven over millennia: loyalty, relationships, services. On the other hand, high speed, international agreements, constant progress. We are forced to find those tools that correspond to both of these sides of the coin.

One of them is offshore companies. Something that did not exist 1000 years ago, but that helps modern business to distribute risks, reduce the load, and protect assets. You don't need to tie yourself to one place or one country. Use globalization as a jump-start and as a way to develop effectively.

It is possible to open an offshore company for a period of 1 week, if you use the services of experienced intermediaries. We offer you our help: [email protected]... We have existed for less than 1000 years, but we adhere to the same principles as long-livers: we build relationships with clients, help solve their problems, look for a balance between new and proven.

You can use the results of our work. Just sign up for a consultation right now: [email protected].

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When creating a business, of course, it is interesting to know: how long will it last? The latest figures from Yale School of Management professor Richard Foster are not encouraging: the average lifespan of the largest public companies in the S&P 500 has dropped from 67 years in the 1920s to 15 years today. According to analysts' calculations, the average lifetime of firms is from ten to fifteen years, and regardless of the sector of the economy: are you selling apples or spaceships... However, even now there are islands of stability and longevity in the world - for example, Japan. More than 50 thousand companies over 100 years old work there today.

The question involuntarily arises: why such a tendency? It would seem that we now live in a more favorable time than fifty or a hundred years ago. Ari De Geus explains this in his book by the fact that in the modern world, leaders focus on economic activity, production of goods and services, forgetting that the main value of any company is its employees. Below we provide a ranking of the oldest companies in the world. Most of them are family businesses in Japan.

1. Nisiyama Onsen Keiunkan, since 705

The oldest hotel in the world, listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It is noteworthy that the hotel is still operating and is owned by the same family - the descendants of the founder Fujiwara Mahito. In the Middle Ages, thermal springs were the most common resting place among the samurai. The famous guests of the hotel were Japan's first shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and the 46th Emperor Kouken.

2. Koman, since 717

The second oldest company in the world is also a hotel in Japan. The head of the Hyuga family decided to build a temple in Toyoka City after having a dream with divine messengers. During construction, he discovered a hot spring, so Hyuga also built a hotel.

3. Hōshi Ryokan, since 718

Also a hotel in Japan in the city of Komatsu. The current owner bears the name of his founding ancestor Zengro Hoshi. It is surprising that if daughters were born in the Hoshi family, then the family adopted a son-in-law or an adult man from the outside in order to continue the business and tradition.

4. Tech Kaihatsu, since 760

Tech Kaihatsu, which makes machinery today, used to be a blacksmith. "Kaihatsu" in Japanese means "development". What can you say, you can only learn development from this company.

5. Genda Shigyo, since 771

The company has been doing the same thing for centuries - it produces paper bags and mizuhiki, colorful ribbons for decorations and invitations to weddings, funerals and other important events.

6. Stiftskeller St. Peter, since 803

The oldest company in Europe is the Stiftskeller St. Peter ("Cellar of the Monastery of St. Peter") in Salzburg. The place, which at one time was an ordinary monastery refectory, is now reputed to be the most expensive restaurant in Salzburg. The restaurant does its best to preserve the medieval atmosphere.

7. Staffelter Hof, since 862

In the city archives of the city of Krova, there are original documents confirming the fact that the distillery existed already in 862 - then the king of Lorraine Lothar II donated this land to the local abbey. Subsequently, the land was taken away from the church, but the production of wine was not stopped. The Staffelter Hof produces exclusively exclusive and expensive wines - only about 500 bottles a year.

8. Tanaka-Iga, since 885

Again, a Japanese company from the city of Kyoto, which produces religious objects: bells, amulets, lamps and other things necessary for the operation of a Buddhist temple.

9. Sean's Bar, since 900

The oldest drinking establishment in the world. The secret of longevity lies in the ideal location - the bar was built in the very heart of the country, in the city of Athlone, on the banks of the picturesque Shannon River. The most famous regulars are the musicians of the U2 group. On the wall of the pub hangs a certificate from the Guinness Book of Records, confirming the status of the oldest pub.

10. The Bingley Arms, since 953

The pub has been open since the days of the Vikings. The place attracts not only with its history, but also with its location: the institution is located close to the attractions of Leeds and York.

Do you have any questions? Write in the comments.
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It is unusual for many companies to exist for a couple of years. In fact, research shows that even successful businesses last about 50 years before they disband or go out of business. In times of financial distress, such as a recession, we can see many shops and businesses shut down. In such a cycle of events, it seems impossible for a company to survive for more than 100 years. And yet, some succeed.

