Abstract

Crises have restructuring effects. The financial crisis symbolically exploded with the Lehman Brothers fall provides severe lessons regarding the governance patterns of financial institutions. The article deals with the specific case of the Italian foundations of banking origin and their relationship with the banks they have a stake in, but this is done within the broader framework of public company governance issues. Suggestions are made to reconsider "monocratic" approaches to leadership in order to induce more balanced incentive systems as well as strategic options more consistent with the investors' mission.