Count Andreas von Faber-Castell

Dealing with the loss of the family patriarch is difficult enough, but dealing with the unexpected loss of the owning patriarch in a large family business adds extra complexity, especially for the business decisions that arise during – and after – such a significant, emotional event. This session will explore the challenges faced by global brand, Faber-Castell to maintain the family business legacy following the tragic loss of 8th generation Count Anton Wolfgang Graf von Faber-Castell in 2016. Faber-Castell was founded in 1761 by Caspar Faber and has evolved from a small-scale handicraft enterprise to a company with international standing. It has been owned and managed by direct descendants of the founder for nine generations, making it one of the world’s oldest family-owned companies. Count Andreas von Faber-Castell, the late Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell’s brother, was Faber-Castell’s Director of the Asia Pacific region, based in Australia. In this session, Count Andreas and his daughter, Natalie Grace, will share the evolution of the family business, their perspectives on the impact of changes to the ownership structure after Count Anton’s death and the challenges of maintaining the family business legacy following his untimely passing. Facilitated by Dr Donella Caspersz Senior Lecturer and Director, UN PRME at the University of Western Australia Business School.