In this episode, Nancy Gudekunst, President of promotional product speciality company Marco Ideas Unlimited, discusses her unique journey into leadership within the business her mother founded. She delves into the role her own entrepreneurial background played in modernising the operation and managing professional relationships. Nancy also reflects on the challenges of guiding the company through periods of economic uncertainty and the intricacies that arose as the third generation of the family became involved in the business.
Interviews
Conversations with women about their multiple roles in the family business.
Rotana – Preparing for the Unexpected
In this episode, Shaikha discusses how investing in the development of people leads to dedication, commitment and, ultimately, success. Shaikha also details the many important lessons she learned from her father, company co-founder, Nasser Al Nowais, and how he helped shape her strength and conviction, especially when facing adversity. Shaikha believes that accessibility and engagement are key to generating the new ideas that businesses need to confront the inevitability of change.
Thermax Ltd: Tackling Outer Pressures with Inner Resolve
Meher Pudumjee, Chairperson of energy and environment solutions company, Thermax Ltd, talks about the lessons she learned working her way up through the family business, and the challenges she faced when her mother unexpectedly asked her to lead it. Despite feeling the pressure of following in the footsteps of her visionary parents, Meher focused on what she believed was one of their greatest gifts to her — the wisdom to make decisions that reflect who she truly is.
Putting People First – How Culture Can Shape Family Business Success
Cecily McGuckin, CEO of Queensland Steel and Sheet, one of Australia’s longest-running, family-owned steel distributors, talks to us about her extraordinary journey to becoming the first female CEO in Australia’s steel industry, how to build on the first generation’s legacy while managing necessary change, and why a people-centric culture is a winning formula.
Trends and Strategies Shaping Family Businesses’ Future
In this episode and article, Karmen Yeung, National Head of KPMG Private Enterprise, KPMG China; Camilla Cullinane, Tax Partner, KPMG Private Enterprise, KPMG Ireland; and Robyn Langsford, Partner in Charge, Family Business and Private Clients, KPMG Private Enterprise, KPMG Australia, explore Trends and Strategies Shaping Family Businesses’ Future, how family businesses are responding globally, and the foundational approaches that can lead to success.
Sacotel ZNSHINE: Leading the Family Business towards Sustainability
This episode is brought to you by A recent report by the International Energy Agency projects that renewable energy will become the largest global source of electricity by 2025 – that’s enough energy to power all of China in 5 years. Considering this revelation, it’s becoming increasingly hard to […]
Supreme Creations/Bags of Ethics: The Sustainable Power of Respect and Kindness
In this episode, Smruti Sriram, CEO of leading sustainable packaging and merchandise manufacturer Supreme Creations/Bag of Ethics, provides a unique perspective on how her ethically driven family business continues to innovate and adapt in an era of change while remaining true to its core principles. Even when confronting today’s challenging uncertainties, Smruti believes respect and kindness is the strategy that brings success both in leadership and life.
Building Healthy Relationships with Family and Wealth
An Interview with Marina Vaughan Spitzy, Director and Founder of Tecolote Advisory A recent UBS study revealed that 59% of widows and divorcees regret not being involved in long-term financial planning when they were married, and 98% would advise other women to take an active role in finances immediately [1]. […]
Great Expectations – How to Balance Family and Work Relationships
Li Tan, Chief Strategy Officer of Asia Green Group, Co-Founder of Rare Whiskey Holdings, and Co-Founder of Audacy Ventures, discusses the expectations next-generation members confront after joining the family business, what lessons they can draw from building their own business, and the crucial role communication plays in enabling healthy family-work relationships.
Boards that Complement the Next Generation of Family Business Leaders
Today’s businesses face unprecedented uncertainty. Even before 2020’s pandemic fundamentally upended the status quo, disruption was taking the form of new technology, market globalisation, and ageing demographics. Companies have had to change to meet their goals, but have their boards evolved with them? The board room is coming under increasing […]
Managing Expectations in the Face of Adversity
In its Global Gender Gap Report 2022, the World Economic Forum states that it will take another 132 years before gender pay parity is achieved globally at the current rate of progress. This is the context within which women seek to build their careers and businesses, and for many these […]
The Powerful Women of Saudi Arabia’s Family Businesses
KPMG Private Enterprise has famously published numerous studies and thought leadership articles on women in family businesses from across the globe, but none of these publications has looked exclusively at the role of women in Saudi Arabia. Until now! With the number of women in the Kingdom’s workforce increasing over […]