Burma Drinx Group (A): Strategizing for CEO Succession in a Family Business

Abstract

Burma Drinx Group, a large family-owned conglomerate in Myanmar, an Asian country in economic and political transition, is about to reinvent itself to achieve success and adaptation to its evolving context. Based on internal and external information about the firm, the case states the challenges and issues that Burma Drinx Group (thereafter BDG) is experiencing as a family-owned conglomerate operating in a ‘non-friendly’ business environment and in a turbulent political and economic context. It focuses on the group CEO Aung Win’s succession. The reader is invited to understand the specificities of BDG’s internal environment, and to manage the idiosyncrasies of this family business conglomerate regarding CEO Win’s succession. Beyond the succession issue, BDG’s decision-makers face critical challenges for the future and have to make bold and courageous decisions to build on the success of the organization. The case proposes a consulting-case style where analysis and reflection are required to understand the challenges and to provide relevant solutions to the top management of the company. Material from the academic literature about succession is offered as a resource to the reader.