Ray White Group wins EY inaugral Family Business Award 2015

The Ray White Group has been named as Australia’s inaugural winner of the Family Business Award at the 2015 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards, held at The Star, Sydney on Thursday 15 October.

The Family Business Award is not new to EY internationally, with the award handed out in over 20 countries in 2014. The award recognises family businesses that have successfully managed to grow and transition the business through multiple generations.

This year, the Family Business Award was introduced in Australia at the annual EY national finals in Sydney on Thursday 15 October. Brian White, joint-Chairman representing the Ray White Group will now sit in the company of members of family businesses across the globe.

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program is considered the world’s most prestigious business award and is held in more than 145 cities and over 60 countries worldwide.

In selecting the recipient of this award, EY gathered information on all the large family businesses in Australia which are in the third or later generation of ownership.

“The wonderful thing about this award is the recognition that across Australia, what we have done over four generations has been something worthy of acknowledgment,” said Brian.

“This award has been in existence in Europe for some years, where family businesses have been in operation for generations.”

Tony Johnson, EY Oceania Managing Partner and CEO said family businesses face unique challenges.

“The White family has navigated these challenges with great success for three generations. Ray White Group is a testament to the economic and social value that entrepreneurial families contribute,” he said.

For Ray White, the award means more than just acknowledging the White family.

“EY’s recognition that we have really attempted to preserve family values through succeeding across generations is fantastic for our company,” said Brian White.

“Our company is a collection of families, and together we represent family values – which was critical in the assessment of the inaugural winner.”

“It is a thrill to hear stories from people joining our company that one of the reasons they chose to join Ray White is the fact that we are a strong family owned and led company. One of the joys is seeing families have their own succession – businesses started by couples are now in some cases being taken over by their children. This is reality, and we are determined that it continues.”

With winners around the globe, including Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Asia, The Family Award has seen winners from some of the world’s biggest companies including Bibby Line Group, LEGO, Faber-Castell, Sattler and Messer Group.