SME Governance Forum

Theme: Path to Perpetuity - Governance for Founder-Led Organizations

Background

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), defined loosely as businesses employing at least 10 staff and with a turnover of at least Ksh. 100m, play a pivotal role in African economies. They contribute to at least 90% of the total workforce and up to 50% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, despite their significant contribution, up to 80% of SMEs fail within their first five years, and not many of the remaining 20% last beyond the founder.

Adopting a governance structure for founder-led SMEs is a crucial step in improving the decision-making process. It allows founders to adopt a strategic direction for the business, sufficiently resource it, and provide oversight to ensure their decisions are followed through. This approach ensures the business not only thrives and scales to create more jobs and higher revenues but also continues running long after the founder is gone.

Suggested Solution

The Institute of Directors (Kenya), in collaboration with Founders Freedom, will host a half-day forum for founder-led SMEs on December 8, 2023. Themed "Path to Perpetuity - Governance for Continuity," the guest speaker, Dr. Peter Crow, will address participants on the value of governance structures in small and medium-sized businesses. The target audience includes founders of SMEs that have been running for at least 10 years, with a minimum of 10 employees and a turnover of at least Ksh. 100m/USD $1m. The event aims to gather not less than 60 and up to 100 paid-up participants.

Attendees will be charged an admission fee covering meeting materials and refreshments. Corporate sponsorship will also be sought to complement registration fees, enhancing the experience for participants.

Benefits of Attending

• Demystifying Corporate Governance: Attendees will gain insights from an internationally renowned speaker.
• Promising Governance Practices: Learn from peers and experts.
• Tailor-Made Business Solutions: Get guidance from event sponsors in banking, insurance, HR, audit, etc., forming the SME ecosystem.
• Engagement and Networking: Connect with like-minded founders and industry professionals.

Expected Outcomes

• Greater awareness and appreciation of the value of having a governance structure for founder-led SMEs.
• Increased engagement by founders on ways to address governance gaps in their businesses.
• Placement inquiries for board members to IoD by founders.
• Increased assignments on constituting, training, and evaluating governing structures.
• Robust and resilient businesses that adopt governance structures.
• Increased collaboration opportunities among key players in the enterprise support ecosystem.

We look forward to your active participation in this event, which promises to empower founder-led SMEs for long-term success.

For more information and registration, please visit our website or contact us at [Contact Information].

Keynote Speaker

Dr Peter Crow is a company director, advisor, and speaker with specialist expertise in corporate governance, strategy and board craft, and an extensive international record helping boards realize organizational potential. He has served on the boards of over twenty private and family companies and has an extensive global record advising and educating boards, speaking and writing on governance topics, and board research.

Peter holds a doctorate in corporate governance and strategy, a first in technology and management, and memberships in several international institutions including the Global Peter Drucker Society and the International Corporate Governance Network.

Event Hosts

Founders Freedom is passionately pursuing the creation of a community of successful, multi-generational Africa-owned businesses. We have a combined experience of over 20 years in delivering organization and leadership development solutions that have driven organizational success for businesses across East, West, and Southern Africa.

Their proven winning formula is in a 4S approach-strategy formulation, governance structures, systems and processes, and staff outsourcing. Addressing these foundational aspects for any business is a sure way for founders to build a business that can run in their absence and last generations.