Solar shading specialist Caribbean has launched the Anguilla Lite, a new set-size patio awning offering a more accessible route to high-quality shading. Built on the established Anguilla system, the Anguilla Lite uses the same core materials and construction approach, delivered in four pre-determined sizes suited to common domestic door and window configurations. The range has been developed to reflect changing budgets while maintaining performance expectations. Each awning is constructed using a heavy gauge aluminium framework finished in a marine grade coating. A streamline cassette casing protects both the fabric and operating mechanism when retracted. The awning incorporates twin spring tensioned folding arms to maintain consistent fabric tension during operation. It works via remote control as standard, with optional LED lighting and heating available where additional comfort is required. Anguilla Lite is offered with six Sattler® solution dyed fabric designs, treated with TEXgard for easy cleaning. Two frame colours are available, Anthracite (RAL 7016ST) and White (RAL 9016). The set sizes have been selected to suit widely used residential openings and range from 3.5m width, with either a 2.5m or 3m projection, to 4.9m width – also available in a 2.5m or 3m projection. Caribbean has positioned the product to support trade and direct supply routes, with pre-manufacture enabling more competitive pricing across projects. The approach is intended to offer an alternative for homeowners seeking a premium awning within a fixed budget. Anguilla Lite forms part of Caribbean’s wider awning portfolio and is manufactured at the company’s HQ in Suffolk. For more information visit here.

In this year’s Equity Gilt Study, Barclays Research examines how physical AI will move beyond the digital realm and into the real economy, with humanoid robots set to reshape productivity, labour markets, geopolitics, and long-term asset returns. While equities delivered strong real returns in 2025, the report argues that the more important shift is structural, marked by higher capital investment, rising productivity, and a repricing of growth, inflation, and capital across regions and asset classes. At the centre of this shift is the emergence of humanoid robots. Ajay Rajadhyaksha, Global Chairman of Research commented: “Humanoid robots represent the next frontier of AI, combining intelligence with physical capability. Their effect could extend well beyond technology, reshaping the structure of the global economy.” Humanoid robots: the next frontier of automation Automation is entering its third phase, according to Barclays Research analysts. Humanoid robots, enabled by advances in artificial intelligence, mobility, and battery systems, are designed to operate in human environments; use existing tools; and perform full jobs, rather than isolated tasks. As the costs of producing the robots decline and deployment accelerates, Barclays Research estimates the market for humanoids could reach $200 billion by 2035, reshaping labour supply, productivity, and investment opportunities across the global economy. China leads in robotics Barclays Research analysts find that China is already the centre of gravity for the global robotics economy. Supported by unmatched scale in manufacturing, deep supply chains, and state-backed industrial policy, China accounted for 85 percent of humanoid deployments in 2025 and controls many of the critical inputs needed to scale the technology. If current trends persist, Barclays Research estimates that robots could fill up to 60 percent of the workforce gap created by China’s aging population by 2035, helping sustain economic growth and reinforcing robotics as a key pillar of its economic and geopolitical strength. How robotics will rewire economies Automation has long supported productivity growth, but its effect has largely been limited to specific tasks. Barclays Research analysts argue that humanoid robots extend automation not just to entire roles, but to those that until now could not be automated. Historically, strong productivity gains in sectors such as manufacturing coincided with a declining share of GDP, while more labour-intensive sectors expanded, a pattern known as the Baumol effect. By increasing the substitutability between labour and capital in tasks that have resisted automation, humanoids could ease these constraints and help shift that dynamic. Barclays Research also notes that more than 60 percent of employment in 2018 was in roles that did not exist in 1940, suggesting humanoids are likely to reshape, rather than reduce, the future of work. Will physical AI’s displacement effects hurt asset prices? Barclays Research analysts argue that physical AI is not a zero-sum shock and that markets may be underestimating its positive effect. By expanding the production frontier, rather than simply redistributing income, humanoid robots strengthen the case for higher productivity, higher equilibrium real rates, stronger earnings growth, and improved long-term asset returns. While adoption will reshape labour income and shift sectoral winners and losers, the overall effect is likely to be positive for growth and markets. Barclays Equity Gilt Study is a flagship annual publication that combines market-leading macro analysis with a unique multi-asset dataset spanning over 100 years. It provides uniquely rich data and commentary on long-term asset returns in the UK and US. Data for the UK goes back to 1899, while the US data, provided by the Center for Research in Security Prices at the University of Chicago, runs from 1925.

