tiktok³ÉÈ˰æ

Family Business Shareholders Agreement Template for New Zealand

Create a bespoke document in minutes,  or upload and review your own.

4.6 / 5
4.8 / 5

Let's create your Family Business Shareholders Agreement

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get your first 2 documents free

Your data doesn't train Genie's AI

You keep IP ownership of your information

Key Requirements PROMPT example:

Family Business Shareholders Agreement

"I need a Family Business Shareholders Agreement for our third-generation manufacturing business with 5 family shareholders and 2 non-family minority shareholders, focusing heavily on succession planning as our CEO plans to retire in March 2025."

Document background
The Family Business Shareholders Agreement is a crucial document for family-owned enterprises operating under New Zealand law. It is typically implemented when establishing a family business structure, during succession planning, or when formalizing existing family business arrangements. The agreement covers essential aspects such as share ownership, transfer restrictions, management rights, dividend policies, and dispute resolution mechanisms. It is designed to protect both the business interests and family relationships, incorporating provisions for succession planning and next-generation involvement. The document ensures compliance with New Zealand corporate law while addressing the unique challenges of family business governance, including the balance between family and business interests, professional management integration, and long-term sustainability. It serves as a foundational document that helps prevent potential conflicts and provides clear guidelines for business operation and family member participation.
Suggested Sections

1. Parties: Identification of all shareholders, the company, and any other relevant parties

2. Background: Context of the family business, history, and purpose of the agreement

3. Definitions and Interpretation: Key terms used throughout the agreement and rules for interpretation

4. Company Management: Board composition, appointment rights, and management structure

5. Shareholders' Rights and Obligations: Core rights, voting requirements, and obligations of shareholders

6. Share Capital and Funding: Share structure, classes, and future funding obligations

7. Transfer of Shares: Rules and restrictions on share transfers, including pre-emptive rights

8. Family Succession Planning: Guidelines for generational transfer of ownership and management

9. Decision Making: Required majorities for different types of decisions and reserved matters

10. Dividend Policy: Framework for profit distribution and dividend declarations

11. Dispute Resolution: Procedures for resolving conflicts between family members/shareholders

12. Exit Mechanisms: Procedures for shareholder exit, including valuation methods

13. Confidentiality: Protection of company and family confidential information

14. General Provisions: Standard boilerplate clauses including governing law and notices

Optional Sections

1. Family Council: Structure and role of a family council for larger family businesses

2. Employment of Family Members: Rules and policies for family member employment in the business

3. Family Constitution Integration: Integration with separate family constitution if one exists

4. Intellectual Property Rights: Special provisions for family-owned IP and usage rights

5. Family Trust Provisions: Special provisions when family trusts are shareholders

6. Non-Family Shareholders: Special provisions for non-family minority shareholders

7. Business Ethics and Values: Statement of family business values and ethical principles

8. Related Party Transactions: Rules for handling business dealings between family members

9. Emergency Succession: Procedures for unexpected death or incapacity of key family members

Suggested Schedules

1. Schedule 1: Details of Shareholders: Current shareholders, shareholdings, and share classes

2. Schedule 2: Company Information: Key company details, structure, and subsidiaries

3. Schedule 3: Reserved Matters: List of decisions requiring special majority or unanimous approval

4. Schedule 4: Share Valuation Methods: Detailed methodology for share valuation

5. Schedule 5: Tag and Drag Rights: Detailed procedures for tag-along and drag-along rights

6. Schedule 6: Family Employment Policy: Detailed policies for family member employment

7. Schedule 7: Deed of Adherence: Template for new shareholders joining the agreement

8. Schedule 8: Business Plan: Current business plan and strategy

9. Appendix A: Family Tree: Current family structure showing relationships between shareholders

10. Appendix B: Company Constitution: Copy of the current company constitution

Authors

Alex Denne

Head of Growth (Open Source Law) @ tiktok³ÉÈ˰æ | 3 x UCL-Certified in Contract Law & Drafting | 4+ Years Managing 1M+ Legal Documents | Serial Founder & Legal AI Author

Relevant legal definitions












































Clauses










































Relevant Industries

Retail

Manufacturing

Agriculture

Hospitality

Professional Services

Construction

Real Estate

Food and Beverage

Wholesale Trade

Transport and Logistics

Family Office Services

Relevant Teams

Legal

Corporate Governance

Board of Directors

Family Office

Executive Management

Company Secretariat

Compliance

Strategy

Finance

Business Development

Relevant Roles

Chief Executive Officer

Managing Director

Family Office Manager

Corporate Lawyer

Company Secretary

Board Director

Family Council Chair

Chief Financial Officer

Succession Planning Advisor

Governance Consultant

Family Business Advisor

Trustee

General Counsel

Business Development Director

Family Relationship Officer

Industries







Teams

Employer, Employee, Start Date, Job Title, Department, Location, Probationary Period, Notice Period, Salary, Overtime, Vacation Pay, Statutory Holidays, Benefits, Bonus, Expenses, Working Hours, Rest Breaks,  Leaves of Absence, Confidentiality, Intellectual Property, Non-Solicitation, Non-Competition, Code of Conduct, Termination,  Severance Pay, Governing Law, Entire Agreemen

