Family Firm Institute
Boston, MA (PRWEB) October 10, 2017
The Family Firm Institute, the pre-eminent professional association for advisors, consultants, educators and researchers for multigenerational family-owned enterprises worldwide, will hold its annual global conference at the Hilton Chicago from Wednesday, October 25 through Saturday, October 28, 2017.
Multi-generational family companies are part of a complex system of global economies. Ensuring their survival and improving their governance and legacy systems require skilled professionals, astute academics, and articulate family members who can continually define and refine the elements of this business model.
In addition to the outstanding keynotes, consultants, advisors, and academics who will be presenting at global conference, FFI is pleased to have a number of high-profile families sharing their insights and wisdom.
Presenters are as follows:
François de Visscher, de Visscher & Co; N.V. Bekaert S.A.
François de Visscher is founder and president of de Visscher & Co., and a fourth generation shareholder and board member of his family’s global enterprise, N.V. Bekaert S.A., headquartered in Belgium and founded by his great-grandfather in 1880.
Dirk Jungé, Pitcairn
Dirk Jungé, FFI Fellow and former FFI board member, is chairman of Pitcairn Company and a fourth generation Pitcairn family member. Pitcairn is an independent multi-family office, dedicated to helping individuals and families preserve and grow their wealth and is one of very few owner-operated firms that have successfully evolved from a single family office to a multi-family office. Dirk has been an innovator and leader in the family office industry for more than 30 years. He is the recipient of the 2000 FFI Barbara Hollander Award.
Chris Kerr, Entrepreneur
Chris Kerr has been an entrepreneur and venture investor for more than 20 years, specializing in start‐up and early‐stage enterprises, with particular expertise in the services and natural products sectors. Based in New York, he is a fifth generation Pitcairn family member and adds his leadership experience to multiple boards, including as a director of Pitcairn.
Carmen Lence, Grupo Leche Rio S.A.
Carmen Lence, CFBA, is an executive coach, trainer, and consultant, as well as a board member at her family’s company, Grupo Leche Rio S.A. in Spain. The business is one of the main dairy companies in the Spanish market.
Mohamed Mokadem, Syrian Finnish Co. for Dairy Product;
Mohamed Mokadem is a family business consultant and managing director of a family-owned firm, Syrian Finnish Company for Dairy Products in Damascus, which was established in 1994. The factory can produce more than 2,000 tons of different types of cheeses per year. Mohamed started doing research in the family business field in 2013 and graduated from Toulouse Business School in France with a Doctorate in Business Administration.
Borja Raventós, Codorníu Raventós
Borja Raventos, CFBA and FFI board member, is a family business consultant and coach in family business in Barcelona, Spain. An executive coach in the IESE Business School, he has been a board member of his family’s business Codorniu Raventos for eight years, and is an independent director in several family owned companies. The Codorníu Raventós Group, now in its 21st generation, is the oldest family business in Spain and one of the oldest of the world. With vineyards on the property since 1551, the enterprise has more than 450 years of experience in the manufacture of quality wines and cava.
Mitzi Perdue
Mitzi Perdue is the Maryland-based daughter of one family business titan (her father founded the Sheraton Hotel chain) and the widow of another (her late husband was the family business poultry magnate, Frank Perdue). She is also a businesswoman in her own right.
Salvador Cerón, Juan Pablo Cerón, Maria José Cerón, STF Consulting Group
With the purpose of contributing to the development of Mexican business families, STF Consulting Group developed the program, Trasciende Y Legado, as a corporate responsibility initiative to contribute to greater competition, reliability, and commitment of family business. The Cerones work together (father and four siblings) as family business advisors — helping other families and their businesses be successful over time.
Abdel-Razzak Wafi, Wafi Group
Abdel-Razzak Wafi is a second generation family business member and the leader of his family’s real estate development, construction, and hospitality services firm, the Wafi Group. His research interests are at the intersection of strategic planning and family business with a particular emphasis in the Arab Middle Eastern region. He holds a DBA in family business strategic planning from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Go here for the complete conference program. To register for the conference enter here.
About the Family Firm Institute
FFI’s mission is to be the most influential global network of thought leaders in the field of family enterprise. We provide research-based learning and relevant tools for advisors and consultants, academics and family enterprise members to drive success.
Professionals, educators and researchers, as well as family enterprise members from nearly 80 countries across the globe, belong to FFI. Together they create the oldest and most prestigious multidisciplinary professional association for family enterprise in the world.
