Family Business Programme Launch

Private sector participants may be eligible for funding from Invest INI under the Skills Advancement or Skills Growth programmes.

 

“The Family Business Programme: Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders” has been developed by BDO and the Leadership Institute at QUB to help prepare future leaders for their unique role as owners, manager and entrepreneurs.  

 

The BDO Centre for Family Business is delighted to be working with the Leadership Institute on this key programme.  Developing leaders and owners is one of the most challenging tasks for any business and even more difficult for a family business as it faces additional complexities from converging business and family systems, multiple generations within the business, and increasing demands as the business and family grow and mature.  This family business sector is the backbone of our economy and providing its next generation of leaders with the unique support and development it requires is at the core of this programme. 

This programme takes participants to the heart of leadership in the family business, providing a forum for individuals to explore the unique and complex challenges that only family businesses face. 

 

Individuals will get the opportunity for personal and reflective insights, coupled with peer support and structured learning from experts across the family business and leadership field, helping them to develop skills and align personal and business aspirations for the long term success and growth of the family business.

 

Family businesses dominate the business landscape in Northern Ireland, with 74% of NI companies being family businesses (Research Source: BDO).  Of equal importance is the mix of of family businesses by generation.  These statistics show that only 3.2% survive past 3rd generation.  Sobering aspects for the NI economy, especially as we look to the private sector for economic growth.

 

As Anne Clydesdale, Director of the Leadership Institute said “ family businesses are important to society not just in financial terms but because of the genuine commitment they have been able to demonstrate to the wider community beyond simply creating and sustaining employment”.

 

This new Family Business Leadership programme at the Leadership institute is the only course of its kind on the island of Ireland and the programme offers a unique opportunity to create the best platform for a family business to grow and evolve from one generation to the next. 

 

There is also possible funding available from Invest NI for this programme under the Skills Advancement or Skills Growth programmes.

 

As Eugene McKeever, of the McKeever group said: "Preparing the next generation of McKeevers is at the core of our succession and growth plans. We recognise the heightened responsibilities and complexities that leading the McKeever family business will present as it prepares for the next generation and we are delighted that we can now take advantage of the right level of support, development and challenge that a programme like this provides."

 

The Family Business programme commences on 3rd December 2014.

 

For further details on this exciting and challenging programme at the William J Clinton Leadership Institute at QUB, please visit our website: www.leadershipinstitute.co.uk or Tel: 028 9097 4394 or email: leadershipinstitute@qub.ac.uk.