Jennifer M. Pendergast Ph.D is a Senior Advisor to the Family Business Advisory Practice Group at Egon Zehnder and an adjunct professor at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, where she serves as academic director and instructor for the Family Enterprise Suite of executive education programs. She is a valued advisor to clients on family enterprise governance structures, succession planning, next generation development and family office organization. She has authored numerous books and articles for the family business audience.
I am most energized by connecting with clients, particularly family businesses, as they are facing critical inflection points around succession, leadership development and professionalization of governance.
Previously she served as the inaugural John L. Ward Clinical Professor of Family Enterprise and Faculty Director, Center for Family Enterprises (KCFE) at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. In that capacity, Jennifer guided the market leading executive education and MBA programs and the research agenda for KCFE. She began her career in family business consulting at Family Business Consulting Group. Early in her career she was an associate in the McKinsey & Company Atlanta office.
Jennifer received her Ph.D. in Management from Wharton Business School and holds a B.S. in Finance from University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce.
