Family enterprise advisory

We guide families and family enterprises.
And we move when it matters.

Discreet, long-term guidance through strategy, governance, succession and legacy, with the ability to drop in, go anywhere, and bring back knowledge, truth and reality.

Begin a conversation Based in Europe · Working globally

Discreet by design

Quietly referred, rarely found. Confidentiality is the foundation.

Long-term stewards

A few families at a time, for years, across generations.

On the ground in days

When it counts, we travel, embed and act, fast.

Hands on, human

People help us understand reality. We go and see for ourselves.

Cutting-edge
technology

Technology helps us process information and move faster when it matters.

Calm in the long term. Decisive when it counts.

We hold space

For the conversations that shape continuity.

We bend time

We help find and bring valuable legacy into the future.

We bring reality

No nonsense, with heart. Knowledge and truth, from the ground level.

Stewarding what should endure

What we do

Calm guidance, decisive support.

Strategy & Governance

Defining direction and governance models around your family's dynamics.

We lead structured, thoughtful conversations that define strategic direction and governance models, each one shaped around the unique dynamics of the family and its enterprise.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Well-tested models with deep, on-the-ground involvement.

Technology helps us process information; people help us understand reality. We spend our time where value and risk are created, inside operations, close to the people shaping the business. When a deal needs assessing at short notice, we move.

Succession & Legacy

Navigating transitions and generational shifts.

We support families through leadership transitions, succession and generational shifts, aligning future intentions with present responsibilities.

Compliance & Structure

Frameworks for alignment, clarity and resilience.

We shape governance frameworks that support regulatory alignment, internal clarity and long-term resilience.

Family Office & Investment

Structures for thoughtful oversight of shared assets.

We help design structures for family offices and holdings, supporting thoughtful oversight of portfolios and shared assets.

Reputational Risk

Discreet due diligence on exposure and core assets.

We help families understand where they are exposed, from public perception to internal dynamics and across the supply chain. In moments of uncertainty, transition or expansion, we run calm, discreet due diligence. When something looks wrong, we go and see for ourselves.

Embedded Stewardship

We embed within the assets to strengthen them from inside.

When it's wanted, we embed into internal roles and conversations to strengthen the living system from the inside out. We coach, we align, we translate intent into execution, and we stay for as long as we're useful.

Executive Coaching

One-to-one coaching for principals and senior business leaders.

We coach principals, owners and senior executives through complexity, transition and high-stakes decisions, building clarity, confidence and steadiness at the top. Candid, confidential, and grounded in the realities of leading a family enterprise.

Not sure where to start?

Begin a conversation

On the ground, where value and risk are made

How we have worked

A track record, quietly built.

Family Strategy & Generational Transition

Succession, ownership transitions and long-term stewardship across generations.

Supported a multi-generational family in navigating succession, ownership transitions, and long-term stewardship. Facilitated conversations across generations, aligned expectations around future roles and responsibilities, and helped translate family values into practical governance structures and decision-making frameworks.Typical engagement
Working alongside principals, family members, and trusted advisors during periods of transition, growth, and increasing complexity.

Mergers, Acquisitions & Commercial Due Diligence

From target identification to integration, including factory floors in rural Africa.

Supported family-owned businesses and investors throughout acquisition processes, from target identification and strategic assessment to operational due diligence and integration planning. We combine structured analysis with practical, on-the-ground investigation to understand how businesses truly operate, inspecting factory floors in rural Africa, not just data rooms.Typical engagement
Moving beyond data rooms and presentations to evaluate leadership quality, operational realities, cultural fit, and execution risk.

Next-Generation Education & Mentoring

Personalised learning journeys for future stewards.

Designed and delivered personalised learning journeys for next-generation family members, combining entrepreneurship, ownership education, governance, sustainability, and real-world exposure to help future stewards develop both competence and confidence.Typical engagement
One-to-one mentoring, group learning experiences, field visits, and tailored educational programmes.

Executive Coaching of Principals & Leaders

One-to-one coaching for principals and senior business leaders.

Coached principals, owners and senior executives through complexity, transition and high-stakes decisions, building clarity, confidence and steadiness at the top. Candid and confidential, grounded in the realities of leading a family enterprise.Typical engagement
Ongoing one-to-one counsel to leaders and owners during periods of pressure, change, and consequential decision-making.

Compliance, ESG & Stewardship Counsel

Embedded governance, compliance and responsible-ownership advice.

Served as an embedded advisor to family enterprises and operating businesses on governance, compliance, sustainability, and responsible ownership, helping organisations navigate increasing stakeholder expectations while strengthening long-term resilience and strategic clarity.Typical engagement
Acting as a trusted advisor to leadership teams, boards, and owners during periods of regulatory change and organisational development.

Family Foundation Learning & Educational Design

Programmes, retreats and learning journeys for foundations and ownership groups.

Designed educational programmes, retreats, workshops, and learning journeys for family foundations and ownership groups, translating complex topics such as stewardship, sustainability, governance, and societal change into engaging and meaningful learning experiences.Typical engagement
Creating environments where families can learn, reflect, and develop shared perspectives together.

Innovation Labs & Venture Building

New ventures and innovation initiatives within family enterprises.

Established and supported innovation initiatives within family-owned enterprises, helping organisations explore new ventures, business models, and growth opportunities beyond the core, while keeping initiatives anchored to family values and long-term intent.Typical engagement
Standing up internal innovation efforts, shaping venture ideas, and guiding teams from concept toward execution.

Every engagement is bespoke.

We measure success in generations, not quarters.

Calm. Decisive. Discreet.

Let's begin a conversation.

We value the relationships we've built over time, and we're always open to new ones where there's mutual curiosity.

hello@alicethetimebender.com

Based in Europe. Working globally. On the ground wherever needed.
References available upon request.