Family Firm Institute Conference 2024
Global Family Firm Institute Conference successfully staged by academic host IEPC
London Business School's Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital (IEPC) was recently host to this year's Family Firm Institute (FFI) Conference.
Key to IEPC's efforts to grow the family enterprise ecosystem of teaching and networking at London Business School, IEPC hosted the 2024 FFI Global Conference, welcoming almost 300 delegates today. This year’s theme, “Mean Time: Time, Timing, and Timeliness in Family Enterprise”, set the scene for a wide variety of stimulating discussions on the unique challenges and successes of family businesses.
Orchestrating Succession: The Role of Independent Directors in Family Businesses, was one discussion event of particular note during the conference. This session explored the crucial role of independent directors in navigating family business succession, a critical juncture in the life cycle of these enterprises. It illuminated the transformative impact that independent directors can have on achieving a smooth and successful transition across generations, effectively orchestrating the complex dynamics of family business governance. The session delved into the intricacies of family business boards, examining emerging trends and providing guidance on leveraging independent directors' expertise to safeguard family control and unity amidst transitions. By demystifying the role of independent directors, unearthing emerging trends, and emphasizing the importance of effective board composition and processes, this session offered an empowering new perspective for family business owners, advisors, academics, and aspiring board members to harness the transformative power of independent directors to ensure the enduring success of their family businesses.
Entrepreneurs’ Daughters: How Experiences from the Past Influence the Future proved to be another stimulating discussion. Growing up a daughter of an entrepreneur impacts you for the rest of your life. Heidi Los and Marcella Bos conducted research on daughters of entrepreneurs and the power they gained from it. This workshop focused on the topic of female entrepreneurship in family firms, with a particular emphasis on the role of women's leadership in these businesses. It is based on Heidi Los and Marcella Bos's book The Power of Entrepreneurs’ Daughters: What Growing Up in an Entrepreneurial Family Brings You, which delves into the profound impact of growing up in a family business. Based on a comprehensive mix of quantitative and qualitative research, it unveiled twelve distinctive characteristics of entrepreneurs' daughters. These characteristics ranged from autonomy and realization power to a blend of masculine and feminine qualities, providing a nuanced understanding of the traits developed during early childhood and the growing-up phase.
