June 25, 2021
Prepared Exclusively for FFI Members
Congratulations to the 2021 Achievement Award Recipients
June 25, 2021
June 25, 2021
I

n 1992, to further enhance its multidisciplinary and global approach to family enterprise advising, consulting, and research, FFI began to establish awards for professional achievement. Today there are four: Richard Beckhard Practice Award, Barbara Hollander Award, Interdisciplinary Award, and International Award. These prestigious awards are the pinnacles of achievement in the field, and we are pleased to announce this year’s recipients. The awards will be formally presented as part of the FFI annual global conference in October.

Richard Beckhard Practice Award
Kathy Wiseman, FFI Fellow
The important human relationships in Kathy Wiseman’s life so far are as a sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, cousin, friend, and colleague. The important relationships in Kathy Wiseman’s professional life have to do with ideas and the application of Bowen Family Systems Theory: Co-Founder of Family Firm Institute (FFI); recipient of the Hollander Award; chair of the FFI Body of Knowledge; Faculty at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family; President of Working Systems; and Founder and Co-President of Navigating Systems. Her practice has evolved into speaking and teaching the application of Bowen Theory to family enterprises, families of wealth, estates and trust lawyers, family consultants, financial advisors, and coaches who are interested in deepening their knowledge of human behavior and who see the dilemma of quick fixes.
From the nomination
The criteria of outstanding contributions to the field of family business practice have been fulfilled by Kathy Wiseman for decades. Her main concern is always the welfare of the families she serves. To do that she has dedicated herself to lifelong learning, particularly in the deeper understanding of Bowen Family System Theory and how it can be used to help families flourish across multiple generations. She never stops trying to find the most effective way to present concepts to the families she serves. Kathy continuously questions the family members she serves in order to determine where they are in the process. She concentrates on building the capacity of each family member and the family system itself in order that each family can solve future problems themselves.
Kathy Wiseman headshot
Kathy Wiseman
The Richard Beckhard Practice Award was established in 1992 to honor a founding FFI member and distinguished practitioner in the family business field. It recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of family business practice.
Barbara Hollander Award
Jeremy Cheng, FFI Fellow
Jeremy Cheng is a researcher at the Center of Family Business at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is a global survey committee member of the Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices (STEP) Project; Founding Chair of the Family Firm Institute’s (FFI) Asian Circle; FFI Fellow; GEN faculty member; co-recipient of the 2020 Applied Research grant from the 2086 Society; and member of the Research Applied Board of the Family Business Review. To inform his research, Jeremy founded GEN+ Family Business Advisory & Research and advises ethnic Chinese families-in-business, family offices, and other professional firms in Asia. His research focuses on family business, family office, governance, and family advisory practices.
From the nomination
For nearly two decades Jeremy Cheng has been a leader in teaching, advising, and organizing family business activities in Hong Kong, China, and the Pacific Rim. Jeremy co-founded the Center for Family Business at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in 2012, which has been a leader in developing programs for families and advisors in China. He was also at the Tanoto Center for Asian Family Business and Entrepreneurship Studies at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

In the early years of the FFI GEN program, he organized and conducted the in-person programs that brought together and developed a generation of advisors in the Pacific region. His efforts have been one of the single most important reasons for the rapid growth and diversity of family business, education, and advising practices in Asia.

Jeremy Cheng headshot
Jeremy Cheng
The Barbara Hollander Award was created in 1995 to honor the late founder and first president of FFI by perpetuating her profound interest in family business and her love for education and learning.
Interdisciplinary Award
Christian Stewart, FFI Fellow (October 2021)
Christian is the founder of Family Legacy Asia, a process consulting firm based in Hong Kong. He assists Asian family enterprises with family governance, succession, learning, and development. He facilitates family meetings and helps families to form and implement family councils, family constitutions and family policies. He also acts as the Chief Learning Officer for two families, where he is responsible for human capital development. Christian originally qualified and practiced as a solicitor in South Australia from 1990 to 1994. He moved to Hong Kong in late 1994, joining PricewaterhouseCoopers and becoming a partner and head of their Trust & Private Client Group. In July 2002 he joined JPMorgan Private Bank to head the bank’s Wealth Advisory team for Asia before forming Family Legacy Asia in July 2008.
From the nomination
Christian is a leading family advisor and thought leader in Asia, actively integrating and synthesizing knowledge from different disciplines to push the frontier of family business and family wealth advisory. He bridges wisdom of the East and the West via interdisciplinary thinking and multi-disciplinary collaboration and shares generously with peers, including experiences of both success and failure. His endeavor to leave a legacy by training the rising generation of advisors should be commended.
Christian Stewart headshot
Christian Stewart
Established in 1999, the Interdisciplinary Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the advancement of interdisciplinary services to business families.
International Award
IMD Global Family Business Center
IMD Global Family Business Center is a world-leading hub providing learning journeys and research to family enterprises globally. Dedicated to the real issues facing family businesses, family offices, and family foundations, IMD will help to ensure the sustainable success of their business and family, whether large or small. IMD initiated its family business education program in 1988. Today, the center of excellence operates from campuses in Lausanne and Singapore and delivers off-site programs worldwide. Since 1996, IMD has celebrated the importance of family enterprise in the global economy through the IMD – Pictet Global Family Business Award which, since 2019, has been complemented by a second award, the IMD – Pictet Sustainability in Family Business Award.
From the nomination

The quantity and quality of IMD’s contribution to the family businesses throughout the years are so significant, that any attempt to highlight any in particular may discredit this nomination, such is the impact that IMD has had on family businesses. The depth in knowledge and breadth in experience makes IMD a unique place for family businesses.

IMD / GFBC logo
The International Award recognizes an individual or organization for outstanding achievement in furthering the understanding of family business issues which occur between two or more countries.
Thanks to the 2021 Achievement Awards committee
Daniela Montemerlo, chair
Denise Federer
Alberto Gimeno
Lise Møller
Lisa Morel
Preston Root
Previous Edition
June 18, 2021
One of the hallmarks of FFI is its ongoing commitment to advance the field both through publishing, practice, and research. Today, we celebrate outstanding contributions to the field by announcing the 2021 Academic Award recipients. These awards will be presented at the FFI Conference in October.
Dates to Remember
June
30
Last day to enroll in the C&S directory for Q2
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July
1
Q3 GEN enrollment opens
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July
12
FFI on Monday Summer School begins
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FFI on Monday Summer School with Torsten Pieper, Daniel G Van Der Vliet, and Pat Soldano
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July
19
FFI on Monday Summer School with Ramia Marielle El Agamy Khan and Farida F. El Agamy
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July
26
FFI on Monday Summer School with Debbie Bing
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Sept
14 & 15
GEN 504 Philanthropy, Investing, and the Enterprise
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Sept
21 & 22
GEN 503 Tools for Positive Change in Family Business Systems
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OCT
18-19
2021 FFI Virtual Conference
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Oct
21-22
2021 FFI In-Person Conference
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