For most companies, it is easy enough to determine why exactly they managed to survive all these years. Their “formula for success” is the production of high quality goods or the provision of services that have always been in high demand. In some individual cases, it is not entirely clear why the activities of companies take so long. All that is known is that each company on this list has been around for longer than you might imagine.

Sotheby's

Sotheby's is known as one of the largest auction houses in the world today, it began functioning as a small auction for the sale of books by the Englishman Semuel Baker in 1744. That year the entire contents of Stanley's library were sold for just over £ 800. Since then, Sotheby's
exists and operates as an auction house, selling works of art, luxury goods and curiosities at a high price.

Twinings

The British, who love tea so much, are sure that one of the oldest companies in the country is Twinings, which specializes in the production of tea. It all started in a store in 1706. To this day, the company has managed to maintain its location and logo.

Royal delft

Royal company Delft has been successfully operating for over 350 years and was founded in 1653. The company produces high quality ceramic products self made, devaluing the mass production of vases. This is the reason the company has managed to survive for so long, she says. general manager... The company is renowned for its worldwide reputation for blue and white products and also has a seal of approval from the Dutch royal family.

Shirley plantation

Shirley Plantation is the oldest family owned company in the entire United States. It began to operate in 1638. The plantation survived the American Civil War, the American Revolution, the Great Depression, and other significant events in the country. The company has gone through 11 generations of the family in almost 400 years.

Grolsch

Not being the greatest brewer in the world, Grolsch has established itself as one of the main producers of high-quality premium beer. Selling beer in unique caps that can be resealed to keep the beer fresh. Grolsch began producing alcoholic beverages in 1615 and was active for about 250 years before it was bought a large company... Currently operates as a subsidiary.

Zildjian

Zildjian may be the brand you are familiar with if you've ever played drums or other percussion instruments. The company is one of the premier cymbal manufacturers in the world. Everyone from The Beatles to the Rolling Stones have used cymbals in their musical careers. Founded in Istanbul, Turkey, the company moved to the United States in 1623, where it gained such popularity.

Bushmills

As the oldest distillery in the world, Bushmills began producing alcoholic beverages in 1608 when King Jayes I authorized Thomas Philip to produce whiskey in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Since then, the distillery has created and produced many types of whiskeys, including the signature Irish Honey flavor.

Whitechapel Bell Factory

Whitechapel Bell has a long history of making high quality bells for VIPs, governments and royalty. Rendered his services to Westminster Abbey and produced the famous Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Which cracked when it rang. The plant operated for about 500 years, starting to trade in 1570.

Cambridge University Press

Pick up an academic book or research paper and you will have the opportunity to know that it was published by Cambridge University Press. It is the oldest publishing house in the world, the second largest after Oxford University Press. The publishing house was established in 1534 when King Henry VIII granted a patent to the University of Cambridge to print materials.

Beretta

The Beretta name is probably familiar to many people, as it is the manufacturer of a large number of weapons that you can see in films, games and television shows, as well as in the hands of armed personnel in real life... The family-owned company was founded in 1526 and now supplies weapons around the world thanks to its location among the iron-fortified mountains, which provide it with all the necessary components.

The shore porters society

Based in Aberdeen, Scotland, The Shore Porters Society provides relocation services, freight transport and storage of things since 1498. Considered the oldest transport company worldwide and operates in various industries, providing assistance to people in moving houses and moving valuables from auction houses.

Kremnira mint

The Kremnica Mint has been minting coins for about 800 years. Production began in Slovakia in 1328, when the Hungarian king Karl Robert of Anjou authorized the city to produce florins and ducats for use in Europe. The coins issued by the mint had a reputation for high quality and durability. The Mint continued to operate even after most of its equipment was destroyed by the Nazis during World War II.

Frapin

While many distilleries rely on importing grapes or purchasing them from growers, the Frapin distillery has its own vineyards, which means it can control the entire process of making cognac. Unsurprisingly, it is considered one of the best in the world and has been in operation since 1270.

Affligem Abbey Brewery

Affligem Abbey Brewery has been brewing a special type of beer for about 1000 years. Established in 1074, the Belgian brewery used a special recipe created by the monks who worked at the abbey. It was bought in 2006 by Heineken, although it is still operating in its original location and its beer is shipped worldwide.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Since 1044, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Krakow, Poland has been extracting salt from underground and supplying it all over the world. The main reason for the success is the large salt deposits that are under control and the fact that this product is always in demand. Although it no longer operates as a mining company, it has managed to attract many visitors, including the Pope and Bill Clinton.

