The CBS Family Enterprise Alumni Circle is a dedicated networking and learning group for CBS alumni who own, manage and/or advise family firms. We host events throughout the year with special access to global scholars, international leaders and our highly engaged Advisory Board of notable principals and executives in family enterprise and wealth management. Membership is complimentary. Some events are fee-based. Members are required to sign our pledge.
Membership is open to all CBS and Global Family Enterprise Program alumni
About the Family Enterprise Alumni Circle
Make Meaningful Connections
Members are invited to Family Enterprise Connects and Family Enterprise Voices, confidential calls on relevant topics for business owners and managers. Members are encouraged to plan local meet-ups, dinners, and coffee dates to exchange ideas and make new connections. Circle members host events in their region to connect with CBS family enterprise alumni network, including the Advisory Board and local leaders, and beyond. Members engage in discussions on topics of common interest.
Further Your Knowledge
Circle members have exclusive access to global scholars and practitioners through our “Family Enterprise Insights” Series on relevant topics including estate planning, ethics in family enterprise, running a family meeting, governance and more. Throughout the year, members receive compelling articles, podcast recommendations, and exclusive invites to join in-person and online webinars with Q & A access to professors and professionals. Alumni Circle members can audit Global Family Enterprise Program courses year round. Members are encouraged to suggest topics and contribute to programming.
Expand Your Network
Circle members have a unique opportunity to get to know each other and the global family enterprise leaders on the Global Family Enterprise Program’s Advisory Board. Circle members are invited to our Pre- and Post-Conference Events, where they enjoy conversation with conference keynotes and panelists. These intimate settings provide a chance to expand your professional network.
Family Enterprise Alumni Circle Board
In 2021, The Alumni Circle Board was formed. The Board’s focus is to create and enhance programming, increase communication among its members and develop ways to strengthen the connectivity among the Family Enterprise alumni. Its goal is to not only support the strategic growth of the membership, but also to deepen connections among its members.
Board Members
- Arzoo Bhusri ’16, Partner, Minerva Management
- Jeff Greenfield ’90, Managing Director, Golconda Partners
- Prem G. Hira ’12, Founder & Financial Planner, Investry, LLC
- Dan Lifton ’02, CEO, Quality of Life Labs
- Xenia Razinski ’15, Co-Owner & Executive, Invar International Investments Group
- Vivek Salgaocar ’13, Director, Vimson (Ex Officio)
- Philip Zhou ’21
The Alumni Circle Board also works closely with the Global Family Enterprise Advisory Board and actively engages these senior and highly accomplished professionals in its programming.
Exclusive programming developed by the Alumni Circle Board include the Family Enterprise Voices and Family Enterprise Connects calls, as well as the development of its website. The Alumni Circle Board invites all members to contribute ideas. There are more exciting and important things to come, so stay tuned, stay involved, and come participate!
Events
Family Enterprise Voices
Family Enterprise Voices are global interactive sessions featuring two or three panelists sharing their own experiences on relevant topics with opportunities for open and frank discussion. It is modeled off of the popular student versions (CBS Matters and Family Business Matters). Voices calls are confidential and open to Circle Members and are typically held via Zoom to connect with Circle Members around the world.
Representative Past Voices Speakers and Topics
- Movers & Shakers: CBS Alumni in Logistics & Real Estate with Guido Ottolenghi ’94, General Manager & CEO La Petrolifera Italo Rumena and Samer Hanini ’17, Managing Partner, Hanini Group
- Sustainable Entrepreneurship with Lily Oswald ’15, CEO, Sorrelli
- Global Alumni Leading Growth Across Industries with Taimur Dawood ’99, Chairman, Descon, and Matthew Frisch ’11, (formerly) President, Pharmaceutical Services Division, Kohl & Frisch Limited
- Strategic vs. Emotional Investing, Estate & Philanthropic Planning with Adil Ahamed ’12, Managing Director, Destination Auto Group, Amanda Nee ’19, Managing Director, WALC Capital, and Adhar Srivastava ’17, CEO, Soliel Chartered Bank
- In-Laws, Transformation, Navigating Family and Culture with Nandini Garg ’19, Director, Rajdarbar Group, Patricia Riberas ’18, Transformation and Organization Director, Gestamp, and Andrew Straitman ’14, Director, Strategy & eCommerce, Commonwealth Packaging
Family Enterprise Insights
Family Enterprise Circle members are entitled to attend exclusive events with global experts on family enterprise. Family Enterprise Insights presents and archives the latest research, wisdom and advice from leading global scholars, family enterprise principals, and expert practitioners. Sessions vary from small workshops with academic researchers to webinars featuring C-suite executives and are open to students, alumni and friends of the program. Videos, articles and other resources are available online.
Family Enterprise Connects Calls
Share with your fellow grads! Family Enterprise Connects is a facilitated discussion among members of Columbia’s Global Family Enterprise Program’s Advisory Board and Family Enterprise Circle. Participants are invited to share real-time experiences on various themes and get feedback from their peers and connect with one another. Conversations are off the record, unrecorded, and confidential.
Representative Past Connects Topics
- Governance
- Succession
- Sustainability
- Focus on Family
Family Enterprise Alumni Circle Pledge
The Family Enterprise Alumni Circle is a global community of Columbia alumni who are interested in continuing our educational and professional development with fellow graduates in family enterprise. In an effort to create a “safe space” for our group, we require all members to accept the Code of Conduct as follows:
- Respect the privacy of all members of the Circle and Board
- Comply with specific requests for confidentiality (activities and events are not confidential unless specified).
- Adhere to a no solicitation policy.*
- Participate in Circle events on a regular basis (at least 3 per year) – the value of the group is in our members!
*This includes, but is not limited to, selling products or services, seeking special advantages or raising funds from others on an unsolicited basis, for business, personal, charitable or political benefit.
The Circle is a great way to stay on top of the current trends, freshen up on your skills, and make new connections.
Arzoo Bhusri '16
I feel fortunate that I'm able to stay connected to the CBS community through the frequency and variety of Alumni Circle programming.
Prem Hira '12
The Family Enterprise Circle is an ideal group for those involved in or interested in joining their family business and have questions or experiences they would like to share and get input on. With each meeting and interaction, I continue to learn so much from this group and also find comfort in discovering that other members have shared similar experiences on matters specific to my family business.
Xenia Razinski '15
Staying engaged with the Family Enterprise Alumni Circle keeps me up-to-date with the CBS community. I always learn something new from my fellow alumni located all around the world who bring fresh perspectives on topical matters ranging from real estate transactions, leadership transitions, and sustainable practices.
