The Tribune

The Bahamas and other countries “cannot afford to lose” the economic impact and job creation stemming from family-owned businesses, an expert in the field believes.

“It is often cited that family businesses are the backbone of our economies. In Canada they generate over 50 per cent of GDP and create over 70 per cent of new jobs, yet they struggle to achieve sustainability beyond two generations. Given the state of our economies we cannot afford to lose these important economic generators,” said Grant Walsh, director and founder of the KPMG Enterprise Centre for Family Business in Ottawa.

Mr. Walsh will address the 22nd annual Bahamas Business Outlook at the Wyndham Nassau Resort on January 10, focusing on the topic ‘Sustaining our Economies: Sustaining Family Business’.

“We now know what needs to be done to assist family businesses in achieving long-term sustainability, which in turn will have a significant positive impact on the sustainability of our local economies,” Mr Walsh said.

For the past 15 years, Mr Walsh has dedicated his professional services solely to assisting family businesses in working through their management and ownership issues with a focus on the transition/succession process.

Mr Walsh is an active member of CAFÉ (Canadian Association of Family Enterprise), and serves on both the National Board and the Board of the CAFÉ Ottawa chapter. He is also a member of the Family Firm Institute (FFI), an international association of family business professionals.

His career background includes corporate finance; sales and marketing within a large multinational pharmaceutical company; public administration in a large teaching hospital; owner/manager of a local residential construction firm; and associate professor of graduate studies (Finance and Strategic Planning) at the University of Ottawa.

The 22nd annual Bahamas Business Outlook has the theme ‘Building on The Spirit of Independence: New Blueprints for Social and Economic Development. Prime Minister Perry Christie will deliver opening remarks, and other speakers will include George Markantonis, president and managing firector of Kerzner International (Bahamas); Aliya Allen, chief executive of the Bahamas Financial Services Board; Ian Fair, chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority; Geoff Houston, chief executive, BTC; Sharlyn Wilson-Smith, attorney-at-law, Sharon Wilson and Co; Marcellus Taylor, deputy director of education; George Gobin, country manager-Bahamas, Microsoft; Charles Carter, businessman, veteran broadcaster and co-chair of the Bahamas’ 40th Independence Anniversary Steering Committee; and Maggie Bain, transformational speaker.

Persons interested in attending the 22nd Annual Bahamas Business Outlook can register for this event by visiting www.tclevents.com or calling Eileen Fielder at 322-7505/6.