BERN: Switzerland recently compiled a list of the 500 largest family businesses around the world. There are some surprising companies in the list. Household names and some you might have never heard of.
The United States is the clear winner based on total number (101) and combined revenue (US$2 trillion) however, when expressed on a national per capita basis Switzerland is the clear winner on both measures.
Switzerland has 17 companies in the list of the top 500 family firms, generating over US$ 181 billion of combined revenue, close to the GDP of New Zealand (US$ 198 billion – IMF 2014). Together these businesses generate revenue of nearly US$23,000 per resident of Switzerland while employing nearly half a million people globally.
