The Dutch may have invented the stock exchange but they’ve also got a lot of big, successful family-owned firms as well. Here are the top 10, according to Elsevier magazine.

1. SHV, 2012 turnover €20bn
Owned by the Fentener van Vlissingen family, SHV has interests in the energy sector, owns the Makro food wholesale group, the Mammoet transport group and Vanderlande Industries which develops baggage handling systems.

2. Heineken, 2012 turnover €18.4bnIt may be listed on the stock exchange, but daughter Charlene still controls the brewing giant through the family holding company.

3. BCD Holdings, 2012 turnover €17.5bn
It’s those Fentener van Vlissingens again – this time with business travel bureau BCD.

4. Pon Holdings, 2011 turnover €5.9bn
Responsible for importing Opel, Volkswagen, Porsche, Lamborghini and a whole string of other car brands into the Netherlands.

5. Jumbo, 2012 turnover €5.7bn

Yellow is for Jumbo

The Van Eerd family are busy challenging the dominance of Albert Heijn in the Dutch supermarket sector. Brother Frits and sister Colette are on the board.

6. Koninklijke VolkerWessels, 2012 turnover €4.9bn
The construction company has 15,000 workers but the family still owns 60% of the shares.

7. Hoogwegt Groep, 2012 turnover €2.7bn
Little known conglomerate owned by the Hoogwegt family. Is involved in supplying fats and dairy powders to the food industry, logistics and risk management.

8. Blokker, 2012 turnover €2.6bn
Since the death of founder Jaap Blokker in 2011, nephew Roland Palmer has taken over the high-street retailer. The Blokker group also includes Xenos and the Bart Smit toy shops.

9. VanDrie Group, 2011 turnover €2bn
Veal production giant, owned by the Van Drie family from Mijdrecht. The company dominates the production chain – from breeding the calves and slaughterhouses to processing the hides.

10. Hunter Douglas, 2012 turnover €1.9bn
Started in 1919 by Henry Sonnenberg, the company is the world’s biggest maker of blinds and window coverings, including Luxaflex.