The Johnsons unveiled: a family’s clash of values, business, and philanthropy

Conflict arose in the Johnson family, owners of a renowned luxury brand in Western Europe, when the fourth generation joined the business. John Johnson, the eldest son, returned from the US with ideas and strategies to improve the firm and initiate philanthropic projects. Despite facing hostility, John hired philanthropy advisors and started a fund to help young women with genital fistulas in Africa, providing treatment and vocational training. His family remained unimpressed and rejected his proposals to create a holding company and to establish corporate governance mechanisms. At this point, John strongly felt he was too different from his family to collaborate with them. After well over a decade of impasse, John bought out the rest of the family and became majority shareholder. The family split and continued to stay conflicted. The case ends with John reflecting on what he could have done differently and his next steps.