For years, Singapore’s richest family looked like a model of effective succession planning.

A recent father-son feud has shattered that image, and turned the $17 billion Kwek clan into a cautionary tale for investors in family-controlled companies.

Wealthy families around the world are preparing to pass down trillions to their heirs. In Asia, many aging tycoons are grappling with whether to hand over the reins of their business dynasties to their offspring, or hire outside professionals to manage them. The Kweks’ saga, pieced together from interviews with 20 individuals, documents and public statements, shows how even the most carefully choreographed leadership transitions can be upended by mistrust and accusations of poor business decisions.

Prefer to listen? This story is also on the Big Take Asia podcast.

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