Leading UK food distributor, RH Amar has celebrated the opening of its new headquarters in High Wycombe, with Dame Mary Berry joining colleagues and guests at a special lunch to mark the occasion. Dame Mary Berry unveiled a commemorative plaque to officially open the new premises and celebrate the major milestone in the family-run business’s 80-year history. Rob Amar, Managing Director of RH Amar, said: “We were honoured to welcome Dame Mary Berry to officially open our new office and distribution warehouse. We’ve known Dame Mary for more than 20 years since we started distributing her dressings brand so it made the occasion even more special to celebrate this milestone with her. It was a wonderful occasion to bring colleagues together to celebrate everything that has gone into creating our new home.” RH Amar’s new purpose-built headquarters provide increased warehouse capacity, new office space and enhanced facilities designed to support the company’s future growth ambitions. The new site includes collaborative workspaces, extensive kitchen facilities, and a social hub called Henry’s Place, named in honour of Chairman Henry Amar. The move follows a sustained period of business growth for RH Amar, with the company achieving double-digit revenue growth in each of the past five years. Photo Credit: Ben Cottman Pictured left to right: Rob Amar, Managing Director of RH Amar; Dame Mary Berry; James Amar, RH Amar Strategy & CSR Director; and Henry Amar, Chairman of RH Amar. About RH Amar RH Amar is one of the UK’s leading full-service distributors and growth partners for ambient foods - providing sales, marketing and technical support to successfully grow brands across the UK market. The company is a family-run business, founded in 1945, and now in its third generation. It retains family values at its core and treats every brand as its own. RH Amar’s brand portfolio includes some of the UK’s best-loved food brands such as Branston, Del Monte, Dunkin’, Ella’s Kitchen, Kikkoman, Mutti and Weetabix alongside smaller specialist brands. The company also owns the Camp Coffee, Cooks&Co and Mary Berry’s Dressings brands. The company donates 10% of its profits each year to charity, with more than £3m donated to charitable causes since 2013. View the RH Amar brand portfolio here.

There is a conversation happening in boardrooms, kitchen tables, and management away-days across the family business world, and it tends to follow a familiar pattern. Someone raises artificial intelligence. A few people lean forward with enthusiasm. A few others shift uncomfortably in their seats. Someone mentions a competitor who has already started using it. Someone else wonders aloud whether it will replace half the workforce. The meeting moves on without a conclusion, and the question gets deferred for another quarter. Meanwhile, the technology continues to develop at a pace that makes deferral increasingly costly. AI is not a future consideration for family businesses. It is a present one. And the families who will benefit most from it are not necessarily the largest or the most technologically sophisticated — they are the ones who are willing to engage with it honestly, on their own terms, and with a clear sense of what they are trying to protect as well as what they are trying to build. The Anxiety Is Understandable — But Worth Examining The discomfort that many family business leaders feel around AI is not irrational. These are businesses built on relationships, on craft, on the kind of human judgement that has been refined over decades and sometimes generations. The idea that a technology could replicate or replace any part of that feels, at best, unsettling and, at worst, like an existential challenge to everything the business stands for. But it is worth separating two distinct fears that often get conflated. The first is the fear that AI will erode what makes the business distinctive — its values, its relationships, its human touch. The second is the fear of being left behind by competitors who adopt it faster. Both fears are legitimate. But they point in opposite directions, and treating them as a single problem leads to paralysis rather than progress. The family businesses navigating AI most effectively are those who have been clear about which parts of their operation benefit from human presence and which parts are simply administrative friction and who have been honest enough to distinguish between the two. Where AI Is Already Delivering For Family Firms It is easy to get lost in the abstract debate about AI and miss what is already happening at a very practical level in businesses like yours. Across every sector in which family firms operate, manufacturing, retail, food and drink, professional services, logistics, hospitality, AI tools are being used today to reduce costs, improve decision-making, and free up time for the work that genuinely requires human skill and judgement. In operations, AI is helping businesses forecast demand more accurately, reduce waste, and optimise supply chains in ways that previously required significant analytical resource. In customer-facing roles, it is handling routine enquiries and administrative tasks, allowing people to focus on the relationships that actually drive loyalty and repeat business. In finance, it is spotting anomalies, supporting cash flow management, and providing the kind of real-time visibility that smaller businesses have historically lacked. In marketing, it is enabling a level of personalisation and targeting that levels the playing field with much larger competitors. None of this requires a dedicated technology team or a significant capital investment to get started. Many of the tools available today are accessible, affordable, and designed to be used by people without a technical background. The barrier to entry is lower than most family business leaders assume. The Family Business Advantage In An AI World Here is what is easy to overlook in the AI conversation: the characteristics that define great family businesses are not threatened by artificial intelligence. In many cases, they become more valuable because of it. As AI automates the transactional and the routine, the things that cannot be automated move to the foreground. Long-term thinking. Deep customer relationships. Trust built over years. A reputation that carries the weight of a family name. The willingness to make decisions based on values as well as numbers. These are the qualities that family businesses have always had in abundance, and they are precisely the qualities that will differentiate businesses in a world where the operational baseline is increasingly automated. The risk is not that AI will make family businesses less human. The risk is that family businesses fail to adopt it, cede operational efficiency to competitors who do, and find themselves outpaced not because they lost their values but because they confused protecting their culture with avoiding change. Starting The Conversation Properly For family businesses that are yet to engage seriously with AI, the most useful starting point is not a technology audit or a strategy document. It is a conversation, honest, unhurried, and inclusive of the people across the business who understand where time is being lost, where decisions are being made on incomplete information, and where the business is working harder than it needs to. The next generation has a particularly important role to play here. Younger family members who have grown up with these tools often have an intuitive understanding of their potential that their predecessors lack. Creating space for that perspective, not as a token gesture, but as a genuine input into strategic thinking, is both good succession practice and good business sense. It is also worth being clear about what AI is not. It is not a substitute for leadership, for values, or for the human relationships that family businesses are built on. It is a tool, a powerful one, and one that is developing faster than most of us can comfortably track, but a tool nonetheless. The family that decides what it stands for first, and then asks how AI can help it stand for that more effectively, is in a far stronger position than one that adopts technology reactively, without a clear sense of purpose. The Window Is Open — For Now Family businesses have always had the capacity to move with more agility than their corporate counterparts when they choose to. Decisions get made faster. There are fewer layers between insight and action. The people at the top are genuinely invested in the outcome. These are real advantages in a moment of technological change, but only if they are used. The conversation that keeps getting deferred is worth having now. Not because AI is a threat to what makes family businesses special, but because engaging with it thoughtfully and on your own terms is one of the clearest ways to protect that specialness for the long term. The opportunity is significant. The question is simply whether you are ready to take it.

