Over the past 12 months, I was involved in various cases where family business clients decided to employ external professionals in the role of a full time CEO or GM. In all cases it was a very interesting journey. I decided to write this article to shed some light on this matter, which I believe …
Continue reading Family Businesses Employing an External CEO or GM
This morning I attended an economic analysis conference. One of the data points presented is the below. As can be seen below, by end 2024, Malta's population had the age cohorts between 25 years to 44 years, which had more EU & TCNs than Maltese nationals in these age cohorts. What does this mean for …
In a world of constant change, true leadership is a universal currency. While my blog does not deal with the world of politics, it focuses deeply on the principles of leadership. Leadership is the lifeblood of the family business, where the stakes are personal and the legacy is generational. Because the core tenets of effective …
I was reading yet another interesting recently published Harvard Business Review article on the succession in family business from the founder to the next generation. The article outlined that founder transitions are among the most emotionally charged and strategically consequential moments in a Family business’s life cycle. In the world of family-owned and founder-led businesses, …
Many modern leaders fall into a dangerous trap: they mistake being "nice" for being effective. While a supportive culture is laudable and the use of empathy & emotional intelligence is essential, an over-emphasis on avoiding discomfort can lead to a culture where tough decisions are avoided and organisational performance is undermined. In essence, many leaders …
Continue reading The High Cost of Being “Nice”: Why Leaders Must Prioritise being “Good”
I was reading the brilliant Harvard Business Review article named "When Being a Family Business Becomes a Competitive Edge" published yesterday. The article outlines that in the journey of every family business, there comes a crossroads where the informal, handshake-driven ways of the past meet the demanding complexities of the future. The pressure to "professionalise" …
Continue reading The Soul and the System: Bridging the Gap in Family Business
The Central Bank of Malta has today just published its latest Economic Update 12/2025. This update portrays a resilient economy with stable growth, though it highlights specific sectoral challenges and persistent domestic uncertainty that directly impact family businesses. Thus I am forwarding a summarised overview of this economic update, with a special focus on the …
Continue reading Economic Update – Implications for Family Businesses
A few nights ago, my wife and I were sitting in the quiet of our living room, reflecting on our working lives She’s seen the long nights, the phone calls taken at dinner, and the weight I carry on my shoulders after a meeting with a family business client. She looked at me and said …
This is one of the most delicate blog articles I have every written. So let me be clear from the start. To the family business owner focused on costs rather than value, this is not a condemnation, but a gentle plea for introspection. The legacy you seek to preserve is not held just in the …
This year I was involved in various recruitment processes by our clients. What I found interesting is that employers need to ensure that they are employing persons whilst knowing how the employment landscape is transforming itself because of a seismic shift. Driven by the rapid ascent of Artificial Intelligence, the urgent demands of the green …
Continue reading What employers should be looking for when employing
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