August is always an exciting time for FBA with our National Family Business Conference taking place at this time each year. I am looking forward to this busy time again this year – the 2015 conference program brings together key lessons and gritty take home value that can be implemented in your family business. It has been fantastic to receive news on how the learnings of past conferences have inspired and assisted family businesses take their next steps, with some even designing their main family meeting for the year around this pinnacle event. The feedback I often hear is that the impact of the National Conference needs to be experienced to be understood, so if you haven’t already booked I encourage you to register before it’s too late! 

As many of the leaders of family businesses reach the point of retirement, FBA have been tasked with the challenge to invest more time in generating valuable learning for the Next Generation of leaders whose role is in the family business. Their success is vital as our economy faces a trend of transition in business ownership. This year we provide the Next Generation community with the opportunity to attend events and programs specifically designed to assist them, as leaders, in professionalising their family businesses, aided by the chance to meet with their peers, share experiences and learn from one another. We have a series of events coming up, including the Masterclass at National Conference Entitled Brat or Contributing Leader (Gold Coast), NxG Meet The CEO (Perth) and Helping the NxG Succeed (Adelaide).

In other news, you would have heard me recently talk about the partnerships FBA continue to form with organisations such as the Australian Made Campaign to collaborate on issues and areas of importance for Australian families in business to ensure a greater collective voice and enhance opportunities for a strong local economy.  Recently, we asked our family businesses involved in agriculture and food production to comment on the proposed new country of origin food labelling requirements. As a result of this research and the ongoing dedication of the Australian Made team, produce sold in Australia will now bear a statement about where the food was produced, grown, made or packaged as well as the familiar kangaroo symbol and an indication of the proportion of Australian ingredients in each product. In light of this and the opportunities this presents for Australian food producers on the global scale, Ian Harrison from the Australian Made Campaign will present Smart Branding for Family Businesses at the National Conference – this will be a timely session and should not be missed!

I look forward to seeing you on the Gold Coast.

Robin Buckham
CEO
Family Business Australia