By the time most family business founders get around to talking about succession, something has already gone wrong. Maybe it's a health scare. A sibling falling-out that spills into the office. A key employee leaving because they couldn't see a future. Or the founder simply turns seventy and realises, with a jolt, that there is no plan. Succession planning is the subject family businesses most need to address and most reliably avoid. It sits at the uncomfortable crossroads of mortality, money, sibling rivalry, and identity — which means almost every instinct pushes families to postpone the conversation until circumstances force their hand. By then, the options have narrowed considerably. A Problem Hiding in Plain Sight The scale of what's coming is hard to overstate. Across the UK and Europe, an enormous wave of founder-owned businesses built during the postwar decades is approaching a generational transition. Many of these businesses are quietly thriving — solid, profitable, often the backbone of their local communities. And a striking number of them will not survive the handover. Not because there's no capable next generation. Not because the business itself is weak. But because the family never had the conversation. Research consistently shows that the majority of family business failures at transition point come down to a breakdown in family communication and trust, rather than any commercial factor. The business was fine. The family wasn't prepared. The Fairness Trap At the heart of most failed successions is a well-intentioned mistake: the assumption that equal means fair. It's an understandable instinct. Parents who have built something want to treat their children equally, and splitting ownership fifty-fifty feels like the obvious way to do that. But equal ownership among unequal contributors is, more often than not, a recipe for resentment and paralysis. Consider the common scenario: one sibling has spent fifteen years working in the business, forgoing higher-paying opportunities elsewhere, learning the trade, building relationships with staff and customers. Another sibling pursued a different path entirely — a career in medicine, perhaps, or a life abroad. Both are loved equally. Both inherit equal shares. What happens next is predictable. The sibling who gave their professional life to the business feels their contribution has been ignored. The sibling who stepped away feels awkward exercising ownership over something they don't understand. Decisions get stuck. Resentment festers. The business that took a lifetime to build starts to fracture. The alternative — acknowledging that equal love doesn't require equal ownership — is emotionally harder but practically far sounder. Some families achieve this through differential share structures, buyout provisions, or compensating non-business children through other assets. The mechanism matters less than the willingness to have the honest conversation about it. The Questions Families Don't Ask Most succession planning advice focuses on the legal and financial architecture: shareholder agreements, tax-efficient transfer structures, trusts, governance frameworks. All of this matters. But it tends to get tackled before the more fundamental questions have been answered. Before you can design a structure, you need to know: Who actually wants this business? Not who feels obligated to take it on, or who would feel guilty saying no — but who genuinely wants to run it and has the capability to do so. These are separate questions. A founder who assumes their eldest child wants to take over, without ever directly asking, is building a plan on an untested assumption. What does the business mean to the family? For many founders, the business is not just a source of income — it's an identity, a legacy, a way of being remembered. That emotional weight shapes every conversation about its future, often without being acknowledged. A founder who says "I just want what's best for the business" may actually mean "I cannot bear the thought of this being sold." Getting honest about that changes everything. What happens to the family if it goes wrong? Succession disputes are among the most destructive forces in family life. The Richards family, the Murdochs, the Pritzkers — the names of dynasties torn apart by succession battles fill the business press. But for every high-profile case, there are thousands of quieter ruptures: brothers who stop speaking, parents estranged from children, cousins who pass each other in silence at funerals. Families that plan well tend to ask, early on, what guardrails they want in place if relationships deteriorate. What Good Succession Actually Looks Like The families who navigate succession well share a few common traits — and perhaps surprisingly, none of them involve having unusually harmonious family dynamics. They start early. The best time to begin succession planning is at least a decade before the intended transition. This isn't just about having time to sort the paperwork. It's about giving the next generation time to grow into leadership, earn credibility with staff and customers, and make some mistakes while there's still a safety net. A rushed handover compresses all of that. They separate the family from the business. Good governance means having clear rules about how business decisions get made that don't rely on family hierarchy or birth order. This often means bringing in independent non-executive directors, establishing a proper board, and agreeing on processes for resolving disagreements before they arise. The goal is a structure that would hold together even if family relationships became strained. They use outside advisors — properly. Most family businesses have accountants and solicitors. Fewer have advisors who specialise in the family dynamics side of succession: the conversations about roles, expectations, fairness, and future vision. Family business consultants and mediators exist precisely because these conversations are hard to have without a neutral third party in the room. They document the non-financial agreements. Who has authority over what. How disputes will be resolved. What the expectations are for family members employed in the business. What values the family wants to preserve. These things often go unwritten because they feel too vague or too obvious — and they become flashpoints the moment there's any tension. The Conversation Worth Having None of this is easy. Talking openly about death, about which children are more capable, about what happens when the founder is no longer around — these are uncomfortable subjects. Families find endless ways to defer them. But the conversation, uncomfortable as it is, is an act of care. It is a founder saying to their family: I love you enough to face this honestly rather than leaving it for you to sort out in grief. It is the next generation saying: We respect what you built enough to take its future seriously. The businesses that last across generations are rarely the ones with the most elegant legal structures. They're the ones where the family found a way to talk — really talk — about what they were building together, and what they wanted it to become. That conversation is worth having. The sooner, the better. This article is intended for general informational purposes. Families considering succession planning should seek professional legal, financial, and family business advisory guidance tailored to their specific circumstances.

