The World’s 250 Largest Family
Businesses
A year ago Family Business
magazine broke new ground by compiling the first single list of the
world’s 200 largest family companies. This year expanded that list to
250.
And an impressive group it is: 250
family-run companies, each with annual revenues of at least $1.2 billion,
spread across 28 countries. Many of them dominate their national
economies, but most reach far beyond national borders. Taken as a whole,
by any measure they constitute a significant force in the global economy.
United States 130
France 17
Germany 16
Italy 11
Mexico 10
Spain 8
Canada 7
Japan 5
Switzerland 5
Belgium 4
Sweden 4
Turkey 4
Brazil 3
China 3
India 3
Korea (South) 3
Netherlands 3
United Kingdom 3
Australia 2
Kuwait 1
Lebanon 1
Luxembourg 1
Portugal 1
Saudi Arabia 1
South Africa 1
Taiwan 1
United Arab Emirates 1
Venezuela 1
1. Wal-Mart
Stores (1)
Walton/Bentonville, Ark.
Industry: Discount retail chain
Founded: 1962
Revenues: $244.5 billion
Employees: 1.4 million
www.walmartstores.com
From single store in Arkansas in 1962, founder Sam Walton (d. 1992) and
younger brother James L. (Bud) built Wal-Mart into world’s largest
retailer, with about 4,700 stores today (bigger than Sears, Kmart and
J.C. Penney combined). Sam’s descendants own about 38%. Sam’s son Robson,
59, is now chairman.
2. Ford Motor
Co. (2)
Ford/Dearborn, Mich.
Industry: Auto manufacturer
Founded: 1903
Revenues: $163.4 billion
Employees: 350,321
www.ford.com
Pioneering auto firm now in fourth generation. Henry Ford (1863-1947)
introduced mass production and dominated early auto market with Model T.
His grandson Henry II (1917-1987) rebuilt company as CEO, 1960-1980, with
younger brother William (retired 1995) as finance committee chairman.
William’s son William Jr., chairman since 1999, acquired Volvo Cars. Ford
family still owns about 40% of voting stock.
3. Samsung
(3)
Lee/Seoul, South Korea
Industry: Conglomerate
Founded: 1938
Revenues: $98.7 billion
Employees: 175,000
www.samsung.com
Thanks to recent turnaround, now the largest chaebol (family
conglomerate) in South Korea. Flagship Samsung Electronics division is
one of world’s largest makers of computer memory chips; also makes home
electronics equipment, mobile phones, microwave ovens, etc. Other
divisions deal in life insurance, securities, trading. Lee family
controls about 22%.
4. LG Group
(4)
Koo, Huh/Seoul, South Korea
Industry: Conglomerate
Revenues: $81 billion
Employees: 130,000
www.lg.co.kr
LG Group (formerly Lucky Goldstar) is one of the five chaebol
(family-run industrial groups) in South Korea. With operations in more
than 120 countries, the group organizes its principal activities into
chemicals and energy (LG Chemical, Korea's largest chemical company),
electronics and telecommunications (LG Electronics, one of the largest
consumer electronics firms in Korea), financial services (LG Investment
& Securities), and trading and service (LG International). Currently
being reorganized because of the nation’s financial collapse. Koo and
Huh families own about 59%.
5. Carrefour
Group (5)
Defforey/Paris, France
Industry: Retailing
Revenues: $72.035 billion
Employees: 396,662
www.carrefour.com
Europe’s largest retailer operates hypermarkets (groceries,
merchandise), supermarkets and discount and convenience stores—9,500
all told—in 30 countries. The name means “crossroads.” Some 60 members
of Defforey family hold controlling stock.
6.Fiat Group
(7)
Agnelli/Turin, Italy
Industry: Automobiles
Revenues: $61.014 billion
Employees: 186,492
www.fiatgroup.com
Century-old auto company famous for producing Fiat and sports cars Alfa
Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati; expanded into construction equipment,
insurance, aviation, publishing. Founding Agnelli family owns about
30%. Third-generation leader Giovanni (“Gianni”) Agnelli still honorary
chairman. But 1998 death of his heir-apparent nephew raises questions
about how much longer Fiat will be family-run.
7. Ifi
Istituto Finanziario Industriale S.p.A. (6)
Agnelli/Turin, Italy
Industry: Diversified holdings
Revenues: $59.239 billion
Employees: 198,764
www.gruppoifi.com
Agnelli family’s holding company owns 20% of Fiat, 50% of Finanziaria
di Partecipazioni (Ifil), which in turn owns another 12% of Fiat. Also
sports, retail, publishing, insurance, sugar and other businesses.
8.PSA Peugeot
Citroën S.A. (9)
Peugeot/Paris, France
Industry: Tires
Revenues: $57.054 billion
Employees: 198,600
www.psa-peugeot-citroen.com
France’s largest auto seller, also Europe’s No. 2 (behind Volkswagen),
now expanding into China, Iran, Brazil. Other products include
industrial machinery, scooters, light-armored vehicles. Peugeot family
holds 42% of voting stock.
9. Cargill
Inc. (8)
Cargill, MacMillan/Minneapolis
Industry: International commodities trader
Founded: 1865
Revenues: $50.8 billion
Employees: 97,000
www.cargill.com
World’s largest privately held company buys and sells grain, poultry,
beef, steel, seeds, salt and other commodities on six continents.
Founder William Cargill and brothers provided grain elevators to store
wheat after Civil War. His Cargill and MacMillan descendants, now in
fourth and fifth generations, have run firm ever since (with occasional
non-family CEOs) from 63-room French-style country mansion. Created one
of first management training programs, 1930s. Whitney MacMillan retired
1995 after 18 years as CEO. Family members own about 85%, key employees
the rest.
10. BMW
(Bayerische Motoren Werke AG) (11)
Quandt /Munich, Germany
Industry: Automobiles
Revenues: $44.315 billion
Employees: 101,395
www.bmw.com
One of Europe’s top auto exporters. BMW cars account for 60% of
company’s sales. Other products: motorcycles, software. Reclusive
family of widowed heiress Johanna Quandt of Bad Homburg controls 47% of
stock; family periodically rumored to be selling its stake.
1-10 |
11-50 |
51-100 |
101-150 |
151-200|
201-250
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