To navigate the complexities of running a modern family enterprise, the Family Business Survey 2026 examines the internal tensions between commercial expansion, boardroom formalisation, and relational dynamics. Rather than treating challenges in isolation, the study looks across the full life cycle of family business—from daily operational bottlenecks and succession readiness to margin pressures and technological …

Continue reading What questions will we address in the upcoming Family Business Conference?

To provide family business leaders with actionable insights, a national Family Business Conference will take place on 1st October 2026 at The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry. Organised collaboratively by EMCS Advisory, The Malta Chamber, and the Family Business Office, the conference will unpack the extensive findings of the Family Business Survey 2026. …

Continue reading What topics will be covered in the upcoming Family Business Conference?

Managing a family business requires balancing complex dynamics aligning family relationships with commercial realities, passing leadership down through generations, and adapting to rapidly shifting economic environments. Just like we did in 2022 and 2024, we also conducted an expanded family business survey between March to June 2026 to shed light on several family business critical …

Continue reading Turning Growth into Profit – Family Business Conference 2026

I was recently reading Roberto Benigni’s Pietro: Un uomo nel vento, which is a book about Benigni's reflections on the life of St.Peter. As I was reading, I found myself reflecting on how profoundly its core themes resonate beyond theology or literature. This vivid narrative offers a powerful mirror for personal quiet reflection on strategic …

Continue reading Even Jesus wanted Strategic Leaders

I was recently reading the latest Business Dialogue document published by the Central Bank of Malta, which was based on contacts and interviews done with Maltese businesses between April & June 2026. The report outlined that the second quarter of 2026 demonstrated continued economic growth for business (non-financial corporations) operating in Malta, with the net …

Continue reading Turnover Up…but Profits?

Many family businesses in Malta struggle with speed, succession, and operational scaling. In a recent Harvard Business Review discussion, author Dan Wang broke down the structural engines driving modern Chinese business success. While China’s massive manufacturing landscape operates on a vastly different scale than Malta's small economy, the underlying principles offer powerful lessons for Maltese …

Continue reading What Maltese Family Businesses Can Learn from China’s Successful Businesses

As a family business consultant my role is to arrive before, rather after an event. Let me explain. Many times, for other professionals, their role is more of a reactive one rather than a preemptive one . A doctor is normally summoned after the symptoms appear to diagnose and treat the illness. An accountant arrives …

Continue reading Arriving Before

In the pressure cooker of a FIFA World Cup 2026™ Semi-final, a single decision can echo far beyond the pitch. When England faced Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium, manager Thomas Tuchel found himself at a classic crossroad....the same crossroad many business leaders find themselves at. After Anthony Gordon’s electric 55th-minute strike put the Three Lions …

Continue reading Business Lessons from Tuchel’s failures….

In all these years helping family businesses I so frequently face the same culture and situation. Almost every family business cherishes the "doer." They are the first to arrive, the last to leave (if ever), and the ones who can solve any immediate crisis with sheer willpower. In many family business cultures, this relentless execution …

Continue reading A heartfelt message

NSO have just published today the latest population figures for Malta in 2025. As an initial statistic the % part of Malta's population from foreign origin stood at 31.06% by end 2025 up from 29.42% by end 2024. The below article examines what these population trends mean for family businesses in Malta.First of all below …

Continue reading Malta’s Population – 2025