The Lawrence N. Field Center for Entrepreneurship presents the 6th Annual Global Family Business Event, where we invite speakers from prominent family businesses around the world to share advice, anecdotes and wisdom on running a family enterprise. This year, we are featuring a third generation entrepreneur, who will discuss how the business has evolved from generation to generation.

Fernando Carrilho is the director of the Brazilian property and real estate company Construtora Carrilho. Fernando’s grandparents founded the company in 1969 with the purpose of building and reconditioning small residential buildings.

Among other projects, the company was contracted build affordable housing for the government under a program called ‘Minha Casa Minha Vida’ (My home, my life).

The evolution of a family business

Today, Construtora Carrilho is focused on buying land, as well as building and selling office buildings and apartments under a government program designed to help those who wish to purchase their first home.

Over the years, the family business has grown from a contractor to a major corporation, and, like many family businesses, its organizational culture has evolved from generation to generation.

REGISTER

About the speaker

Serial entrepreneur Fernando Carrilho is one of three directors at Construtora Carrilho. Prior to joining the family business six years ago, he founded his own cement business in 2001 as an offshoot to the family business, with Construtora Carrilho holding a 25 percent share. Fernando’s business eventually become a cement supplier, and a few years later he sold the business to one of the top cement producers in the world.

Fernando then became a venture capitalist, buying a 50 percent stake in a startup steel company that assembled warehouses, malls and convention centers etc. The business grew from $1 million to $80 million in revenue in just three years.

Soon after he joined the family business, Fernando was asked to prepare a business plan for an entire “planned city” starting with a massive shopping mall with 40,000 square metres of retail space. But despite his snug position in the family business, he has not stopped pursuing other business opportunities. Last year, he decided to invest in a startup power plant for wind and solar energy, in which he owns a 10 percent stake.