Bridge Your Legacy: Modernizing Family Business Brands Without Losing Your Roots

I just got back from the Asia Family Business Summit 2024, organized by Leilanie Mohd Nor, Ph.D. and Dr. Mohar Yusof of BinaPavo , and it was truly inspiring.

Listening to the first-generation business leaders share their experiences about passing the baton was eye-opening. These pioneers have so much wisdom about safeguarding their legacies and preparing the next wave.

Then, hearing the second generation talk about taking the reins gave a fresh perspective on maintaining tradition while driving growth. Meeyydz Tan , Saliza Abdullah , Linda S. and Farah Hussamuddin , your stories are proof that embracing both the old and new is vital.

The keynote speech by Meeyydz Tan was awe-inspiring. Driven by a mission to help other next-gens with getting on board their family businesses, she presented the various structures of a family business. Based on her analysis of Lee Kum Kee's, there are so many structures of the family business that can be explored. Meeyydz truly impressed me with such a structured thought process too!

One standout moment was an insightful talk by Sunway University. They shared how family businesses can leverage their unique structures for long-term success. It's clear that these businesses are more than just economic entities—they're about people, relations, and shared purposes. Leilanie Mohd Nor, Ph.D. 's masterclass with the team truly invoked an emotional reaction across the room. Her session was preceded by Farah Hussamuddin 's sharing of her experience of coming on board her own family business as part of the university's insight which left me with many things to reflect upon, particularly, when the next-gen takes over a company, they need to invest efforts in winning the hearts of the people in the company. Respect is not automatically given to you.

But what struck me was the discussion on innovation. We often think of family businesses as traditional, but there was a huge emphasis on the willingness to innovate, adapt, and evolve. It’s refreshing to see how these companies are embracing change to stay relevant. Kimberly Go , Nadia Hilmey and Brian Soo you guys truly impressed me. Thank you Dr Eric Balan for your moderation and Dr. Sivapalan Vivekarajah for your insights.

Was so happy to get my autographed copy of Saliza Abdullah 's book "Growing A Sustainable Family Business, Our First 30 Years”. Happy 30th birthday to BG Capital Holdings Group of Companies !

I truly enjoyed the session by Khamarul Azhar Hashim with Hurriya Irfan , Mohammad Munzir Aminuddin and Fawzia Hj Mohiadeen on growing the family’s social and human Capital. Interesting insight on Munzir's mom's experience in capacity building from bringing up his brothers at home to the company environment. He shared how he always begins with "she is always right" and giving himself some time to figure out the foresight she has.

Networking at AFBS is expected, but bumping into Debby Fientya L Pane of the Herfinta family was an amazing surprise as we've been keeping in touch online all these years. We did some work for the family several years ago in Medan. Great to know that she has been joining AFBS based on the invitation that I shared with her and more importantly that their next-gen is already in the pipeline. Looking forward to our next visit to Medan.

Here at Brand Geeks Inc, we hope to support more family businesses in bridging the generation divide by moderating the families via alignment in their Brand Identity Systems, facilitating a seamless handover from the older to the younger generation. If you're involved in a family business, in addition to establishment of the family constitution that is covered by Leilanie Mohd Nor, Ph.D. and team, you can also catch me on such alignment needs in your brand management. Think about how the transition between generations can be managed smoothly, and never shy away from innovation—it’s essential for staying ahead.

Excited to see how these conversations shape future family businesses. Great catching up with the families (70% second generation!) who seem to have made AFBS as their annual gathering. Hopefully someday when our next-gen come onboard, they could also join the community for support in their journey of continuing our legacy too. Meanwhile, I hope to join AFBS2025 again to learn more from the families. Thanks again Leilanie Mohd Nor, Ph.D. and Dr. Mohar Yusof ????.

Talk soon!

Manisah

19/11/24