Building bridges between Africa and the world: An exchange from families to families

Thursday, April 10, 2025

08:30 – 09:00  Registration

09:00 – 09:15  Welcome to the FBN-IESE Africa Workshop

09:15 – 09:45  Introduction & Launch of the “Reciprocity Space”

• Heinrich Liechtenstein, Professor of Financial Management, IESE Business School
• Marc Sosna, Executive Director of Learning Innovation Unit, IESE Business School

In the spirit of this event, we will launch a dynamic to enable mutual value creation. In a structured and efficient way, we will allow each participant to ask for something very specific that would be helpful for him/her/the family (advice on specific topic, a contact, etc.) that gets posted in a physical “Reciprocity Space” and we will tap into the wisdom and experience of the crowd to help with this.

09:45 – 10:45 Introduction of Families and Participants through Artifacts

• Heinrich Liechtenstein, Professor of Financial Management, IESE Business School

An important part of the Workshop is the personal introduction of everyone in the room. To describe who you and your family are, we ask that each family brings one artifact (usually some physical object) that is representative or in some way symbolizes your family’s values and what makes your family special. This artifact is to be presented, very briefly, by one of your family members. Please note that if your preferred object is too big or difficult to bring (e.g., your rose garden, the Fiat 500, the family pet, the summit cross from the ski tour…) it is sufficient to bring a photo or painting of the object to present to the group.

10:45 – 11:1  Connection Time 

11:15 – 12:15  Bridging Worlds: Cultivating Trust Across Cultures 

• Yih-Teen Lee, Professor of Managing People in Organizations, IESE Business School

This session will enrich our understanding on how to best foster robust bonds in our multicultural landscape. It will guide participants through topics related to intercultural engagement, offering insights into the delicate fabric of trust that binds diverse communities. We'll discuss cultural norms, values, and communication styles unique to various societies, leveraging this understanding to bridge gaps and cement trust. Participants will gain invaluable insights that are essential for thriving in a world where the lines between cultures are both distinct and blurred. It is about embracing the richness of global diversity and turning it into our collective strength.

12:15 – 12:45  Connection Time

12:45 – 13:45  Panel: Shared Challenges for Leading Families 

Moderated by Professor Heinrich Liechtenstein

In light of geopolitical complexities and the rapidly changing economy, leading families with deep-rooted business histories face a unique set of challenges that extend beyond the typical corporate horizon. This will delve into these complexities, bringing together a diverse array of perspectives from representatives of African and non-African leading families, all of whom are stewards of family businesses. They will share challenges and insights on preserving family legacies, innovating for the future, navigating intergenerational transitions, and maintaining unity within the complexities of family dynamics and market pressures.

13:45 – 15:00  Lunch

15:00 – 16:00 Rich Introduction in Breakout Groups

In order to foster deeper and more meaningful connections and lay the groundwork for an enriching experience in a trusted space, these sessions introduce the members of the families in each group of four to each other in more detail than was possible in the plenary session.

In addition to the artifact presentation of the broader family in the plenary session, we kindly request that you allocate some time in advance of the Workshop to think about how you would like to present your family and its members in a richer and deeper way. We will provide you with guidelines and your team facilitator will be happy to help you with this presentation if desired, which can be raised in your preparatory discussions.

16:00 – 16:15 Break & Room Change

16:15 – 17:15  Breakout Groups I [Workshop]

Navigating the Tide Together: How to Create Good Governance & Unity in Families Amidst Significant Change.

In this workshop session, groups delve into the critical elements of creating and maintaining a framework of good governance and unity in families, especially during periods of significant change. Whether it’s about navigating a major life transition or seeking to improve the foundational dynamics of one’s family life, this session will explore practical and actionable insights.

17:15 – 17:30 Break & Room Change

17:30 – 18:30 Breakout Groups II [Workshop]

Global Ties: Partnering with Families Across Continents.

In our interconnected world, family partnerships that span across countries and continents offer great opportunities, but also pose unique challenges. This session delves into strategies to strengthen relationships and enhance collaboration with families from diverse cultural backgrounds and geographical locations.

18:30 End of first day of academical program and transfer to hotels

19:15 Transfer from hotel to dinner venue

19:30 Dinner

Friday, April 11, 2025

08:45 Wake-up Coffee at IESE Business School, North Campus

09:00 – 09:15 Reflections & Key Insights from Day 1

Moderated by Professor Heinrich Liechtenstein

09:15 – 10:15 It Is All About Local Entrepreneurial Education: the Deans Perspective.

Moderated by Professor Heinrich Liechtenstein

A panel with the Deans of SBS, LBS, MDE and IESE TBC

10:15 – 10:45 Connection Time

10:45 – 11:45 Breakout Groups III [Workshop]

FBN & Collaborative Wisdom: Harnessing the Power of Leading Families’ Experience.

In the realm of family-led ventures, the power of shared experiences cannot be underestimated. "Wisdom Exchange: Learning from the Pioneers of Family Leadership" is a session dedicated to uncovering the wealth of knowledge that leading families possess. This interactive gathering provides a platform for participants to connect with and learn from the accumulated wisdom of family business veterans.

11:45 – 12:15 Informal Cooling Down by coffee and tea

12:15 – 13:15 “To Thine Own Self Be True” – How True can This Be in a Family Business Setting?

External Speaker

There is always some conflict between personal vision, personal ambition, and the common foundations of any community. This is true of both families and family businesses and April be felt most acutely when disagreements or disputes arise. How can we best resolve such conflicts, and how can you find win-win solutions where possible?

13:15 – 14:30 Lunch at IESE North Campus Restaurant

14:30 – 15:30 Keynote Speech

15:30 – 15:45 Introduction to From Inputs to Insights to Intentions

Marc Sosna, IESE Business School

15:45 – 16:00 Break & Room Change

16:00 – 16:45 Break Out Groups IV [Reflection Session]

From Inputs to Insights to Intentions.

You will have taken away many insights from the plenary sessions, Break Out Group-sessions and informal discussions with other family members which may be related to family purpose, unity, vision, values, and strategies. These may also relate to family culture, communication, leadership and succession, governance, generational transition and NextGen education, business, philanthropy, and/or managing relationships, conflicts, and individual issues – current and future – within the family and its greater enterprise.

This final integrating session, which you will take part in with your Break Out Group, is an important step in the process to reflect on, capture insights and then apply them to inform important decisions and intended actions following the event.

16:45 – 17:00 Break & Room Change

17:00 – 17:45 FBN Panel

17:45 – 18:15 Reflection on Insights, Intentions and Potential Actions + Closing

• Heinrich Liechtenstein, Professor of Financial Management, IESE Business School

In this session we will all come back together in a final plenary session where participants can share some of their own insights, intentions, and hopefully potential actions with the group as a whole and hear other people’s ideas which might become valuable insights for oneself.

18:15 End of the FBN - IESE Africa Workshop2025

20:00 Tapas Bar Crawl in the historical part of Barcelona, guided by MBA students.

Saturday, April 12, 2025

We are planning a tour to the Cordoniu wineyards on Saturday morning and hope that you will be able to participate. Please let us know if you plan to join.

If you would like to receive individual proposals for sightseeing, opera, concerts and/or restaurants in and around Barcelona, we are also very happy to help.