Find the exact document you need

Restaurant Shareholder Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement establishing shareholders' rights and obligations in a restaurant business, including operational and management provisions.

find out more

Universal Shareholders Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement establishing rights, obligations, and relationships between a company and all its shareholders.

find out more

Share Allocation Agreement

A New Zealand-compliant agreement documenting the terms and conditions for allocating new shares in a company to specified recipients.

find out more

Simple Shareholder Agreement

A New Zealand-compliant agreement that governs the relationship between shareholders, establishing their rights, obligations, and company governance procedures.

find out more

Shareholder Resignation Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement facilitating a shareholder's resignation from a company, including share transfer provisions and mutual releases.

find out more

Basic Shareholder Agreement

A New Zealand-law governed agreement establishing core rights and obligations between company shareholders, including share transfers, voting rights, and governance procedures.

find out more

Preference Share Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement establishing terms for issuing preference shares with specified dividend, voting, and capital rights.

find out more

Directors Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement establishing the legal relationship between a company and its director, setting out appointment terms, duties, and obligations.

find out more

Shareholder Contract

A New Zealand law-governed agreement that defines and regulates the relationships, rights, and obligations between a company's shareholders.

find out more

Unanimous Shareholder Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement establishing rights and obligations between all shareholders and their company, ensuring unified governance and protection of shareholder interests.

find out more

Family Business Shareholders Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement establishing rights and obligations between shareholders in a family-owned business, addressing both commercial and family governance aspects.

find out more

Small Business Shareholder Agreement

A New Zealand-compliant agreement establishing rights and obligations between shareholders in a small business, including share ownership, transfers, and governance provisions.

find out more

Shareholder Buy Sell Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement establishing rules and procedures for the purchase and sale of company shares between shareholders under specified trigger events.

find out more

Stakeholders Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement that defines the rights, obligations, and relationships between company stakeholders, including shareholders and directors.

find out more

Proxy Shareholder Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement appointing a proxy to exercise shareholder rights and voting powers on behalf of a principal shareholder.

find out more

Entrusted Shareholding Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement establishing a nominee shareholding arrangement between an entrusted shareholder and beneficial owner, defining their respective rights and obligations.

find out more

Subscription And Shareholders Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement combining share subscription terms and ongoing shareholder arrangements, establishing rights and obligations between a company and its shareholders.

find out more

Startup Shareholder Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement establishing shareholder rights, obligations, and relationships in a startup company, including ownership, voting rights, and governance structures.

find out more

Employee Shareholder Agreement

A New Zealand-governed agreement establishing terms for employee share ownership, including allocation, rights, and employment-related conditions.

find out more

Shareholder Investment Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement setting out terms for new investment in a company, including shareholder rights, governance, and investment protections.

find out more

Shareholder Transfer Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement documenting the transfer of shares between shareholders, including terms, conditions, and completion requirements.

find out more

Joint Venture And Shareholders Agreement

A New Zealand law-governed agreement establishing a joint venture structure and governing shareholder relationships between multiple parties, including operational and ownership provisions.

find out more

Shareholder Purchase Agreement

A New Zealand-law governed agreement for the sale and purchase of company shares, detailing transaction terms, warranties, and completion requirements.

find out more

Download our whitepaper on the future of AI in Legal

By providing your email address you are consenting to our Privacy Notice.
Thank you for downloading our whitepaper. This should arrive in your inbox shortly. In the meantime, why not jump straight to a section that interests you here: /our-research
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

³Ò±ð²Ô¾±±ð’s Security Promise

Genie is the safest place to draft. Here’s how we prioritise your privacy and security.

Your documents are private:

We do not train on your data; ³Ò±ð²Ô¾±±ð’s AI improves independently

All data stored on Genie is private to your organisation

Your documents are protected:

Your documents are protected by ultra-secure 256-bit encryption

Our bank-grade security infrastructure undergoes regular external audits

We are ISO27001 certified, so your data is secure

Organizational security

You retain IP ownership of your documents

You have full control over your data and who gets to see it

Innovation in privacy:

Genie partnered with the Computational Privacy Department at Imperial College London

Together, we ran a £1 million research project on privacy and anonymity in legal contracts

Want to know more?

Visit our for more details and real-time security updates.