After building a strong foundation through educational materials, articles, and a dedicated newsletter for the family business community, the FamBiz Toolkit took its next step on November 11, 2025, moving from a digital knowledge hub to an in-person platform for discussion and exchange.
That transition began in Patras, where AHEAD – Alba Hub for Entrepreneurship and Development and NN Hellas hosted the initiative’s first regional event, “FamBiz Toolkit @ Patras: Discussing the Future of Family Businesses.” The event marked an important milestone for the Toolkit, extending its reach beyond Athens and into regional business communities.
Held at the Commercial and Import Association of Patras, which also co-organized the evening, the event brought together an engaged audience of more than 60 participants. It was further held under the auspices of the Chamber of Achaia and the Association of Enterprises & Industries of Peloponnese & Western Greece, creating space for a conversation shaped by the realities family businesses are facing today.
At the center of the evening were some of the questions most relevant to family enterprises now: how to respond to change, how to grow sustainably, and how to prepare both the family and the business for the future.
The first panel discussion, “Contemporary Challenges for Family Businesses,” was moderated by Alexis Komselis, Director of the AHEAD entrepreneurship center at Alba, and featured Christos Vyrgiotis of DIVICO Security, Christos Kolokythas of Kolokythas Fuels, Avgoustinos Kotronis of Kotronis Packaging, and Violeta Mandreka of MANDREKAS SA. While the discussion touched on digital transition, growth strategies, and ESG frameworks, one issue stood out in particular: the uncertainty surrounding workforce and talent acquisition. Panelists also examined how the distinct dynamics of family business can directly shape these human resource challenges.
The second panel, “Preparing the Family for Succession,” was led by Vasilis Tountopoulos of MPDO Consulting and featured Giannis Gialousis of Gialousis, Elena Liaromati of K. LIAROMATIS SA, and Panagiotis Trigas of Trigas Nephros & Trigas Health. The discussion highlighted the importance of early planning and smooth collaboration among family members, while also pointing to a broader challenge: preparing not only the family, but the business itself, for a successful transition to the next generation.
The conversation continued during the networking cocktail reception that followed, as participants carried the themes of the evening into further discussion. Among the issues that remained especially present was the way succession practices, governance choices, and day-to-day operations can differ significantly depending on the size and scale of a family business.
The FamBiz Toolkit is curated by AHEAD – Alba Hub for Entrepreneurship and Development, in partnership with NN Hellas, with the aim of empowering the next generation of family business leaders in Greece.
