SMU has announced Southeast Asia's first institute focused on addressing the needs of business families in the region. The Business Families Institute, a research and education centre, will draw on the university's experience to offer insights on issues such as business succession and family ownership. "Since 2010, SMU had recognized the emergence of Asian business families and discerned that they require specifically contextualized thought leadership and applied knowledge," SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer said in a statement.