In addition, half of the firms said they have a formal governance structure with a board of directors. The other half had a less formal structure, although 20% use an advisory board structure to provide some level of independent input to the company.

As might be expected, given the need for more professionalised systems and procedures in bigger and more complex companies, the larger family businesses are the most likely to have a formal board of directors. Over four fifths (84%) of companies with revenues of between US$200 million and US$1 billion have a board of directors.Meanwhile, only 11% of companies with revenues of between US$20 million and US$50 million have a board of directors, with 13% of these smaller businesses using family councils to reach strategic and operational decisions , according to our survey.

In larger companies, the board is also more likely to have a higher number of independent members, reflecting the need for more outside expertise and stronger corporate governance as companies mature.

Interestingly, there is a large variation according to the stage of economic development of the markets in which these companies operate. Family businesses in emerging markets are more likely to have a formal board of directors than those in developed markets.

Two thirds of emerging markets businesses have a formal structure with a board of directors, with a further 11 % using advisory boards, according to our survey, In North America, just half have a board of directors, while the proportion was lower still in developed markets across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.