Join early editors Ivan Lansberg, Kelin Gersick, and Joe Astrachan as they reflect on how the journal grew from an idea into a globally respected publication.

The conversation highlights the challenges of establishing legitimacy for a new field, building an interdisciplinary community, and bridging the gap between academic research and real-world practice.

The panel also discusses how the field has evolved—from early experiential insights to today’s data-driven research—and what the future of scholarly publishing may look like in an era shaped by artificial intelligence.

In this episode of the FFI Practitioner Podcast, we speak with Christopher Gibson, FFI’s 2086 Scholar in Residence, about the evolving world of mediation, arbitration, and legal education.
Christopher discusses the growing role of AI in dispute resolution, and how lawyers can help family enterprise clients in an increasingly uncertain world.

We also explore how legal education is shifting from traditional Socratic teaching toward skills-based learning, including contract drafting, simulations, problem-solving, and using AI effectively.
A timely conversation on managing risk, exercising control, and guiding families through complexity across generations.

Today’s FFI Practitioner features a podcast on “Technology, Family Offices, and Investing for the Future” with Aaron Vaccaro, president of Singularity. In his conversation with interviewer Jordan Rich, Aaron discusses exponential technologies and their importance to the success of multi-generational family enterprises. His colleague, Rob Nail, entrepreneur, coach, and former CEO of Singularity, will open the FFI conference on October 29 with a keynote presentation on “Exponential Thinking and the Multi-Generational Family Enterprise: Innovation, Technology, and the Future.”

Since taking the role of president for Singularity in 2023, Aaron Vaccaro has led the management team in executing Singularity’s mission of educating, inspiring, and empowering leaders to create breakthroughs powered by exponential technology. Prior to joining Singularity, Aaron was Vice President at WestRiver Group, a global innovation investment platform and the lead investor in Singularity since 2016, where he remains an operating partner.

FFI Practitioner is pleased to feature a podcast conversation with guests Jamie Yuenger from StoryKeep and Lisabeth “Betsy” Sugahara from Fairfield-Maxwell Ltd. They discuss the power of story and how it can have positive impacts on family businesses, including improved family dynamics and wider support of business decisions.

Jamie Yuenger is founder of Storykeep, which creates private films and podcasts with individuals and families to connect their current and future generations through the power of story. After training as a folklorist, worked in broadcast journalism, including as assistant producer at WNYC.

Lisabeth Sugahara is an owner of Fairfield-Maxwell Ltd, a private investment firm focused primarily on family businesses with like values and priorities.

FFI Practitioner is pleased to feature a podcast conversation with Mary Duke, Aik-Ping Ng, and Peter Vogel, about the future of family offices worldwide. They discuss the necessity of integrating financial, human, and social capital, and the importance of long-term relationships and generational bridging in family office advising.

Mary Duke, FFI Fellow, is an internationally recognized advisor to families navigating the complexities of substantial wealth. She focuses on empowering rising generations and on helping families adopt the practices and behaviors that foster individual growth and make family collaboration more effective and rewarding. She can be reached at mkduke@thehighrd.com.

Aik-Ping Ng, ACFBA/CFWA, is managing director and head of Family Office Advisory Asia Pacific at HSBC Private Bank. With twenty-two years of experience in private equity, corporate finance, and wealth management, he advises UHNW families on legacy planning. He can be reached at aikping.ng@gmail.com.

Peter Vogel, PhD, is professor of family business and entrepreneurship at IMD Business School. An expert on family enterprises, he leads IMD’s work in this field as director of the IMD Global Family Business Center and Debiopharm Chair in Family Philanthropy. He can be reached at Peter.Vogel@imd.org.

FFI Practitioner is pleased to feature a podcast conversation with Dr. Kris Verburgh, who presented the keynote at the 2019 Global Conference. In today’s interview, Dr. Verburgh discusses the advancements in longevity research since his 2019 keynote, highlighting significant investments to address aging-related diseases. He also explores the ways in which a shift towards an ageless society would affect family businesses, investment strategies, and societal organization. Dr. Verburgh’s colleague Robert Nail will present the opening keynote at the 2025 Global Conference, entitled “Exponential Thinking in the Multi- Generational Family Enterprise: Innovation, Technology, and the Future.”

Kris Verburgh, MD, is an inventor, author, investor, researcher, and medical doctor specializing in aging, longevity, and the future of medicine and biotechnology. Dr. Verburgh is a partner and head of science at the BOLD Longevity Growth Fund and a researcher at the Free University of Brussels. He is an expert in the future of medicine and longevity at Singularity University, an FFI organizational member, and he is a member of the FFI IberoAmérica Virtual Study Group.

FFI Practitioner is pleased to feature a podcast conversation with Sir Andrew Likierman, 2025 recipient of the 2086 Society’s FFI Scholar-in-Residence grant. In today’s podcast, Sir Andrew Likierman discusses the complexities of performance management in family enterprises. He emphasizes the importance of having a common framework for success that aligns with the family’s objectives, the significance of integrating individual performance with the enterprise’s overall strategy, and the necessity for family enterprise advisors and practitioners to adopt a consistent and coherent set of performance measures to ensure clarity and alignment within the organization.

FFI Practitioner is pleased to feature a podcast conversation with Sasha Lund, Jessica McGawley, and Larisa Miller, discussing a recently published Special Report from Globe Law and Business publisher: “The Rising Role of Women in Family Offices and Family Businesses.” Sasha, the report’s consulting editor, and Jessica and Larisa, two contributors to the report, discuss the report’s findings and how they are illustrated through their own careers.

Podcast listeners can receive a 20% discount on the report by ordering it on the Globe Law and Business website and using the code FFI20 at checkout: https://www.globelawandbusiness.com/special-reports/the-rising-role-of-women-in-family-offices-and-family-businesses