What does it take for a family business to stay strong across generations? That question shaped the latest regional edition of the FamBiz Toolkit, held on March 18 at Bizrupt in Heraklion, where more than 60 business owners, executives, and stakeholders gathered to discuss the future of family enterprise in Crete.
Organized by AHEAD – Alba Hub for Entrepreneurship and Development and NN Hellas, and held under the auspices of the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and the Cretan Development Association of Women Entrepreneurs, “FamBiz Toolkit @ Heraklion: Discussing the Future of Family Businesses” created space for an evening of exchange grounded in real experience and current challenges. At the center of the discussion were some of the questions that matter most to family businesses today: how to build resilience over time, how to approach succession, and how leadership is being reshaped, including through the growing role of women in family firms.
In the first panel discussion, “Contemporary Challenges for Family Businesses,” moderated by Alexis Komselis, Director of AHEAD, Manolis Kassakis of Kassaki Charcuterie, Fotis Kokotos of Elounda SA & ReHORECA Sustainability System, Panagiotis Charonitis of GEA Holidays DMC, and Ermis Chondros of Caravel Rent a Car & Riviera Boutique Hotel examined the pressures facing family firms today. Among the main points raised was the importance of keeping the business fundamentally healthy and viable, so that the next generation has a strong foundation to build on, should it choose to take over. The discussion also underlined that strategic change and modernization should not be driven simply by legal obligation, but by the wider vision of the business family itself.
The second panel, “Family Business & Female Leadership,” moderated by Alexandra Karapidaki, Co-founder of Bizrupt, shifted the focus to the growing role of women in family businesses. Amalia Niniraki of Oloklirosi SA & Anelixis SA, Giouli Savvaki of Savvakis – materials & more, and Christina Chrysoula of Taxidi Olive Farm highlighted a leadership approach that combines pragmatism and efficiency with emotional intelligence and sentiment, underlining the distinct value women bring to family firms.
Now in its third year, the FamBiz Toolkit continues to grow as a joint initiative of AHEAD and NN Hellas, offering family businesses in Greece a platform for useful discussion, exchange, and reflection. Commenting on the event, Constantina Mila of NN Hellas expressed a particularly positive view of the future, highlighting the trust now being placed in the next generation of leaders.
That optimism was evident in the networking reception that followed, where the conversation continued well beyond the formal program. The evening closed with lively debate, shared experiences, and a strong sense of connection among participants, with many already asking for a follow-up event.
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.
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