International Leadership Retreat

attendees:

150

duration:

3.5 days

Location:

Bunker Bay, Western Australia, Australia

Emerging from Covid lockdowns and a period of significant organisational change, our client came to us with a desire to create an experience for their top 130 global leaders that enabled deep and profound connection in an effort to catalyse their company’s cultural transformation.

They wanted an impeccably programmed, intimate event that felt part work conference, part wellness retreat, and part weekend away with close friends.

We set about creating a space and experience that felt warm, safe, authentic and joyful – where leaders could feel seen, heard, and deeply connected to the business, one another and themselves.

To support this transformative experience, we needed to get folks out of their cities and away from their screens. We needed to take them into nature. After a lengthy search, we settled on Pullman Bunker Bay Resort, nestled alongside the crystal clear waters of beautiful Bunker Bay in the Margaret River wine region in Western Australia. Contemporary in style and unmatched in a sense of calm and serenity, this venue allowed us to seamlessly transition attendees from wellness activities to daily programming, to meals and evening events with ease.

“This was a really powerful and profound experience for me and I am so grateful for the opportunity and the immense care that you and the team put into planning and organising it”

Showcasing this idyllic corner of the world was a key goal for our client. Guests were greeted with a hamper containing premium local produce and provisions. With self-care being a high priority, we gifted each attendee a wellness pack featuring items from local skincare company Vasse Virgin. For our welcome celebration, we built teepees in the middle of a field overlooking the ocean and engaged local pop-up dining experts Fervor to create a custom menu showcasing local Indigenous foods and flavours.

Our programming leaned into creative and unique activities to expand people’s minds and gently nudge them out of their comfort zones, engaging a myriad of interests in the forms of art, music and movement.

Perhaps the highlight of the event was the drumming experience, led by a local partner and his family. Leaders still talk fondly about this moment, years after the event.

We had a local artist paint a mural over the course of the event capturing guests’ visions for the future of their company. The final result was a stunning keepsake for the CEO and printed for each guest as a thank-you gift.

From a content perspective, what we didn’t include set a clear tone for the event, moving away from traditional business figures & content to make way for interactive workshops, genuine opportunities for authentic connection and purposeful participation. While the majority of guests joined live we had one speaker who had COVID join virtually in a seamless hybrid experience.

“The best leadership event I have ever attended, both inside our business and beyond”

Our programming venue layout supported our vision for an informal affair. We chose a large open room flooded with natural light, and filled the space with relaxed seating offering a ‘lounge room’ feel, instead of the traditional round table conference set up.

The thoughtful space set the tone for transformation conversations and connections, resulting in an overwhelmingly successful and truly moving event.