Creating generational wealth through the sale of a company is often portrayed as the finish line for many family-run businesses. In reality, however, it can mark the beginning of an entirely new chapter – one filled with uncertainty, emotional complexity, and difficult questions about identity, purpose, and legacy. The idea that wealth does not solve challenging family dynamics becomes a reality, and many discover that financial abundance can bring greater complexity, compounding emotion and amplifying friction.
During these moments of transition, some of Canada’s most successful family enterprises look to the KPMG Family office and Emily Brine, BC Family Office Leader. Using a framework that considers not just finances, but also psychology, governance, and family dynamics, the KPMG team helps guidefamilies not only through an exit, but through its impact on the family for generations to come.
As a CPA with more than twenty years of experience at KPMG, Emily’s family also runs a family business. She understands the nuance and complexity of family enterprises, both financially and interpersonally. Together with the KPMG team, she helps families design plans that address succession, next-generation stewardship, philanthropic goals, and more. Often, the focus is on family communication and involves family meetings and even family retreats. “The power of the multidisciplinary approach is critical,” Emily says. “No one advisor can do this work alone.”
Emily works closely with KPMG professionals in accounting,tax, law and wealth advisory, along with external advisors such as asset managers, therapists, and family lawyers to help families navigate the many layers of transition that accompany significant wealth events.
“It’s really important that families are able to envision a future that is different from what they’re currently experiencing,” Emily states. “Change is hard.” Using a values-driven model, Emily and the team focus on getting families aligned before technical planning takes place. This often includes family meetings where mission statements are discussed alongside shared values exercises and governance conversations. “We always say it’s anchored in bringing the family together to understand the family’s vision, mission, and shared values.”
Trained as a CPA, and having spent years serving as Chief of Staff and HR Leader at KPMG in Canada, Emily has developed a leadership style that combines technical experience with strong emotional intelligence, strengths she now brings to helping family enterprises. Working with the next generation is especially fulfilling for Emily, and she leans into facilitating difficult conversations while creating personalized education opportunities for rising-generation family members. “It gives parents some confidence that their rising generation are getting education and information and feeling more equipped to make decisions in the future,” Emily shares, highlighting that her work goes far beyond the financial and helps bridge the gap between generations.
Emily draws on personal experience and her own reinventions as a professional when helping others. She has designed and carved out her own path according to both her career goals and the compounding complexity of raising three children while navigating a high-pressure professional track. Originally headed toward an audit partnership, Emily thoughtfully navigated the tension between motherhood and career by redefining success on her own terms, ultimately becoming a leader of KPMG’s Family Office division in BC.
While she did not follow the expected trajectory, she is proud to have designed a path where she creates impact and builds deep, meaningful relationships. She is also actively engaged in mentoring and opening doors for others, especially women.
As a woman in leadership, Emily is an avid supporter of the younger generation coming up behind her. KPMG provides a culture of belonging and camaraderie, and within that culture, Emily encourages women to put up their hands, take on leadership opportunities, and intentionally consider their own paths. Acknowledging that women often overprepare for advancement, Emily stresses the importance of putting yourself forward early and making your objectives known. “Be confident in your ability,” she states. “Put up your hand.”
Reflecting on her role now and the way she stepped forward for leadership opportunities, Emily considers the meaning and impact of her work in the KPMG Family Office. “Ultimately, it’s about people,” she states, acknowledging the privilege in helping families navigate relationships, purpose, and stewardship through some of their most defining moments. “It goes beyond professional advice. We really care. The best days are the ones where you feel you truly helped a family navigate something meaningful.”