Vision and missions of Crefe

Created on the initiative of Professor Gérard Hirigoyen, forerunner of his work in family businesses and behavioral finance, the Research Center will focus on revealing the universality of the family and business enterprise development model, for sustainable and profitable growth for our contemporary society.
Independent companies, often multigenerational, have, in fact, modes of government, growth strategies and a spirit of social management in a long-term vision, which allow a virtuous, sustainable and participatory development of the company.
These companies are the main source of job creation and contribute to the influence of France abroad. They are distributed throughout the country and compensate for the extreme centralization of the decision-making centers of the main groups.
Finally, the family and multigenerational nature of these companies explains their visceral link with the territory where they were born, where their leaders, employees and shareholders live.
This community is committed to preserving its independence from requests for repurchase expressed by French or foreign acquisition groups, which could eventually threaten this regional socioeconomic footprint.
Many entrepreneurial companies are also found in these values. Entrepreneurial companies are those that innovate, undertake risky projects and are the first to propose a proactive innovation outperforming its competitors.
With its French, European and international members, CREFE will highlight the points of divergence and convergence of the behaviors of these actors, including:
– taking into account a possible listing in the stock market or, conversely, a following in the unquoted market,
– comparing them from the international point of view,
– Analyzing their innovation strategies.

In more general terms, the topics of governance, growth, creation of value and sustainability of family and business enterprises will be studied.

The Association is under the aegis of the law of July 1, 1901 of French law.