Congress Agenda

9:00 – 9:45

What If There Is No One to Pass the Business On To?

How to Think About the Future of a Family Business Without a Successor

Erika and Giorgio will open a topic many families avoid facing — how to think about the future of a business when there is no successor. They will show why generational succession is not the only path forward and how a business can continue serving the family even without the next generation taking over. They will share experiences and decisions that need to be made early — before time makes them for you.

Erika Madari Matwij

Founder of the Institute of Family Business and Human Inside, expert in family business and succession
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Giorgio Colutta

Owner of the third-generation family winery and agritourism business Colutta, winemaker and agricultural entrepreneur (Italy)

9:45 – 10:30

The Journey of a Successor in a Family with a 1,000-Year History

When Does a Successor Truly Realize It Is No Longer Just About Them?

Octavian will offer a personal and profound perspective on what it means to grow up in a family with a thousand-year history — where childhood naturally intertwines with expectations and individual freedom meets the interests of the family. He will open questions that shape every generation: what families pass on, what they forget, and what tests them more than the loss of wealth. He will show what it means to carry a name, history and responsibility — and which moments truly test readiness to take over leadership.

Octavian Pilati

Successor of an aristocratic family with a 1,000-year history, founder of The Antifragile Family, and expert in the governance and resilience of entrepreneurial families (Austria)
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Monika Naďová Krošláková

Associate Professor at the University of Economics in Bratislava, founder of the Family Business Center, and co-owner of a family business (G2)
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Erika Madari Matwij

Founder of the Institute of Family Business and Human Inside, expert in family business and succession
>> more >>

11:15 – 12:00

Legacy & Multi-Generational Challenges

What Does It Take to Build a Brand That Survives Generations?

Ulrich will offer insight into the decisions that shape the survival of a brand — including those the family would approach differently today. He will show why the ability to let go is often harder than building itself, and what separates families that create truly enduring brands from those that do not. The session will explore how decisions are made with a horizon spanning decades, where the boundaries between values and profit lie, and what a family will never sacrifice. It will reveal what legacy thinking truly means in practice — and why this mindset ultimately determines whether a business survives across generations.

Ulrich Schmid-Maybach

Fourth-generation member of the Maybach dynasty, founder of the Maybach Foundation and co-founder of Maybach Icons of Luxury (USA)
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Monika Naďová Krošláková

Associate Professor at the University of Economics in Bratislava, founder of the Family Business Center, and co-owner of a family business (G2)
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Erika Madari Matwij

Founder of the Institute of Family Business and Human Inside, expert in family business and succession
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12:00 – 12:45

Leading with Heart Across Four Generations

How Do You Build a Company That Maintains the Trust of Customers and Community for Decades?

Bobby, whose family roots trace back to Slovakia, will share the story of how an immigrant family built a strong and respected business in the United States. He will show how the principle of the “Golden Rule” — treating people the way you would want to be treated — shapes both company culture and decision-making. He will share how the family successfully transformed a traditional family business into a modern manufacturing company without losing its identity, and why values such as respect, gratitude and service are what truly determine long-term sustainability across generations.

Robert S. “Bobby” Ukrop

Chairman of the Board & CEO of Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods, former CEO of Ukrop’s Super Markets, and second-generation representative of a family business with Slovak roots (USA)
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Erika Madari Matwij

Founder of the Institute of Family Business and Human Inside, expert in family business and succession
>> more >>

13:45 – 14:30

Values Under Pressure: What Sustains Both the Business and the Family in Challenging Times

Where Does the Pressure for Performance Meet the Values on Which the Business Was Built?

When times get difficult, numbers alone are not what matter most. Values, the character of the leader and the way decisions are made become critical. This panel discussion will bring together experienced family business leaders to share perspectives on resilience in practice and ethical leadership — in moments when pressure for performance collides with relationships, continuity and responsibility toward future generations.

Erika Madari Matwij

Founder of the Institute of Family Business and Human Inside, expert in family business and succession
>> more >>

Octavian Pilati

Successor of an aristocratic family with a 1,000-year history, founder of The Antifragile Family, and expert in the governance and resilience of entrepreneurial families (Austria)
>> more >>

Robert S. “Bobby” Ukrop

Chairman of the Board & CEO of Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods, former CEO of Ukrop’s Super Markets, and second-generation representative of a family business with Slovak roots (USA)
>> more >>

Ulrich Schmid-Maybach

Fourth-generation member of the Maybach dynasty, founder of the Maybach Foundation and co-founder of Maybach Icons of Luxury (USA)
>> more >>

Giorgio Colutta

Owner of the third-generation family winery and agritourism business Colutta, winemaker and agricultural entrepreneur (Italy)