A Shetland-based pizza business is marking its first year in operation with the opening of a new permanent premises, following support from Business Gateway that has helped it grow from a mobile venture into a thriving community-focused enterprise. The Nomadic Pizzeria, founded by Nicholas Lundy, began in April 2025 as a mobile Neapolitan-style pizza business, travelling across the islands to host pop-up events in rural community halls. Nicholas, who is originally from Northern Ireland, launched the venture to meet new people after moving to Shetland, quickly building a loyal following as he brought freshly prepared pizza to communities across the islands. A family-run business, The Nomadic Pizzeria is supported by Nicholas’ partner, Beth Hawkings, and his son, Ieuan Hawkings. Creating an opportunity for his son to gain experience of a first job was a key motivation behind starting the business, which has since grown into a wider commitment to supporting youth employment across Shetland. The team now includes six employees aged between 14 and 18, many of whom are in their first roles, with the business providing flexible opportunities for young people to develop valuable skills and confidence in the workplace. Operating on a weekly rota, Nicholas prepares dough and toppings in advance before setting up in local halls, where customers can enjoy pizzas to eat in or take away. In areas where opportunities to gather can be limited, the pop-up model has helped breathe new life into underused community spaces, bringing people together and strengthening local connections. Over the past year, the business has hosted more than 80 pop-up events, travelled nearly 9,000 miles and served over 6,000 pizzas. The Nomadic Pizzeria has also expanded into corporate catering and weddings, which have proved increasingly popular and have become an important part of its growth. This success has now led to the opening of a permanent takeaway location in Lerwick, marking a significant milestone and the next phase of growth for the business. With plans to expand the team further, the business is also working towards extending its opening hours to operate Monday to Saturday. Business Gateway adviser Jeff Gaskell has provided expert one-to-one support throughout Nicholas’ business journey, helping Nicholas establish and grow The Nomadic Pizzeria while preparing for expansion. This has included market research to inform planning, specialist support in digital commerce and copywriting to strengthen the business’s online presence, and advice on recruitment, training and premises, which helped Nicholas establish the new Lerwick location. Nicholas Lundy, owner of The Nomadic Pizzeria, said: “What started as a way to meet people and become part of the community has grown into something far bigger than I ever expected. Travelling across Shetland and hosting pop-ups in community halls has been an incredible experience, and seeing people come together over good food has been the most rewarding part." “Opening our first permanent premises in Lerwick is a huge milestone and something we’ve been working towards over the past year. Business Gateway has been there from the beginning, offering guidance, practical support and helping me plan for the next stage. From building our online presence to finding the right premises, that support has made a real difference.” Jeff Gaskell, Business Gateway adviser, said: “Nicholas had a strong idea rooted in community from the outset, and it has been fantastic to see how that has developed over the past year. By combining a flexible business model with a clear understanding of his audience, he has built something that resonates across Shetland." “Our role has been to support that growth with tailored advice, from planning and digital development to premises and recruitment. The opening of the Lerwick location is a significant step, and I look forward to seeing the business continue to grow while maintaining its strong community focus.” To find out more about how Business Gateway can help your business, visit here.

A Uttoxeter charity is urging local men to sign up for its annual free prostate cancer testing campaign which this week received funding support from digger giant JCB. The Rocester-based company, which also has three factories in Uttoxeter, donated £750 towards the charity’s annual testing event on Thursday June 4th at Oldfields Sports and Social Club. This is the 13th time Uttoxeter Lions has put on the free testing event which over the years has seen thousands of local men take up the potentially life-saving opportunity. This year there are 600 free testing slots available. The event kickstarts a weekend of fundraising celebrations on June 5th and 6th at the Party on the Pitch and Uttoxeter Beer and Cider Festival, with all proceeds going towards the £15,000 costs of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing campaign. Uttoxeter Lions’ Vice President, Terry Adams, said: “The test is just a simple blood test that is sent off for analysis by our partner the Graham Fulford Trust. Results are presented in a traffic light format. If it comes back green that’s fine, amber is ‘be careful and consult your GP if you have any unexplained symptoms’, and red is ‘go and see your doctor for further testing’. “When I got a red result, my GP gave me a second test for confirmation, before referring me to hospital for further testing. Fortunately, my cancer is not very aggressive, so I am currently under active surveillance with my Urology consultant." "I would urge everyone over 50 to take the test, because in the early stages you may have no symptoms of prostate cancer. Each year five per cent of the men we test need further tests or treatment. Some men with aggressive cancers run risk of dying if they are not treated." “There is no government screening programme for prostate cancer and we believe that men, irrespective of their financial standing, should have access to this service. We are proud that over the years we have helped many men, who would otherwise have needed extensive treatment, major surgery, or could have died, had they not attended our event.” Any men who are over the age of 50 from Uttoxeter and the surrounding area can book an appointment by visiting here. Tests are available, between 6pm and 9-30pm on Thursday June 4th, at Oldfields Sports and Social Club, Springfield Road. Attendance is by appointment only.