Weihenstephan Brewery

People have been brewing beer and other beverages for thousands of years, and it's no surprise that some of the oldest companies still brew best-selling beer that can be supplied end consumer... The Weihenstephan Brewery in Freising, Germany has been producing one of the most revered beers in the world since 1040.

Sean's Bar

Located in Athlone, Ireland, this bar is one of the oldest pubs in the world. Established in 900, it has provided beer and other alcoholic beverages to visitors for over a thousand years. Its owners have contributed to its successful location as it sits at an important crossing of the Shannon River, which once provided safe passage through treacherous swamps.

Stiftskeller St. Peter

Stiftskeller St. Peter is a restaurant located in Salzburg, Austria. He has hosted royalty and dignitaries throughout history, as well as personalities such as Bill Clinton and Charles 1 the Great. Considered one of the best restaurants in all of Europe, it first opened its doors back in 803.

Nisiyama Onsen Keiunkan

This hotel is located in Yamanashi, Japan and has been operating since 705. The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes it as the oldest hotel and of course it is one of the oldest companies still in existence today. The company has survived 52 generations of families.

Kongo gumi

Kongo Gumi has been a continuously operating company since 2006. Although not completely disbanded, it was taken over by Takamatsu and is currently operating as a subsidiary. Based in Osaka, the firm has been a construction company and has been operating since 578, meaning it has been building temples and other buildings for over 1400 years.

Credit Suisse (CS) has done a lot of research on the family business. It resulted in a ranking of the 900 largest family businesses. The list includes companies whose shares are traded on financial markets and whose capitalization exceeds $ 1 billion. It also contains companies in which at least 20% of the shares are owned by families.

“In more developed markets, we see more fragmented ownership,” the authors of the CS study emphasize. “Most families sell their shares over time. According to the frequently cited statistics of the Institute of Family Business, only a third of family businesses go to the second generation of the founder's family, 12% to the third, and only 3% to the fourth. "

Some of the companies on the list have been controlled by families for generations. Another distinguishing feature of a family business is family problems. The most common phenomenon is feuds between relatives, which newspapermen are happy to describe. The list of sins is very long: from giving bribes to the right people to collaborating with Hitler.

Below is a list of CSs of 15 families with the largest businesses in the world.

15. Gow family

Company - Foxconn

Industry - information technology

Country - Taiwan

Market cap - $ 49 billion

Foxconn's official name is Hon Hai Precision. The company makes electronic parts and components for such giants as Apple, Dell, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, etc. The company was founded by Terry Gow. In 2012, a loud scandal erupted. The New York Times investigated and concluded that workers at Foxconn's factories are working in appalling conditions and that they have a high suicide rate.

14. Kwoki family

Company - Sun Hung Kai Properties

Industry - finance

Country - Hong Kong

Market cap - $ 49 billion

The Kwoki brothers are billionaires thanks to a construction company founded by their late father, Kwok Tak Seng. Many scandals have been associated with the Kwok family lately. Walter Kwok left the family company last year after a major altercation with brothers Thomas and Raymond. Later that year, Thomas also resigned in the wake of a corruption scandal. He was found guilty of bribing Hong Kong officials. Now the post of the chairman of the board of the company is held by Raymond. His sons Edward and Adam work for the family firm and hold high positions. The main shareholder is Siu Hing Kwok, mother of Walter, Thomas and Raymond. She reconciled the brothers and in 2008-11 headed the board of the company.

13. The McKessons

Company - McKesson

Country: USA

Market cap - $ 55 billion

The company was founded by John McKesson and Charles Alcott in 1833. Today it is one of the largest American companies, a leader in the production and trade of medicines and medicines, as well as in the field of high technologies in health care. The descendants of the McKessons still own a significant share of the company.

Company - SoftBank

Industry - telecommunications

Country - Japan

Market cap - $ 72 billion

The founder of the company Masayoshi Son is considered the second largest person in Japan thanks to the huge telecommunications company he created in 1981. In addition to the cell phone, internet and e-commerce divisions, SoftBank owns 80% of Sprint and 32% of Alibaba. They say that Sleep is about to retire and is preparing a successor for himself.

11. Tata family

Company - Tata Consultancy Services

Country - India

Market cap - $ 80 billion

Like most of the other subsidiaries of the Tata Group, Tata Consultancy Services is controlled and operated by Tata Sons. Their website says approx. 66% of the shares of the holding company belong to charitable foundations controlled by the Tata family. The company was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Tata.

