1. We Know the Landscape: Family Businesses Power the
Economy—Globally and Regionally

Global

• 70% of GDP is generated by family businesses
• 60% of the workforce is employed by family businesses
• The 500 largest family businesses generate US $8.8 trillion, exceeding the GDP of the  world’s third-largest economy

Middle East

• 80% of businesses are family-owned
• 90% of the private sector is family-owned
• 60% of GDP and 80% of employment are driven by family businesses

Egypt

• 50-60% of companies are family-owned
• 80% of gross national income is contributed by family businesses
• ~70% of the labor force is employed by family businesses
• Top family conglomerates employ 178,000+ people

2. We Understand the Underlying Dynamics: Succession Gaps, Wealth Strain, and the Pressure to Institutionalize

Succession & Continuity

• 60% of Middle Eastern companies lack a succession plan
• Only 3% of Egyptian family businesses reach the 4th or 5th generation

Conflict Resolution

• 30% of Middle Eastern companies have a conflict resolution policy
• 15% of companies globally have such conflict resolution policy

Wealth Sustainability

• 2× Larger average family size in the Middle East compared to the US and UK
• ~18% Annual growth required for family businesses to preserve wealth across expanding family structures

Family Offices

• 8,030 family offices globally (2024)
• 290 Family offices located in the Middle East

Diversification & Digital Integration

• 75% of Middle Eastern family firms operate across multiple sectors (vs 45% globally)
• 78% of family offices plan to invest in digital assets
• 75% of ME family businesses prioritize digital innovation but only 6% do so in Egypt

Additionally, given the scale of operations, generational transitions, and the growing challenge of wealth preservation, leading families are increasingly institutionalizing their structures—separating the legal framework for asset ownership from the strategic operating platform for decision-making.