Author Bios

David is a third-generation member of the Bentall family from Vancouver, Canada. Educated at UBC and the Harvard Business School, he worked for the family business for 20 years, including seven years as president and chief executive of Dominion Construction.

After the family business was sold in 1998, he co-founded the Business Families Centre at UBC’s Sauder School of Business, where he served as founding chair for five years. Since that time he has been as an adjunct professor, teaching undergraduate and MBA courses, as well as workshops for professional advisers, on behalf of the Family Enterprise Exchange.

As the founding principal of Next Step Advisors Inc., David provides family business advisory services for clients globally. He is an executive coach, certified by the International Coaches Federation. In 2012, was recognised as a Fellow of the Family Firm Institute for his dedication to the field.

David is the award-winning author of The Company You Keep. His second book, Leaving a Legacy, is a practical and highly personal exploration of how to successfully navigate family business succession. His latest book is Dear Younger Me: Wisdom for Family Enterprise Successors.