The Brewers Group has been recognised as one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work for the second year running! Published in partnership with WorkL, The Sunday Times Best Places to Work celebrates the UK’s leading employers — organisations that are creating exceptional workplaces where people feel valued, supported and inspired to succeed. This recognition is based on colleague feedback, measured through WorkL’s employee engagement survey. The survey evaluates organisations across six key areas that shape a positive workplace experience: Reward and recognition. Instilling pride Information sharing Empowerment Wellbeing Job satisfaction At The Brewers Group, our people are at the heart of everything we do. From career development opportunities and wellbeing support to a welcoming, team-focused culture, we’re committed to making Brewers a place where everyone can thrive. Our Group CEO, Simon Brewer says: ‘We’re grateful to The Sunday Times for naming us as a best place to work for a second year. Our vision for The Brewers Group is clear: to play our part in making the world a brighter place. This starts with empowering our people to develop a career where they feel valued and supported.’ Many colleagues build long-term careers at The Brewers Group, developing their skills across different roles and departments while being part of a supportive and collaborative team culture. If you’re looking to build a rewarding career with a company that values its people, we’d love for you to join The Brewers Group. The Brewers Group operates through several well-known brands: Brewers Decorator Centres, Wallpaperdirect, The Paint Shed, PaintWell, Promain, Albany and The Brewers Academy.

Employees are often described as “part of the family” in family-run firms. But in a competitive market, that sentiment needs to be backed up by a benefits package that is clear, valued and well-governed—especially workplace pensions. Brooks-Benefits is offering Family Business United readers a free review to help family businesses strengthen their employee benefits and engagement. Family businesses succeed because they think long term. They invest in relationships, reputation and resilience across generations. Yet many owners tell us that one of their most pressing challenges is also one of their greatest opportunities: attracting, retaining and motivating great people without losing the culture that makes the business special. Employee benefits—particularly workplace pensions—can feel administrative, technical or “something we set up years ago”. But for employees they are tangible signals of fairness, care and professionalism. For owners they are also a governance issue: the right approach can reduce risk, improve outcomes and support a stable, engaged workforce. Why Employees Matter Even More In Family-Run Businesses In a family business, employees often experience the business differently to a corporate environment: decision-makers are visible, values are personal, and loyalty can be rewarded over many years. That creates real strengths—but it also means that inconsistent benefits, unclear communications or “we’ve always done it this way” can be felt more keenly. Culture and trust: benefits are a practical way to demonstrate that the business values people, not just performance. Retention and succession: keeping skills in-house supports continuity—critical when leadership is planning for the next generation. Reputation in the community: family firms are often prominent local employers; being known for looking after staff helps recruitment. Cost control: a well-designed benefits strategy can deliver more value for the same spend, and avoid unpleasant compliance surprises. The Offer: A Free Employee Benefits Review From Brooks-Benefits Brooks-Benefits specialises in advising employers on workplace pensions and employee benefits. For UK-based businesses run by families, we are offering a free, no-obligation review designed to give owners clarity on what they have, how well it meets their workforce needs, and where quick wins may exist. The review can cover, for example: Workplace pension arrangement: suitability, charges, governance and how the scheme supports employee outcomes. Auto-enrolment duties: practical checks to help ensure the essentials are in place (assessing staff, communications, contributions and records). Contribution design: whether your approach is competitive, sustainable and aligned to your reward philosophy. Employee benefits snapshot: what’s offered today (e.g., life cover, income protection, private medical insurance, wellbeing support) and whether employees understand and value it. Communication and engagement: what employees are being told, how often, and what could be improved. Added Value: Financial Education And Engagement Seminars Even strong benefits can be under-used if people don’t understand them or are financial stressed. Brooks-Benefits can also discuss the value of financial education and engagement seminars to help employees make informed choices and feel more confident about their money. Seminars can be tailored to your workforce and may include topics such as: • Finances Fit for the Future – financial planning for your people • Planning for retirement • Financial Planning with Young Children • Mid-Life Financial MOT • Mortgages made simple For family businesses, this is about more than “financial wellbeing” as a buzzword. Helping employees understand their benefits and improve money confidence can support engagement, reduce stress-related absence and reinforce a culture of care. What You’ll Receive (and what we’ll need from you) The aim is to make this straightforward and low disruption. Typically, we’ll start with a short meeting, review your current arrangements, and then feed back practical recommendations you can act on—whether that’s quick improvements or a longer-term benefits roadmap. Initial conversation: your business goals, workforce profile and what “good” looks like for you. Information gathering: key scheme and benefits details (we’ll tell you exactly what we need). Review and analysis: pensions and benefits assessment, plus an engagement snapshot. Feedback: a clear summary of findings and prioritised actions. Education plan: recommended seminar topics and an outline schedule. An invitation to Family Business United readers If you would like an independent view of your workplace pensions and employee benefits, Brooks-Benefits would be pleased to help. The free review is a practical starting point—built around the belief that when you invest in your people, you protect the legacy of the business. About Brooks-Benefits: Brooks-Benefits advises employers on workplace pensions and employee benefits, helping businesses improve outcomes for employees while keeping governance and value for money in focus. To arrange your free review: Please e-mail: groupadmin@brooks-financial and quote Family Business United. Brooks Macdonald Group plc is registered in England and Wales (Company Number: 04402058, Registered Office: 40 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3A 2BJ). It is the parent company of our group of companies. “Brooks Macdonald” is a trading name used by certain companies within our group. Several of our companies provide services that are regulated by the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority.

