The Asian Circle is a virtual study group for advisors and consultants who practice in Asia. Group meetings are held quarterly, and membership is limited to 80 FFI members in good standing. The Asian Circle VSG aims to build a strong presence of Asian advisors, consultants, academics, and family enterprise advisors, providing multi-disciplinary learning opportunities through the use of case discussions, guest speakers, presentations, and open dialog among members.

The Global 9 Virtual Study Group is an online forum for the next generation of practitioners in the field of family enterprise. This is a multidisciplinary study group designed for advisors and consultants who have been practicing in the field for more than six years. The goals of the Global 9 VSG include developing a strong foundation of “next generation” family enterprise advisors and consultants, and building relationships among peers who face similar challenges and opportunities. Group meetings are held quarterly, and the group is limited to 15 FFI members in good standing.

The Iberoamérica Virtual Study Group, which originated at the FFI conference in Brussels in 2012, is a Spanish-language study group for FFI members located in or interested in family enterprise issues in Latin America and Spain. Group meetings are held online on the second Thursday of every month, and membership is limited to 25 FFI members in good standing. The official language of the group is Spanish. In addition to seeking a multidisciplinary composition, a geographic mix is also a priority.

This study group is a venue for FFI members with mediation skills to share developments in the field of dispute resolution through discussion of their practical experience, skill building, marketing, and other related matters. In addition to discussions among members, the group will host presentations by members and recognized thought leaders in various mediation disciplines, as well as related fields, including developments in psychology and neuroscience. The Mediation VSG currently comprises more than two dozen members and meets bi-monthly; members are required to be FFI members in good standing.

The Systems Thinking Virtual Study Group, whose founding was inspired by the GEN 102 course “Systems Thinking for the Family Enterprise Advisor,” holds open discussions on systems thinking and analysis concepts and their applications to the work of advisors and their self-awareness. Discussions are based on Family Business Review research, case studies, FFI Practitioner articles, or video shared prior to each session. The member-selected topics address contemporary and practical issues influencing family enterprise consulting and advising. The Systems Thinking VSG meets monthly and currently has more than thirty members.

A new Virtual Study Group is being formed, with the working name Nex Gen Practitioners VSG. This group, with Dan Frosh as chair, welcomes a multi-disciplinary membership and is designed to connect an emerging group of family enterprise advisors and academics who have been practicing in the field for less than 10 years.

If you’re interested and want to get in on the planning for a fall launch, email nell@ffi.org before June 15.