Cambridge Family Business Leadership Programme
Strategic growth | Sound governance | Succession planning
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Programme overview: Cambridge Family Business Leadership Programme
Business owners, presidents and founders today wear two hats, driving day-to-day performance as CEOs or managing directors while shaping the long-term vision as owners and board leaders. Balancing these roles demands clarity, agility and a unique approach to decision-making, growth and succession.
The Cambridge Family Business Leadership Programme equips leaders like you to excel in both capacities. Through a combination of in-person and online learning, you will gain practical tools to lead strategically, manage complex family dynamics, navigate tough decisions and plan for the future. You will learn when to act as an operator, when to step back as an owner and how to grow your business without losing its entrepreneurial spirit. This programme empowers you to scale your business, strengthen your leadership and build a lasting legacy while mastering the art of leading from two seats.
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What you will learn in this programme
The Cambridge Family Business Leadership Programme will help you:
Strengthen your capability to lead both as an owner and an executive, balancing operational decisions with long-term governance
Design scalable growth strategies across platforms, ecosystems and industries to create sustainable value, and use AI and emerging technologies as real strategic levers to make sharper, faster, strategic decisions
Understand the dynamics that shape family-owned and owner-led organisations and how to sustain growth across generation
Evaluate financial, investment and capital allocation decisions from both a CEO and a shareholder perspective
Design governance structures, succession pathways and conflict management frameworks that support smooth transitions and enterprise resilience
Apply integrated leadership, ownership and board-level skills that enable you to operate and govern effectively in any organisational context
In person in Cambridge
Experience the Cambridge Judge Business School ecosystem firsthand through immersive, in-person modules. Engage directly with faculty and industry practitioners to explore the latest research and real-world insights on enterprise leadership and governance.
During the in-person sessions, you will work closely with global peers, participate in boardroom and leadership exercises and build a strategic action plan tailored to your business. This intensive environment strengthens both your executive decision-making and your board-level perspective, helping you scale the business while improving governance, alignment and long-term strategic clarity.
Curriculum
Across three comprehensive modules, delivered through a blend of in-person sessions, online learning and practical exercises, you will build the skills needed to scale your business, professionalise governance and manage generational transition. Each module addresses a core dimension of effective enterprise leadership, ownership and board stewardship.
This module explores how owner-leaders can build resilient, growth-focused organisations while aligning family values, strategy and governance. Through a deep dive into business drivers, business models, innovation, culture and finance, you will examine how to scale operations and steward capital responsibly across generations. In this module, you will:
Understand the drivers of family-owned and owner-managed enterprises at the macro-, mezzo- and micro-levels and how they shape long-term growth
Assess different family business models and identify which structures best support sustainability and competitive advantage
Align family values and strategic direction, ensuring clarity in purpose, governance and decision-making
Build a culture of innovation and develop resilient business models that respond to disruption and industry change
Explore growth models and strategic execution using case studies and real-world examples to translate strategy into action
Strengthen executive and board-level leadership through sessions on high-performance teams, site visits to family enterprises and conversations with experienced business leaders
Master finance and wealth management fundamentals, including capital stewardship, investment choices and owner-level financial decision-making
This module equips CXOs and senior leaders with the frameworks, tools and mindset needed to build, evaluate and execute winning strategies that ensure long-term competitive advantage and enterprise resilience. In this module, you will:
Develop a strong foundation in strategic thinking and understand why traditional models fall short in today’s fast-changing business environment
Explore how organisations compete and scale in the platform economy by designing strategies that create and capture value across interconnected networks
Gain insight into how leading organisations design innovative business models, sustain competitive advantage and cultivate a serendipity mindset to recognise and act on unexpected opportunities for long-term growth
Examine how AI and data are reshaping strategic thinking, decision-making and organisational performance
Navigate strategies that organisations use to achieve sustainable growth and build corporate advantage in a disruptive and evolving market landscape
Build expertise in strategy design and implementation to translate strategic intent into disciplined, effective action
This module focuses on the long-term stewardship responsibilities of owner-leaders. You will learn how to design effective governance structures, build high-performing boards, manage family and non-family stakeholders and create a succession plan that secures the enterprise across generations. In this module, you will:
Evaluate governance models, ownership structures and decision rights that minimise conflict and support sustainable growth
Define the roles and expectations of family stakeholders, ensuring alignment between owners, executives and the board
Integrate entrepreneurial drive, professional management and governance discipline into a coherent succession strategy
Work with non-family executives and advisers to build a balanced leadership and governance ecosystem
Develop a strategic and actionable succession plan that strengthens continuity and prepares next-generation leaders
Note: The session topics mentioned are subject to change.
Key programme features
Interact with faculty, peers and industry experts during the in-person modules held on the Cambridge campus.
Engage with high-achieving peers and network with founders and owners from the global family business community.
Navigate the family enterprise landscape with insights into leadership, conflict management, governance and succession planning.
Prepare a strategic action plan to navigate specific opportunities and challenges in your family business.
Earn select Cambridge Judge Business School alumni benefits upon completion of the programme.
Gain the opportunity to visit a family enterprise in the region and interact with senior family business owners.
Programme calendar
Experience a comprehensive learning journey with two immersive in-person modules and one online module. The highly interactive in-person sessions will be held in Cambridge, UK, over a period of five days each. You will get the opportunity to engage in insightful discussions on the family business landscape while networking with your global peers and immersing yourself in the rich Cambridge ecosystem. The online module will offer you convenient learning through a mix of video lectures, discussions and assignments.
Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|
Module 1: Managing the Family Enterprise | 16–20 March 2026 | 5 days in person in Cambridge
|
Module 2: Strategic Thinking for the CXO: Platforms, Ecosystems and AI-Driven Strategies | April–June 2026 | 6 weeks online + live online |
Module 3: Governance and Leadership | 29 June–3 July 2026
| 5 days in person in Cambridge |
Note: Programme schedule is subject to change.
Action plan
Throughout the programme, you will apply new insights to create a strategic action plan tailored to your family business. With in-person and online sessions and comprehensive learning resources, you will develop a road map addressing growth, operations and competitive advantage. By the end, you will have a practical strategy to propel your family business forward.
Meet the faculty
Academic Programme Director, Management Practice Professor of Financial Economics and Policy, Director of the Cambridge Executive MBA Programme, Director of the Circular Economy Centre (CEC), Fellow of Clare Hall
Associate Professor in Strategy, Fellow, and Director of Studies at Magdalene College, European Master in Management and Diplôme Grande Ecole (ESCP Europe), DEA (Université Paris X Nanterre), MA (University of Cambridge), PhD (HEC, France)
Professor of Strategy and Innovation, Professorial Fellow of St Edmund’s College MPhil, PhD (University of Cambridge)
Professor of Organisational Behaviour BSc, MSc (Giessen University), PhD (Aston University)
Assistant Professor in Organisational Behaviour BA (University of Modena), MS, PhD (Washington University in St Louis)
Honorary Fellow, BA, MBA, PhD, Economics (University of Nottingham)
Who is it for?
The Cambridge Family Business Leadership Programme is designed for senior leaders who shape both the strategic direction and governance of owner-managed and family-owned enterprises.
Ideal participants include:
Business owners, shareholders and next-generation leaders
Family and non-family board members
Owner-CEOs and C-suite executives
Senior non-family leaders responsible for operations, governance or strategic decision-making
Advisers and professionals supporting family enterprises
Note: Participants are required to have fluency in written and spoken English to enrol in the programme.
Select alumni benefits
Join CJBS’s global network of more than 14,000 alumni in over 100 countries and receive select benefits, including:
Invitations to exclusive events
Bi-monthly newsletter with updates on the latest research, activities and events at the school
CJBS.net email for life
Access to the CJBS Executive Education LinkedIn group
20% discount on all future CJBS Executive Education open-enrolment programmes
Access to country and special interest groups
Certificate
Upon successful completion of the programme, participants will be awarded a digital certificate by Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education.
FAQs
The Family Business Leadership Programme is a specialised offering from Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education designed specifically for leaders of family-owned enterprises. This comprehensive programme equips participants with the strategic tools and insights needed to navigate the unique challenges facing family businesses, including generational transitions, succession planning and governance structures. The programme combines expert faculty instruction with practical frameworks to help family business leaders drive sustainable growth while preserving their legacy for future generations.
A family business course, such as the Cambridge Family Business Leadership Programme, is a specialised educational offering designed to address the unique complexities of family-owned enterprises. This type of business programme focuses on the intersection of family dynamics and commercial operations, covering critical areas such as succession planning, generational leadership transitions and governance frameworks. Participants in this course learn how to balance family relationships with business objectives, implement effective conflict resolution strategies and develop sustainable growth plans that honour both family values and market demands.
The Cambridge Family Business Leadership Programme has been designed with your busy schedule in mind. You will be required to commit not more than four to six hours per week during the online module, enabling you to benefit from this transformational programme while fulfilling your day-to-day work responsibilities. Please note the programme also includes in-person modules in Cambridge, UK.
The tuition fee covers teaching fees, all programme materials and access to online coursework. The fee does not include accommodation for the in-person modules, travel expenses (domestic, international, visa fees and more) and other expenses not specifically mentioned in the programme fee.
You can pay the full programme fee upfront or pay in easy instalments. If you apply well in advance of the programme start date, you can receive a programme fee benefit. If you believe you may qualify for other discounts, please check with your programme adviser to confirm the applicable discount that will provide the greatest benefit and whether there are specific terms and conditions for use. If you would like to approach your organisation with a sponsorship request for this programme, here is a customisable template that you can use.
Yes, we provide closed captioning and transcripts for all prerecorded videos as well as closed captioning for recordings of live sessions.
Emeritus collects all programme payments, provides learner enrolment and programme support and manages learning platform services.
For the programme refund and deferral policy, please click the link here.
Programme fees for Emeritus programmes with Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education may not be paid for with (a) funds from the GI Bill, the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Act of 2008 or similar types of military education funding benefits or (b) Title IV financial aid funds.
Connect with a programme adviser for a 1:1 session
Our programme advisers have helped senior executives around the world choose the right programme for their career goals. Schedule a 1:1 to get a deeper understanding on why the Cambridge Family Business Leadership Programme is the right fit for you.
Email: cambridge_fabu@emeritus.org
Phone: +971 80 0088601097 (UAE) / +44 1786 649936 (UK) / +1 573 527 3654 (USA) / +52 55970 73870 (LATAM) / 000 8009191970 (India*) / +65 3138 1820 (SG)
*If you are dialing the India number, please make sure to include the first three zeros (000).
Flexible payment options available.
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