Boilerplate clauses: why the “standard” parts of a contract matter more than you think Boilerplate clauses tend to sit towards the back of commercial agreements, often carried over from previous contracts with little discussion. Because they look familiar and widely used, they are easy to dismiss as routine housekeeping that carry minimal commercial weight. That assumption can prove expensive. In practice, boilerplate provisions can determine how a contract operates when a relationship comes under pressure. They shape whether either party can rely on pre-contract discussions, how the agreement can be amended, who can take over rights and obligations and what procedural steps must be followed before litigation can be started. When boilerplate wording is unclear, inconsistent, or transplanted without proper consideration, it can introduce uncertainty at precisely the point when clarity matters most. This article considers three commonly used boilerplate clauses that frequently have significant practical consequences and explains why getting them right is a worthwhile investment at the contracting stage. Entire Agreement Clauses These clauses are intended to confirm that the written contract is the complete agreement between the parties. Their purpose is to minimise disputes about earlier drafts, negotiations, emails or informal discussions, and to ensure that the parties can point to a single document as the definitive record of what has been agreed. Difficulties arise where the contract does not fully reflect what was discussed or understood during negotiations. Commercial relationships are often shaped by assurances, expectations and background discussions which may not make it into the final drafting in a clear or comprehensive way. In those circumstances, the entire agreement clause can quickly become a pressure point if the relationship deteriorates and one party seeks to rely on what was said before signature. Risk is heightened where the clause sits alongside other provisions that pull in a different direction, such as warranties, acknowledgements or reliance wording elsewhere in the contract. If those provisions are not consistent, the entire agreement clause may create uncertainty about what was relied upon and what legal remedies remain available, rather than delivering the certainty it was designed to achieve. Where a party’s intention is to exclude or limit liability for pre-contract statements, that generally requires careful and specific drafting. A well-drafted entire agreement clause should therefore reflect the realities of the negotiations, align with the wider structure of the agreement, and support the parties’ intended risk allocation. Variation Clauses Most commercial contracts evolve after signature. Operational changes are common, whether that involves revised deliverables, changes to service levels, adjustments to timescales, or a broader shift in the commercial relationship between the parties. When the relationship is working well, those changes are often agreed pragmatically, and in some cases informally. The legal difficulty is that informal changes may later be disputed. A variation clause (sometimes called a “no oral modification” clause) is designed to reduce that risk by requiring amendments to be recorded in writing and agreed in a specific manner. This is intended to prevent arguments about whether a contract has been varied through conversation, email exchanges, conduct, or the parties simply operating in a different way over time. In practice, the effectiveness of the clause depends on how clearly it is drafted and whether it reflects how the agreement will be managed day-to-day. Standard wording often states that variations must be “in writing and signed” but may not address practical questions such as who within each business has authority to approve changes, what form of written agreement is acceptable, or whether email confirmation is enough. Where contracts are managed operationally rather than legally, it is not uncommon for parties to agree changes in practice but fail to document them in alignment with the variation clause. A variation clause is therefore most effective when supported by internal discipline. Organisations should be clear on who has authority to agree amendments, how changes should be documented and how those records are stored and referenced. Without that consistency, a contract may not reflect the commercial position the parties are actually operating under, increasing the likelihood of dispute and undermining certainty if enforcement becomes necessary. Assignment and Novation Boilerplate clauses governing assignment and novation control whether contractual rights and obligations can be transferred to another party. This becomes particularly important where a business is acquired, reorganised or where contracts are moved within a wider corporate group. Although the concepts are sometimes used interchangeably, the distinction matters. Assignment typically transfers rights (for example, the right to receive payment) but does not transfer obligations. Novation, by contrast, is required where one contracting party is to be replaced entirely, so that both rights and obligations pass to a new party. The difference can have real operational consequences, particularly where the parties assume that responsibility for performance has moved when, legally, it has not. These provisions also matter because the identity of the counterparty is often fundamental to the commercial risk of the deal. Contract terms may have been agreed on the basis of due diligence into the other party’s financial strength, group structure, reputation and performance capability. If rights or obligations can be transferred without meaningful control, the risk profile of the contract may change materially without the other party having any real say in the matter. Problems frequently arise where assignment clauses are drafted too narrowly, or where the agreement does not reflect the way businesses change ownership and control in practice. A contract may restrict assignment but say nothing elsewhere about change of control, meaning the contract remains with the same legal entity but that entity is now owned or managed by a completely different business. Without appropriate drafting, that can leave a party exposed to a significant commercial change with limited contractual protection. Assignment and novation provisions should therefore be approached as deliberate risk management tools. They should reflect the commercial importance of the relationship, make any consent requirements clear and align with the reality of how the contract might be affected by corporate restructures, acquisitions or group reorganisations. Why Boilerplate Clauses Matter Boilerplate clauses are sometimes treated as “standard” in the sense that they appear neutral and may apply equally to both parties. In practice, they often determine where leverage sits when issues arise. They shape what can be relied upon, how remedies can be pursued, what formal steps must be followed and how easily the contract can be adapted as circumstances change. This is why boilerplate clauses so often sit at the centre of disputes. Even where commercial terms have been carefully negotiated, poor boilerplate drafting can create avoidable uncertainty, weaken enforceability, and lead to outcomes neither party anticipated when signing. For that reason, boilerplate should be treated as part of the contract’s core risk allocation, reviewed with the same attention as the headline terms, drafted with the operational realities of the relationship in mind and checked for consistency across the agreement as a whole.

