In June 2023, as part of our nine-month leadership programme Wavelength Connect, our cohort stepped off-grid for an in-person, three-day rural retreat at Silchester Farm, a stunning venue set in the midst of the stunning Hampshire countryside.

Check out our fabulous photos here…

With thanks to John Owen Photography

Here we focused on our second theme of the programme: Culture & Future Workforce.

The way we work and what we expect from our workplace and from our leaders is changing. While this is not new, the speed of its acceleration is – fuelled by recent seismic shifts and shocks.

Carefully selected speakers share their stories of how they are putting equality, diversity and inclusivity at the centre of their search for talent, how they are challenging the stigma of mental health in the workplace, and how they are keeping resilient in the face of unprecedented uncertainty and change.

Underpinning all culture is, of course, the leaders at the heart of the business so we were joined by speakers willing to share honestly and openly the highs, lows, and hard-won lessons from their Personal Leadership journey.

Personal Leadership Speakers:

Fred Reid, former President, Lufthansa & Delta Air Lines, Founding CEO, Virgin America, & former Senior Advisor to the CEO, Airbnb

Julie Bentley, CEO, Samaritans

Nick Walkley, Principal and President UK, Avison Young

Personal Purpose Speakers:

Dr Aravind Srinivasan, Director, Projects Aravind Eye Care System

Culture and Transformation

Adrian Walcott, Managing Director, Brands With Values

Declan Ronayne, Former CEO, Woodie’s

Léann Hearn, CEO, Livv Housing

Mental Health in the workplace

Alastair Campbell, Writer, Speaker, Strategist

Geoff McDonald, former Global VP HR, Marketing, Communications, Sustainability & Water, Unilever

Leading for an inclusive future

Dawn Moore, Group Director of People, J Murphy & Sons

Tunde Banjoko OBE, Founder & CEO, Making the Leap

Mike Adams OBE, CEO, Purple

Rosie Frost, Neurodiversity Champion Co-Lead, LogiNeuro ERG & Design Innovation Insights Lead Logitech

Darren Burns, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Timpson Group, Head of The Timpson Foundation

Deb Becker, HR Associate Vice President Strategic Business Partner – Commercial, Disability and Diversity Advocate, Eli Lilly and Company

About Wavelength Connect

Based on our core belief that leaders learn best from leaders, over 9 months Wavelength Connect equips cohorts of 60 change-makers, from different sectors and industries with the insights, connections and energy to tackle the challenges and opportunities facing the world today.

We are recruiting our next cohort of leaders for the 2024 programme right now. Click here to find out more.