Workshop on family businesses going public

THE COLOMBO Stock Exchange (CSE), in association with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, has organised a workshop titled ‘Family Businesses Going Public - What’s needed to make it work’, for decision-makers of unquoted family-owned companies. The workshop will be held on November 3, 2007.

The workshop will be conducted by Associate of The Family Business Consulting Group Inc. Netherlands Albert Jan Thomassen.

Given the transformations in the business environment characterised by intense competition and the growth needed to sustain the business profitably, family owned companies face unique challenges and need to address the issues of professionalism and professional leadership.

The workshop will be an ideal forum for family owned businesses to gain an insight on important factors in running and sustaining a family business. Participants will be able to learn how to turn barriers into opportunities, the power of sharing control with outsiders and how transparency will professionalise your business.

This interactive workshop will also deal with the issue of attracting and retaining talent, selection of non executive directors, working with non family executives and changing role of the family in the business and developing effective family business governance.

Participants will also understand why some owners of private businesses chose to list them on the stock exchange and while others do not. International and local case studies will be used to illustrate these issues.

The presenter Thomassen is a consultant and educator on strategic planning, governance and succession topics for family owned businesses, renowned for his ability to constructively work on balancing family ownership and business issues, to support clear strategic choices for the continuity and prosperity of the family business. Identifying and addressing emotional interests in a functional manner is an integral part of his work.