Family businesses are the backbone of the global economy. They employ more people, sustain more communities, and contribute more to national prosperity than many politicians and policymakers ever fully acknowledge. But right now, across every continent and every sector, family firms are navigating a set of challenges that are more complex, more interconnected, and more demanding than anything the sector has faced in living memory. At Family Business United, we've been listening to family business owners across the UK and beyond, and the themes that keep coming up are strikingly consistent. Here, we set out the ten issues that are defining the family business agenda in 2026 — and why they matter. 1. Succession Planning Ask any adviser who works with family businesses what keeps their clients awake at night, and succession will almost always come up first. Who takes over, when, and how are the key questions that touch on family relationships, personal identity, and the long-term survival of everything the founding generation has built. Too many family businesses still don't have a formal succession plan in place. They mean to get around to it, but the day-to-day demands of running the business always seem to take priority. The problem is that by the time a transition becomes urgent, it's already very difficult to manage well. "Succession is never just a business problem — it's a family one too," says Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United. "The businesses that handle it well are the ones that start the conversation early, involve the right people, and treat it as a process rather than an event. It takes time, it takes honesty, and it takes a genuine commitment to the long-term future of the business over the short-term comfort of avoiding a difficult conversation." 2. Geopolitical Uncertainty & Economic Volatility The world has changed dramatically in recent years, and family businesses have felt every tremor. Inflationary pressures, supply chain disruption, shifting trade policies and geopolitical instability have combined to create an operating environment that is genuinely unpredictable. According to PwC's 2025 Global Family Business Survey, economic volatility impacted nearly seven in ten family businesses in the US alone, with geopolitical risk close behind. For family firms, which often have deep roots in specific communities, sectors or supply chains, this kind of volatility is particularly hard to absorb. The long-term orientation that makes family businesses so admirable can also make them slower to pivot when circumstances demand it. 3. Digital Transformation & AI Digital transformation is no longer a future challenge — it is a present one. Artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven decision-making are reshaping every industry, and family businesses that fail to engage with these changes risk being left behind by more agile competitors. The good news is that many family firms are embracing the opportunity. Research from Deloitte shows that 40 per cent of family businesses now cite investment in technology — particularly AI — as their top growth strategy. The challenge is doing so in a way that preserves what makes a family business special. "Technology should be an enabler, not a threat to identity," says Paul Andrews. "The family businesses I admire most are those that are using digital tools to serve their customers better and to free up their people to focus on the things that really matter — relationships, quality, and doing right by the communities they operate in. That's what family business has always been about, and technology done well should reinforce that, not undermine it." 4. Governance & Decision-Making As family businesses grow and pass through generations, the informal decision-making structures that worked perfectly well in the early years can start to creak. More family members, more branches, more complexity — and often, no clear framework for how decisions get made or disputes get resolved. Good governance isn't about bureaucracy. It's about clarity. Businesses with formal boards, family councils, and clearly articulated constitutions are consistently better placed to handle the challenges that come their way — whether that's a disagreement between siblings, an unexpected leadership transition, or a major strategic decision. 5. Engaging & Developing the Next Generation The next generation of family business leaders is arriving with different expectations, different values, and different ideas about what good leadership looks like. That's not a problem — it's an opportunity. But only if the current generation creates the space for them to genuinely contribute. Too often, next-gens are brought into the business without a clear role, without proper development, and without any real authority. They're expected to prove themselves, but they're not always given the tools or the trust to do so. Getting this right is one of the most important investments a family business can make. "The next generation are not just the future of family business — they're a real asset right now," says Paul Andrews. "The families that are thriving are the ones that bring their younger members in properly, listen to what they have to say, and create a genuine pathway to leadership. It takes confidence from the older generation to let go a little, but the rewards for doing so are enormous." 6. Talent Attraction & Retention Family businesses have long prided themselves on being great places to work — loyal, values-driven, with a genuine sense of belonging. And for many, that reputation is entirely deserved. But the talent market has changed, and family firms are now competing for people against remote-first employers, global businesses, and organisations with dedicated HR departments and compelling employee value propositions. Younger professionals want flexibility, clear career development, and a sense of purpose in their work. Family businesses can offer all of these things — but they need to articulate them better, and sometimes formalise them more, than they have in the past. 7. Sustainability & ESG Sustainability has moved from the margins of the business agenda firmly to the centre. Customers, employees, investors, and regulators are all asking harder questions about environmental impact, social responsibility, and corporate governance — and family businesses are not exempt from that scrutiny. In many ways, family firms are well placed to lead here. Their long-term orientation, their community roots, and their values-led culture make sustainability a natural fit. But good intentions need to be backed by action, reporting, and accountability. "Family businesses have always cared about doing the right thing — that's in their DNA," says Paul Andrews. "Sustainability isn't a new concept for firms that have been thinking in generations rather than quarters. But the expectations have risen, and the need to demonstrate that commitment — not just feel it — has never been greater." 