London Update

FFI Virtual Conference: Professional Development Opportunities

Prepared Exclusively for FFI Members

London Update

September 10, 2021

I

n this issue of FFI on Friday, we want to give you an update on the October 21-23 conference in London. First of all, the conference as planned last March by the 2021 program committee is going forward. (Of course, we still have the October 18 and 19 virtual conference days for those who cannot attend, for a variety of reasons. Go here for details and to register.)

There will be four venues in October, and each space is carefully designed to follow all UK protocols for COVID-19 and in some cases, even more. Each venue will require, at a minimum, that attendees be vaccinated.

We are pleased that this event can go forward and thank the more than 100 people who have already registered.

Cordially,

2021 Conference Program Committee

Panikkos Poutziouris, University of Central Lancashire Cyprus, Larnaka, Cyprus, chair
Tony Bogod, Resonance Partners LLP, London, England
Richard Lane, Farrer & Co., London, England
Marko Nikolic, Ernst & Young, Istanbul, Turkey
Khaled Soufani, Cambridge Judge Business School, Cambridge, England
Blair Trippe, Continuity Family Business Consulting, Boston, MA USA
Helena von der Esch, Burenstam & Partners, Stockholm, Sweden

Wednesday afternoon hosted by Farrer & Co: This pre-con entitled, “Discussion with Family Business Leaders: How to better working experience/relations between family business entrepreneurs and their advisors,” is co-sponsored with the IFB-UK and hosted by Farrer & Co.

It will be open to a limited number of main conference registrants at no charge. Registrants will receive a special invitation from FFI on or about October 1. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Part of this pre-con seminar will discuss the results of two similar surveys, entitled “Working with owner-managed family business entrepreneurs,” one of which has already been sent to IFB members and the second of which is now available for completion by all FFI members, whether or not they are coming to the conference. Please go here to complete the survey.

Wednesday evening at the House of Lords: The opening reception will be held at the House of Lords from 18:30-20:30 BST, and hosted by Lord (Karan) Bilimoria CBE DL, who was a former Chair of the Cambridge Judge Business School Advisory Board, and is currently the Chancellor of the University of Birmingham and President of the Confederation of British Industry.

The House of Lords Catering and retail services have successfully applied for the We’re Good To Go! Covid-19 Industry Standard.

Thanks to the sponsors of this event, Cambridge Judge Business School, Equitile Investments, and Keyt Consulting, this event will also be open to conference registrants at no charge. Registrants will receive a special invitation on or about October 1. Attendees will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis up to 100 people.

view from the terrace at the House of Lords

Thursday main conference at the QEii Center in Westminster: The QEII Centre is the largest dedicated conference and exhibition space in central London, offering world-class facilities. Located opposite Westminster Abbey, the QEII Centre is less than a five minute walk from the Thames, and a two-minute walk from a royal park The approved capacity for the FFI conference will be 250. Don’t miss the Opening Keynote with Fisk Johnson, CEO of SCJ Johnson, discussing, “When Doing Good and Profitability Collide: Choosing Substance Over Shadow,” followed by a full day of sessions. Go here for details on the QEii Centre.

Friday main conference: Again, at the QEii Center, Friday opens with a keynote address from Professor Christoph H. Loch, former Dean of Cambridge Judge Business School. He will speak on “The Family Business Leader — a Clash of Leadership Concepts?” During lunch, we will present the 2021 Achievement, Academic and FBR awards as well as honoring the 2021 GEN graduates and FFI Fellows. The day closes with a third stimulating keynote and a kickoff to the 2022 conference in Boston for which the MIT Sloan School of Management is the academic host.

The QEii Centre has received the mia AIM Secure and Visit Britain We’re Good To Go! Accreditations for its Covid 19 protocols.

Saturday’s post-con is at the Cambridge Judge Business School: The Saturday Family Business Policy forum is co-sponsored by KPMG and Cambridge Judge Business School and is geared for family business policy experts. Limited to 50 participants, this post-con will focus on “Family Business Policy Forum – Shaping Family Business Frontiers: From Theory to Practice to Policy.” Thanks to the sponsors of this event, this post-con will also be open to conference registrants at no charge. Registrants will receive a special invitation on or about October 1. Attendees will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

There is no “conference hotel” as in some years, but FFI has booked limited rooms in two hotels that are walking distance from the QEii Centre – St. Ermin’s and Marriott County Hall. Go here for the special rate which cannot be guaranteed after September 17.

It’s been a while – two years – since we’ve had an in-person conference, and we know this year will still be somewhat different, but we hope to see many of you in London next month. Or online earlier in the week.

Previous Edition

Dear FFI colleagues,
I hope this note finds you and your families healthy and well and your businesses and work thriving amidst a continued, tumultuous time in our global community. The summer is racing to a finish, and we are already looking back fondly on FFI’s “summer school” (FFI on Monday webinars), and excitedly ahead to the many opportunities to connect and learn in the fall. As always, your steadfast participation and engagement fuel FFI’s continued success advancing our mission. Thank you for your enthusiastic membership and commitment.