The family business sector: opportunities for mediators and facilitators 

A presentation by Jon Kenfield (left) and Leon Levin (right)

Over 60% of all businesses in Australia are family businesses. They range from very small to very large and from first generation to multi-generational businesses.  

Combining family systems with business systems creates a uniquely complex environment with more than its share of challenges and conflicts. Facilitation and mediation are the most appropriate tools for dealing with many of the issues that arise, but there are still very few people specialising in this field.
  
This interactive session will provide an overview of the family business sector – its issues and challenges and will stimulate discussion of the opportunities to provide mediation and facilitation services to this sector.

About Jon Kenfield
Jon is an accountant and grade 1 arbitrator. He has legal qualifications and is a former LEADR Board Director and former Chair of the Victorian Executive. He has over 20 years experience mediating a broad range of conflicts and is the founder of The Solutionist Group.

Jon works with both small and large family businesses experiencing extreme distress from internal and/or external conflict. Often his clients are grappling with the challenges presented by leadership transition. The Solutionist Group provides innovative and highly participatory processes to solve the complex problems which arise in family businesses.

About Leon Levin
Leon is completing a PhD exploring succession in family businesses. His academic background is in economics, accountancy, management and marketing.  He has consulted in strategy, politics, media, small business and venture capital in Australia and overseas. Leon teaches at Swinburne and Monash Universities.

About the Victorian County Court Facility

The Victorian County Court Facility is available for hire:

• For arbitrations, mediations, conciliations, adjudications, and other ADR processes;
• By courts, boards, commissions, or tribunals;  and
• For seminars, lectures, and moot courts.

There are 54 courtrooms, with 12 different courtroom types varying in size, functionality and seating capacity. A range of breakout rooms and meeting rooms (provided at no additional cost) are located close to the courtrooms. All courtrooms have video conferencing and other technology available.

There will be a tour of the Facility at 5pm for those interested in seeing what the Facility has to offer.

For more information on the Victorian County Court Facility, go to www.thelibertygroup.com.au >>