EARLY BIRD PRICING | Book before 27 March
KEYNOTE SESSION
Lessons from
Michael Hilti
Speaker | Michael Hilti, Honorary Chairman at Hilti Group
Date and Time | Thursday 21 May, 10:40am – 11:40am
Joining us from Liechtenstein, this is a rare opportunity to hear directly from Michael Hilti, who brings practical insight into how multigenerational family businesses can professionalise, navigate succession and governance, and protect their values while growing for the long term.
Michael Hilti, Honorary Chairman of the Board of Directors, brings decades of hands-on experience and strategic insight to the Hilti Group. Since joining the company in 1975, he has held key executive and board roles, including CEO and Chairman, guiding the business through periods of growth, innovation and global expansion.
Hilti is a global leader in professional construction technology, delivering integrated solutions from design software and onsite tools to training, testing and consultancy. Based in Liechtenstein, and operating in over 120 countries with more than 34,000 employees, Hilti supports some of the world’s most complex engineering projects, from high-speed trains in Japan to major urban tunnelling initiatives.
In this session, Michael shares practical lessons in leadership, performance management and sustaining a culture of excellence. You'll learn how strategic vision, combined with strong corporate values, can empower family businesses to make bold decisions and drive lasting impact.
Lessons from Michael Hilti
To view the full speaker line-up at the Family Business Conference, click here.
About Michael Hilti
Michael Hilti is the Honorary Chairman of the Board at Hilti, a global third-generation family business founded in Liechtenstein in 1941. Hilti now has around 34,000 employees around the world, in more than 120 countries.
Son of the company's Founder, Professor Martin Hilti, Michael was elected Honorary Chairman of the Board of Directors at the 2018 Annual General Meeting.
He joined the company in 1975, and was appointed to the Executive Board one year later, and was then named to the Board of Directors in 1990.
From 1978, he served as Deputy CEO before assuming the role of CEO in 1990, a position he held until the end of 1993. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1994 to 2006.
Michael Hilti is also a Trustee of the Martin Hilti Family Trust, Chairman of the Hilti Art Foundation and a member of the Board of the Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein, as well as the Hilti Foundation.
He has held numerous directorships and was also named a Princely Commerce Councilor by Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein.
Michael Hilti has also been awarded the title Honorary Senator by both the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and the University of Liechtenstein.
Facilitator
Angus Kennard
Over the last 24 years, Angus Kennard has been a key driver in the rapid growth and development of his 3rd generation family business Kennards Hire.
Kennards started in Bathurst in 1948 and now has around 185 branches and 1,700 people across Australia and New Zealand.
As CEO, he passionately led the business and prioritised the importance of people and culture as key drivers of engagement and performance for Kennards.
For this, he became recognised in 'Great Place To Work' as 7th best employer in Australia and 6th in New Zealand (over 1,000 people). Engaged people translated to engaged customers improving customer NPS score from 50 to 67 (>60=Outstanding).
Angus has been a passionate innovator and entrepreneur starting the Concrete Care specialist business within the Kennards group, of which specialist businesses now account for around a 3rd of total revenue. He transformed, through digitisation, the business with the implementation of Easytrak™ telemetry platform. His entrepreneurial spirit of his grandfather continues, as a start-up into his new venture, Inauro.
Angus has been in an FBA Forum Group for nearly 20 years and is a passionate supporter of families in business. He is a keen rally driver, a GAICD, holds a B.Bus, an EMBA from the University of Sydney and won EY Entrepreneur Of The Year in 2019 in the Sustained Excellence category. Kennards Hire was inducted into the FBA Hall Of Fame in 2014 and is a founding member of FBNZ.