Ethiopian Family Business Forum 2025
Empowering family businesses with insights on sustainable growth, innovative business models, and governance excellence.
About the Forum
When the Ethiopian Family Business Forum (EFBF) began two years ago, it set out to tell a story that was often overlooked — the story of families who have quietly powered Ethiopia’s economy for generations. Over time, the Forum has evolved from a conversation into a community where founders, successors, and experts share real experiences and data.
The forum's 2024 Family Business Survey revealed that out of its 47 respondents:
51%
are first-generation firms
85%
have no family council
50%
have formal boards of directors
81%
lack a formal CEO succession plan
43%
remain entirely founder-owned
Family businesses cited both internal and external challenges:
Internal Challenges
- Limited appetite for innovation and growth
- Constraints on financial expansion
External Challenges
- Regulatory uncertainty
- Rising costs
- Supply-chain risks
- Competitive threats
EFBF 2025, themed “Embracing Change for Growth and Innovation”, responds directly to these realities. It centers on three pillars — Growth, Innovation, and Governance — providing a space for Ethiopian family enterprises to explore new financing pathways, rethink business models, and strengthen governance for generations to come.
Why Attend EFBF 2025
From knowledge exchange to strategic growth opportunities, here's why EFBF 2025 is a must-attend event for family business leaders.
Gain Data-Driven Insights
Get an exclusive look at the EFBF 2025 Survey Findings to understand the latest challenges, financing practices, and innovation trends impacting local family businesses.
Financing Strategies for Growth
Learn Financing Strategies for Growth from top experts, moving beyond traditional bank loans to explore equity financing, capital markets, and blended finance options.
Innovation Strategy — Remodeling the Business for Competitiveness and Legacy
Discover how to implement strategic innovation in processes, products, and business models to ensure competitiveness and integrate founder's values for long-term legacy.
Building Enduring Structures — Family Constitution, Trust, & Governance
Understand the Governance Imperative—the critical need for formal structures like a Family Constitution and Family Councils to manage wealth, succession, and secure growth across generations.
High-Value Networking
Engage with peers, industry leaders, and high-profile speakers during dedicated breaks and the Networking Lunch.
Agenda
The EFBF 2025 Forum is structured around three core pillars — Growth, Innovation, and Governance — culminating in a dynamic, action-oriented closing session.
Registration, Networking & Official Opening
Welcome coffee, interactive exhibition, official opening remarks (EFBF Council and ESX), and a high-profile Keynote Address by Shaleqa Haile Gebreselassie.
Shaleqa Haile Gebresellasie
Chairman of Haile and Alem International PLC
Tilahun Esmael (PhD)
CEO of Ethiopian Securities Exchange
Hikmet Abdella
Chair of the EFBF Advisory Council and CEO of FSD Ethiopia
The State of Ethiopian Family Business: EFBF Survey Findings
A data-driven presentation of the 2025 survey report highlighting key challenges, financing practices, innovation trends, and governance gaps that inform the day’s discussions.
Solomon Gizaw
Chairman and CEO of HST
PANEL 1: Financing Strategies for Growth
Focus on Growth — understanding the landscape of finance, moving beyond traditional bank loans, blending finance for projects, and readiness for equity financing and capital market participation.
Professor Emeritus Ahmad Rahnema Alavi
IESE Business School
Tilahun Esmael (Phd)
CEO of Ethiopian Securities Exchange
Hanna Tilahun
Bezalel Construction Material Manufacturing, and Hebron Resort
Berhane Demissie
Managing Partner, Cepheus Growth Capital Partners
PANEL 2: Innovation Strategy — Remodeling the Business for Competitiveness and Legacy
Focus on Innovation — driving process, product, and service innovation to future-proof the business while integrating founder’s values.
Yonaiel Tadiwos
Operations Director, Boston Partners PLC (Kuriftu Resorts)
Million Kibret
Managing Partner at BDO Ethiopia
Melaku Kebede
Project Manager, FSD Ethiopia
Adam Abate
Principal-Investment Manager, Renew Capital
Networking Lunch
A dedicated period for high-value peer-to-peer engagement and discussion with fellow business leaders and experts.
PANEL 3: Building Enduring Structures — Family Constitution, Trust & Governance
Focus on Governance — establishing formal structures like Family Councils and Offices, developing a Family Constitution, and managing the intergenerational transition of wealth and leadership.
Moez Miaoui
Acting Head, ESG Advisory Lead, Africa Family Offices Initiative, IFC
Tihitina Legesse
Managing Director, WARYT MULUTILA International PLC
Hikmet Abdella
Chair of the EFBF Advisory Council and CEO of FSD Ethiopia
Fitsum Nigusse
Senior Executive Director, East African Holding
Asfaw Alemu
CEO of Dashen Bank
CLOSING SESSION: World Café Format
‘The Family Business Mandate’ — a participatory session featuring facilitator instructions, table discussions on key takeaways, and a final plenary summary of actionable insights.
Speakers
Haile Gebreselassie
Keynote Speaker
Chairman of Haile and Alem International PLC
Tilahun Esmael (PhD)
Panelist
CEO of Ethiopian Securities Exchange
Hikmet Abdella
Welcoming Speech
Chair of the EFBF Advisory Council and CEO of FSD Ethiopia
Solomon Gizaw
EFBF2025 Survey Findings Presenter
Chairman and CEO of HST
Professor Emeritus Ahmad Rahnema Alavi
Moderator
IESE Business School
Hanna Tilahun
Panelist
Bezalel Construction Material Manufacturing, and Hebron Resort
Yonaiel Tadiwos
Panelist
Operations Director, Boston Partners PLC (Kuriftu Resorts)
Million Kibret
Panelist
Managing Partner at BDO Ethiopia
Melaku Kebede
Panelist
Project Manager, FSD Ethiopia
Moez Miaoui
Moderator
Acting Head, ESG Advisory Lead, Africa Family Offices Initiative, IFC
Tihitina Legesse
Panelist
Managing Director, WARYT MULUTILA International PLC
Adam Abate
Panelist
Principal-Investment Manager, Renew Capital
Asfaw Alemu
Panelist
CEO of Dashen Bank
Berhane Demissie
Panelist
Managing Partner, Cepheus Growth Capital Partners
Fitsum Nigusse
Panelist
Senior Executive Director, East African Holding
How can we help?
Get in touch with us
HST works with clients to solve business growth, operational, people, financial, tax, governance, risk, learning and compliance challenges with locally relevant solutions.
Contact
Addis Ababa: Ethio-China Friendship Ave,
Mina Building 4th and 5th Floor
Addis Ababa Tel: +251 115 52 76 66/67
Adama: Gurmu Woreda around Mebrat Hayle,
Oromia Bank building 2nd Floor
Adama Tel: +251915156522/+251911866404
info@hst-et.com
P.O. Box 25701