Family businesses are entering a decisive decade. In Slovenia alone, approximately 1,000 companies are expected to undergo ownership or leadership transitions within the next ten years, with more than 75% of them being family-owned. This context set the stage for a day of open, insightful, and forward-looking discussions on how to approach succession, governance, and long-term resilience.
The conference was opened by Prof. Mislav Ante Omazic, President of IEDC, who emphasized that succession is not only a private family matter, but a broader economic responsibility with far-reaching implications.
In his keynote address, Prof. Balázs Heidrich (Budapest University of Economics and Business) introduced the concept of familiness—the distinctive value created through family identity, relationships, shared values, and long-term orientation. He highlighted that succession should be understood not as a single event, but as an ongoing and evolving process.
The discussion on growth and development brought valuable insights from Jure Podkrižnik, Andrej Solinc, Tamara Zajec Balažič, Marko Bombac, CFA, FRM, and Prof. Stjepan Orešković. Speakers underlined the importance of access to financing, professional governance structures, and openness to new knowledge, talent, and capital as essential drivers of sustainable growth.
A dedicated session on exit strategies explored ownership transition as a deliberate and strategic choice. Vojo Jovičić, Miran Kovač, Rok Vodnik, and Matjaž Ulčar shared real-life experiences, emphasizing that successful exits require early preparation, clarity of purpose, and transparent communication—not only regarding valuation, but also expectations and continuity.
The conference concluded with reflections on professionalization and leadership transition. Martin Jezeršek, Jure Knez, Tilen Božič, and Eva Rihter highlighted the importance of clearly defined roles, strong organizational culture, trust, and mutual respect in successfully navigating generational change.
A shared message emerged throughout the day: successful succession is not merely a transfer of ownership, but a thoughtful, long-term process of passing on values, responsibility, and leadership culture.
IEDC extends its sincere appreciation to all moderators who expertly guided the discussions, as well as to its partners—ALLUMEN PARTNERJI, PwC, SPIRIT Slovenija, and COMPETO—for their valuable support.
Special thanks are extended to Tadeja Šteharnik, whose leadership and dedication were instrumental in the successful organization of the conference.