Publications
Publications
- June 2025
- HBS Case Collection
(Family) Size Matters: Nico Oprée and the Decreasing Power of Family Unity over Time
By: Lauren Cohen, Octavian Graf Pilati, Dominik V. Eynern and Sophia Pan
Abstract
Nico Oprée, a fourth-generation (G4) member of his family’s heavy manufacturing business, found himself reflecting on how the firm would navigate a deepening shareholder conflict. While the second generation (G2) had managed the business in harmony, dynamics shifted dramatically by the third generation (G3). Beginning in 2019, sentiments toward the sitting CEO became increasingly divided, eventually culminating in a rift: four G3 shareholders backed replacing the CEO with Nico’s father, while two opposed the change and supported the incumbent. Though Nico’s father ultimately took over as CEO, the underlying family tensions remained unresolved—prompting the involvement of lawyers. The family now faced a critical decision: Should they hire an external CEO, sell the business entirely, or continue operating as they were? At stake was not only the future of the business but also the integrity of family relationships. Did the expansion of the family branches in G3—where cousins and siblings might find themselves at odds—further complicate the path forward?
Keywords
Ownership; Family Businesses; Family; Family Functioning And Support; Family Business; Family and Family Relationships; Family Ownership; Acquisition; Governance; Resignation and Termination; Leadership Style; Management Succession; Size; Negotiation Offer; Private Ownership; Business and Shareholder Relations; Trust; Conflict of Interests; Conflict Management; Manufacturing Industry; Germany
Citation
Cohen, Lauren, Octavian Graf Pilati, Dominik V. Eynern, and Sophia Pan. "(Family) Size Matters: Nico Oprée and the Decreasing Power of Family Unity over Time." Harvard Business School Case 225-094, June 2025.