AUB Mediterraneo to host conference on family business development

The American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo (AUB Mediterraneo) will host a public conference titled “The Development of Family Businesses” on Friday, November 6, 2026, at its campus in Paphos. Running from 10 am to 2 pm, the event aims to address the critical challenges of succession, professionalization, and leadership transitions within family-owned enterprises.

The initiative is motivated by data from a 2025 KPMG Cyprus analysis, which indicates that only 30 per cent of family-run firms successfully transition to the second generation, while a mere 10-12 per cent survive into the third generation. The conference will feature insights from academic experts, including Dr. Alain Daou, Dean of the Faculty of Business at AUB Mediterraneo, and Professor Panikkos Poutziouris from the European Institute of Management and Finance, who will present on the factors that cause family firms to develop or derail.

Participants, including company founders and next-generation executives, will engage in discussions regarding the balance between maintaining traditional values and adopting modern professional management practices. Registration for the event will begin at 9.45 am in the AUB Mediterraneo Auditorium.