Welcome from FBUK CEO
turbulence and geopolitical instability, there has never been a greater need for the sector’s contribution to be acknowledged and its voice heard. A 25th anniversary is a moment to celebrate. But the family business model deserves to be recognised and celebrated every day, not once every 25 years. This edition of our magazine showcases just some of the reasons why, and how, our Members deserve that recognition, and are helping to build Britain for generations. If you’re not already part of our movement, or want to know how you can get more involved, please get in touch with me or a member of the FBUK team.
Family businesses put people first and invest in employees and their communities. They take a long- term view and build resilience by putting the next generation at the heart of decision making. These strengths should be backed by policies that incentivise investment and growth, championed in the media and reflected in the choices customers make. But that’s not the experience of many family businesses today. When Sir James Wates approached me to become CEO of FBUK it was not simply to run a membership organisation, but to build a movement of family businesses wanting to create change and a better future for generations to come.
Twenty-five years ago, when Alex Scott and Grant Gordon founded the organisation that became FBUK, they created a place where family businesses could network, connect and share experiences – an organisation by families, for families. That ethos remains central to our work today. Owning and leading a family business can feel lonely, but we hear repeatedly from our Members that, as part of our network, they are not alone. It’s one of the key reasons why hundreds of families have joined, and continue to join, FBUK. Over the last 25 years, the attributes that make family businesses special have stayed largely the same. But the world in which they operate has changed markedly.
Momentum is building. And so is our movement.
Neil Davy CEO Family Business UK
Membership of FBUK is increasing faster than ever, including new Patrons representing some of the country’s leading family businesses. Our FBUK Communities are expanding, as is our network of Corporate Partners. A new Policy Agenda is strengthening cross- party engagement and a new alliance of UK trade bodies, with large representations of family businesses, is coming together to ensure that – for the first time – family businesses speak with a single, unified voice. But to achieve our ambitions, family businesses themselves must stand up and speak up.
CREDITS:
The FBUK magazine is designed and printed by Linney.
If you have news about yourself or your family business, or if you have an idea for a topic which you think we should cover, contact the team at press@familybusinessuk.org To advertise your brand or services in the FBUK magazine, contact Martin Greig at martin.greig@familybusinessuk.org
FBUK has evolved to reflect that.
Our purpose is to help build Britain for generations – something family businesses have done for decades, even centuries. Yet their ownership model and contribution to our economy and society is still under- recognised and under-valued by policymakers, the media and consumers.
With the combined headwinds of domestic policy, economic
3
familybusinessuk.org
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online