How the Henkel Family Keeps a Chemical Empire Under One Roof episode artwork

EPISODE · May 29, 2026 · 8 MIN

How the Henkel Family Keeps a Chemical Empire Under One Roof

from Family Business Stories with Fexingo: Succession, Legacy, and Multi-Generational Companies · host Fexingo

Henkel is a global chemical and consumer goods giant—Persil, Loctite, Schwarzkopf—but it's been majority-owned by the same German family for 140 years. In this episode, Lucas and Luna look at how the Henkel family has held onto voting control through a unique partnership structure, navigated the post-war division of Germany, and managed the transition to non-family CEOs. They also examine a specific moment in 2008 when the family bought back shares to fend off activist investors, and what that move meant for long-term strategy. The episode includes concrete numbers on family ownership stakes and dividend policies that keep the clan aligned without running the company day to day. #Henkel #FamilyBusiness #Succession #GermanIndustry #Persil #Loctite #Schwarzkopf #ChemicalIndustry #CorporateGovernance #DualClassShares #FoundingFamily #LongTermValue #ActivistInvestors #ShareBuyback #Dusseldorf #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 29, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

How the Henkel Family Keeps a Chemical Empire Under One Roof

0:00 8:19

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Family Business Stories with Fexingo: Succession, Legacy, and Multi-Generational Companies?

This episode is 8 minutes long.

When was this Family Business Stories with Fexingo: Succession, Legacy, and Multi-Generational Companies episode published?

This episode was published on May 29, 2026.

Can I download this Family Business Stories with Fexingo: Succession, Legacy, and Multi-Generational Companies episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!