8. Reputation & Trust Family businesses enjoy a significant reputational advantage over their corporate counterparts. Consumers trust them more, employees tend to be more loyal, and communities value their presence. But that trust is not unconditional, and it can be damaged — sometimes quickly and sometimes permanently. In an age of social media, instant scrutiny and heightened stakeholder expectations, family businesses need to be thoughtful about how they communicate, how they behave, and how they engage with the communities around them. A reputation built over generations can be undermined in weeks if it isn't actively tended to. 9. Cybersecurity As family businesses invest in digital infrastructure, their exposure to cyber risk grows. Yet many, particularly smaller and mid-sized firms, still underestimate the threat, or assume that cybercriminals only target large corporations. The reality is very different. Family businesses are attractive targets precisely because they often hold valuable data and assets without the same level of security infrastructure as their larger peers. Cybersecurity needs to be a board-level conversation in every family business, not something that sits solely with the IT department, or worse, is assumed to be someone else's problem. 10. Wealth Transfer & Taxation The so-called Great Wealth Transfer is well under way, with trillions of pounds, dollars and euros moving between generations over the coming decade. For family businesses, this means navigating inheritance tax, ownership structures, estate planning, and the complex interplay between business succession and personal wealth — often across multiple jurisdictions. Get this right, and the business survives and flourishes. Get it wrong, and a business that took generations to build can be forced into a sale, a restructure, or worse, simply because the tax planning wasn't in place. "The wealth transfer challenge is one of the most significant the sector has ever faced," says Paul Andrews. "There's a huge amount at stake — not just for individual families, but for the economy as a whole. Family businesses need proper advice, they need to plan early, and the government needs to understand what's at risk if the tax environment makes it too difficult for these businesses to pass through the generations intact." Looking Ahead None of these challenges is insurmountable. Family businesses have survived recessions, wars, technological revolutions, and generational upheaval before. Their resilience is extraordinary, and their contribution to the world economy — already standing at an estimated $21 trillion in collective revenue — continues to grow. But meeting the challenges of 2026 and beyond will require family firms to be more deliberate, more open, and more willing to seek advice than perhaps they have been in the past. The good news is that the community, the resources, and the support are there for those who want them. Family Business United will continue to champion the sector every step of the way.

There's something really positive happening across the family business community right now, and it deserves to be celebrated. More and more daughters are stepping up, stepping in, and stepping forward to lead the businesses their families have spent generations building. And quite frankly, it's brilliant to see. For too long, the assumed narrative around family business succession followed a well-worn path. The eldest son would shadow the founder, learn the ropes, and eventually take the reins. Daughters, however capable and however committed, were often overlooked — sometimes overtly, sometimes simply through a lack of expectation on anyone's part. That picture is changing, and the family business community is stronger for it. A Shift That's Been Building This isn't a sudden shift. It's been building quietly for years, driven by a generation of daughters who grew up around the business, who understood it from the inside out, and who simply refused to be sidelined. They've gone out, gained experience, built their own credentials, and come back ready to lead. Many haven't just maintained what their parents built — they've transformed it. We're seeing it across every sector. In food and drink, in manufacturing, in retail, in agriculture. Family businesses that have been household names for decades are now being steered by women who carry the family values in one hand and a clear vision for the future in the other. That combination — deep roots and fresh thinking — is exactly what family businesses need to thrive across generations. What Daughters Bring to the Table It would be reductive to suggest daughters lead differently simply because they are daughters. Every individual brings their own strengths. But what the research does tell us — and what many family business founders are discovering for themselves — is that a daughter who has grown up embedded in the business often brings an emotional intelligence and a long-term orientation that is genuinely hard to replicate. They understand the culture. They understand what the business means to the people who built it. And they tend to think carefully about legacy. There's also something to be said for the external perspective that many next-generation daughters bring back. Having worked elsewhere, built networks of their own, and seen how other businesses operate, they return with fresh ideas that respect the past without being constrained by it. The Challenges Haven't Disappeared Let's not pretend it's all plain sailing. Daughters stepping into leadership roles in family businesses still face challenges that their brothers or male counterparts often don't. Questions about authority can surface — from within the family, from long-standing employees, occasionally from customers or suppliers who are simply not yet accustomed to the change. Establishing credibility in industries that have traditionally been male-dominated takes effort and resilience. There's also the internal family dynamic to navigate. Succession decisions are rarely straightforward, and when gender is even an unconscious factor in those conversations, the best candidate can get overlooked. Founders and family business owners have a responsibility here, to look honestly at who is best placed to lead, and to create the conditions where daughters feel genuinely invited into that conversation. The Family Business Community Has a Role to Play One of the things we love most about the family business community is how willingly people share their experiences and support one another. That has a real role to play here. When we celebrate daughters who are leading family businesses — when we put their stories front and centre, invite them to speak at events, profile them in our publications — we send a powerful signal to the next generation watching from the wings. Role models matter enormously. A young woman who can see herself reflected in the leaders being celebrated by the community is far more likely to put her hand up, lean in, and back herself when the moment comes. Something to Be Genuinely Proud Of The family business sector has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to values-led, people-first business. The growing number of daughters taking on leadership roles feels very much in keeping with that tradition, it's about putting the right people in place, nurturing talent from within, and building businesses that can carry a family's legacy forward with confidence and purpose. So to every daughter currently leading a family business, preparing to take the reins, or simply wondering whether there's a place for her at the table — there absolutely is. The community is behind you, the evidence is on your side, and the businesses you'll build will be something to be incredibly proud of. Now more than ever, it really is great to see you stepping forward.