Family businesses have been the private sector economic foundation of the GCC. Their financial strength and contribution to national GDP is obvious. Their challenges, however, are usually private, hidden behind a family wall of silence. True, there have been a few public blow ups, but everything else is discreet. This is a shame, as these wonderfully successful family businesses deserve to remain successful across generations and a necessary part of that is open debate and discussion on the challenges faced by these families. How else can you learn?