Company - Nike

Durable

Country: USA

Market cap - $ 88.2 billion

Phil Knight has been the face of the famous Nike brand since he founded the company in 1964. In June of this year, Knight announced that in 2016 he would transfer the post of chairman of the board to his son Travis.

9. Kinders

Company - Kinder Morgan

Industry - energy

Country: USA

Market cap - $ 90 billion

After leaving Enron, Richard Kinder co-founded Kinder Morgan with partners in 1997. Kinder Morgan is the fourth US energy company. Kinder and his wife Nancy are Houston's top philanthropists. They lead charitable foundation Kinder Foundation.

8. Pihi-Porsche

Company - Volkswagen

Industry - consumer durables

Country: Germany

Market cap - $ 120 billion

Many members of the Pihov-Porsche clan own the majority of Volkswagen shares through the Porsche Automobile Holding. Their ancestor Ferdinand Porsche founded the Porsche company and was a member of the Nazi party. The first Volkswagen car was assembled for Adolf Hitler. At the moment, at least five representatives of the family sit on the Volkswagen board. Volkswagen owns such well-known brands as Porsche, Audi and Bentley.

7. Lee family

Company - Samsung Electronics

Industry - information technology

Country - South Korea

Market cap - $ 174 billion

Lee Kun-Hee helped his father turn his father's company Samsung Group into a multinational giant. He chairs the board of the group's flagship company, Samsung Electronics, and his son and prospective successor, Jay Lee, is vice chairman. Daughters: Boo Jin and Seo Hyun also hold high positions in the firm. In 2014, the court refused to consider a lawsuit filed by Lee Kun-Hee's children, who claimed he stole shares from them.

6. Ellison

Company - Oracle

Industry - information technology

Country: USA

Market Cap: $ 192 billion

Larry Ellison is still the chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle, which made him America's third wealthiest man. Allison stepped down last September. executive director companies. Despite the fact that his children, Megan and David, own substantial stakes in the company, it is unlikely that they will replace him. The Ellison Jr. are film producers.

5. Lehmanns, Sikupirs and Telles

Company - Anheuser-Busch InBev

Industry - consumer goods

Country - Belgium

Market cap - $ 197 billion

3G Capital was behind the 2008 merger that resulted in Anheuser-Busch InBev. Now the chief manager of 3G, Jorge Paulo Lehmann, is the richest man in Brazil. He is the main shareholder of the brewing company.

His partners - Carlos Sikupira and Marcel Herman Telles also own large stakes in the company. Together they own approximately 26% of Anheuser-Busch InBev. Lehmann and Telles are on the board of directors.

4. Zuckerberg

Company - Facebook

Industry - information technology

Country: USA

Market cap - $ 225 billion

Mark Zuckerberg introduced relatives to the Facebook empire. His older sister Randy worked in the marketing department before starting own company... In gratitude for the money his father borrowed early in the company's development, Mark gave him 2 million shares.

3. Waltons

Company - Walmart

Industry - consumer goods

Country: USA

Market cap - $ 241 billion

The Walton family, according to Thomson Reuters, owns half of the empire through the Walton Enterprises holding company. 50% of the shares is enough for five relatives to be among the richest people on the planet. Brothers Rob and Jim serve on the company's board of directors, along with sister Alice and sister-in-law Christie. The fortune of all four is estimated at around $ 35 billion. Cousins Anne Walton Krenke and Nancy Walton are also billionaires thanks to their large stakes in the company. Rob Walton was replaced by his son-in-law Gregory Penner as chairman of Walmart in June.

2. Hoffman-Oeri

Company - Roche

Industry - healthcare, pharmaceuticals

Country - Switzerland

Market cap - $ 254 billion

Fritz Hoffman and his wife founded a cough syrup company that makes the best cancer drugs today. His heirs still own at least half of the company's shares, according to Bloomberg. The Hoffman-Oeri family has at least 8 billionaires, including Andreas Oeri and Andre Hoffman, who are on the company's board of directors.

1. Sandoz

Company - Novartis

Industry - healthcare, pharmaceuticals

Country - Switzerland

Market cap - $ 279 billion

Novartis ranks among the largest drug manufacturers. The company was formed in 1996 through the merger of Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy. Now the descendants of Eduard Sandoz, who founded the company in 1886, own a large stake in Novartis. The Sandoz Family Foundation is the company's largest shareholder, and its president, Pierre Landolt, sits on the Novartis board of directors.

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