National Centre for Family Business Annual Conference
On Thursday October 20th, we were thrilled to host the National Centre for Family Business Annual Conference in person at The Helix. Building on the NCFB’s previous conferences and the launch of ground breaking new research, this conference will focus on the reliance and regenerative power of Irish Family Businesses. Hosted by the serial entrepreneur, Gavin Duffy, our speakers explored their family experiences and insights on how resilience and regeneration is key to continuity, success and sustainability of their Family Business, alongside industry leaders and established academics.
Professor Daire Keogh, President, DCU opening the conference, welcoming our keynote speakers and audience back to DCU to the launch of exciting new research for Irish Family Businesses. Professor Keogh told delegates that the conference theme focuses on regeneration and resilience.
“During the turbulence of recent years, family businesses have had to dig deep, battle hard – shown great resilience. Regeneration comes from innovation, adaptability and determination – sustainable family businesses have had to reimagine what they do and how they do it”.
NCFB’s Director Dr. Eric Clinton who joined the conference from Valenica, Spain where he is representing the NCFB at the World Family Business Forum. Dr. Clinton challenged the conference delegates to think in 3’s. “If you are current of next generation leader I challenge you to think about what you are doing with respect to the
(i) Management and governance of your family business
(ii) Management and governance of the ownership group of your family business
(iii) Management and ownership of the business
First, we welcomed, Professor Maura McAdam with Dr. Catherine Faherty, whose research “Continuity through Regeneration and Resilience – the key metrics of success and sustainability in Irish Family Business” provided the foundation for this event and representing NCFB’s partner Jim O’Keeffe Managing Director, Retail & SME, AIB. Dr. Catherine Faherty, said that the families that formed part of the research distinguished themselves by using the challenge of the pandemic to take stock and reflect to guide strategic regeneration. Professor Maura McAdam noted that family businesses were are their core a definition on sustainability. In taking a long-term view of business, Irish family businesses sustain local communities across the country.
The NCFB team were thrilled to have three diverse and interesting family business speakers taking part in the conference.
Vincent Cleary, Managing Director, Glenisk Kevin O’Connor, Chair, General Paints Ltd Trevor and Gavin Annon, CEO and Marketing Director, Mount Charles Group.
With businesses from yogurt, production to paint manufacture to facilities management you might wonder what the businesses have in common. They are three families business who have faced significant challenges since their foundation but who through the ingenuity; guile and hard work through the generations have regenerated their businesses securing continuity into the next generation.
How did they do this? Amazingly, in the telling of their stories the resilience they displayed came from the values that instilled in them by their parents, their commitment to their communities and their desire to ensure that the business would be there for their children.
The conference attendees also heard from Darren McDowell and Dr. Ian Smyth co-chairs of the Northern Ireland Family Business Forum. Darren and Ian provided us with an overview of the landscape that family businesses operate in, in Northern
Ireland.
Jim O’Keeffe, Managing Director, Retail & SME, representing AIB the proud partner of the NCFB also join the panel.
Irish Family Businesses continue through regeneration and resilience. Irish Family Businesses are the key to the success and sustainability of communities across the country.
Watch the conference https://youtu.be/So4wa2v6BnI
