Family businesses dominate the Middle East. There are numerous challenges in sustaining the growth of these businesses. Tony Bury, founder of the Mowgli Foundation (a mentoring organisation for entrepreneurs) suggests in this presentation to Family Forum International that injecting a spirit of entrepreneurship is the key to passing businesses from generation to generation in the Arab World.

2. The Heroes Journey
Tony Bury
Founder, The Mowgli Foundation
Family Forum International Conference:
15 November 2011

3. Agenda
• What is the greatest challenge facing
the Middle East?
• Why do we need entrepreneurs?
• Role for Family Businesses
• Heroes Journey
Mowgli = Mentoring

4. Youth Unemployment in MENA
% Youth Unemployment
World Average
North Africa
Middle East
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

5. Youth Unemployment in MENA
• 25% of young people on average are unemployed
in MENA countries.
• Youth unemployment in MENA is four times
the adult rate.
• 50% of the population in the MENA region are
under 16 years old.
• ILO: Arab countries alone need to create about
85-100 million new jobs by 2020.
(50m graduate jobs)

6. Current MENA Employment Picture
– Public and Private Sector
% Share of Public Sector in Employment/Human capital
MENA
Latin America
OECD
Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

7. Current MENA Employment Picture
– Public and Private Sector
Public sector wages relative to private sector are higher in MENA
than anywhere else

8. Why do we need entrepreneurs.?

9. Source of Entrepreneurs - Private Sector
Family owned
Corporations
businesses
SMEs/small
businesses

10. Challenge for Family Owned Businesses
Wealth Preservation v Wealth Creation
+
Asset Value/family member is either static or
declining.
SOLUTION =
Entrepreneurs within family owned businesses

11. Entrepreneurship in Family Businesses
 Focus on seeking new opportunities
 Acceptance of risk of failure > constructive
 Family must act as venture capitalists
 Entrepreneurial spirit > training and
mentoring

12. Based on the theories of Joseph Campbell

13. Mowgli Mentoring:
Voice of an Voice of a Mentor
Entrepreneur
• Roula (Syria) • Rob
• Saeed • Bashar

14. Mowgli Mentoring Impact
• Supporting 126 mentoring relationships in 5 countries
• 32% of Mowgli’s entrepreneurs are under 30;
• 32% are women;
• 70% of Mowgli entrepreneurs go on to mentor others;
• 80% of mentoring relationships continue after one year;
• 50% of Mowgli entrepreneurs increased business profits in 2010
• 30% recruited more staff
Many more entrepreneurs waiting for mentors NOW in
Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt

17. Entrepreneurial Eco System
• Aspiration and hope
• Education
• Incubation
• Financial Capital
• Human Capital

18. Family Owned Businesses
“More than 80 per cent of businesses in the Middle East
are family-run or family-owned, with an estimated $1
trillion expected to be handed down to the next
generation within the upcoming five to ten years.”

19. How it works
2-4 day Mentor/Entrepreneur Matching Experience:
•Mentors increase self awareness, listening, mentoring skills
•Experienced facilitator guides participants through relationship
guidelines and framework
•Mentor/entrepreneur ‘matching’ creates fulfilling, supportive 1:1
relationships for the year ahead
Ongoing Mentoring support, for one year:
•Regular peer reviews and 1:1 reviews with mentor facilitator
•Practical leadership guidance, with ongoing monitoring, evaluation and
support
•Access to online Mowgli Knowledge Centre for original learning/support
materials and networking with peers and alumni