Shaking the Tree (STT) Interactive Productions Presents to 200+ Family Members in Bahrain

NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Shaking the Tree Executive Board members Paul McKibbin, David Kersnar, Stephen McCarthy and a seasoned cast of four actors led by Laura Fisher have just returned from Manama, Bahrain where the group presented our fourteenth original production – "The Decision" – at the 7th Annual Global Asset Allocation Summit, sponsored by The Family Office Co. BSC(c) ("The Family Office"). The production dealt with issues of governance, succession, legacy and drew an enthusiastic response from the predominantly Middle Eastern audience of business-owning families. Now in its 11th year, STT has developed a unique form of interactive storytelling - the Living Case Study (LCS) - which explores the dynamics of wealth and family through the combined use of theater and expert facilitation.

"Family businesses make up 75% of all firms in the Middle East," said McKibbin, "so we were focused on themes that were current and important for our audience.  Most family businesses don't survive thru the third generation – the LCS lets these particular families see the results that a lack of discussion and planning can cause, plus it gives them a safe/exciting way to explore their own issues and choices."

Mr. Abdulmohsin Al Omran, the CEO and founder of The Family Office said -"The Living Case Study allowed the audience at our 7th Annual Global Asset Allocation conference to interact with a family much like theirs – a large family with several members who have different ideas on how to approach the family business." Mr. Al Omran also observed - "This active storytelling brought to life several of the hard choices and decisions wealthy families everywhere must deal with such as succession planning, inheritance, differing motivations, treatment of the family business and emotionality. This was a huge success for our conference."

The Family Office www.tfoco.com is the first significant multi-family office serving the wealth management needs of high net worth individuals and multi-generational families in the Arabian Gulf. The Family Office provides comprehensive investment advisory and management services, consolidated portfolio reporting, and financial planning services.

Shaking the Tree Interactive Productions www.shakingthetree.org is a US based educational not-for-profit that utilizes professional theater and facilitated learning to engage wealthy families in discussions of such issues as family–business succession, corporate governance, trustee/beneficiary relations, family decision-making and the responsibility of inherited wealth(including philanthropy).

Press Contact: Paul McKibbin (215-514-2544)

SOURCE Shaking the Tree