Setting the conditions for hereditary entrepreneurship

There are families of doctors, lawyers or artists, so why not a family of entrepreneurs, capable of shifting towards new activities when those they master decline? This is the challenge taken up by the Mulliez family, which today has 1,572 descendants and 860 partners, and is known for its entrepreneurial success (Auchan, Leroy Merlin, Boulanger, Decathlon, Kiabi, Flunch, etc.) and its ability to overcome difficulties. However, the reasons for this entrepreneurial vigour, which spans five generations, remain somewhat mysterious. Séverine Tapié-Mulliez, long-time secretary general of Creadev, one of the family's investment arms in diversification, highlights the unique features of the family culture, its mechanisms and its strict governance rules. She also discusses the role of the Affectio department and its close involvement in managing the family community.