Programme
Across two days, you will move from reflection and challenge to clearer choices and practical commitment.
The retreat combines individual strategic work, evidence-led supply chain guidance, trusted peer exchange and insight from Loughborough University’s high-performance culture. Each part of the programme is designed to help you examine a live strategic challenge and develop a practical way forward.
Wednesday 7 October - Arrival
Arrive, connect and settle in through an informal welcome and networking dinner.
| 17:30–18:30 |
Arrival and check-in Arrive, settle in and begin connecting with fellow participants. |
|---|---|
| 18:30–19:30 |
The Challenge Exchange Introduce the live supply chain challenge you want to examine and begin shaping the questions that need deeper attention. |
| 19:30–21:00 |
Welcome and networking dinner Informal dinner and an opportunity to build connections with the wider retreat cohort. |
Thursday 8 October Morning - Reflect
Framing your supply chain challenge.
| 09:00–09:20 |
Welcome and retreat journey Introduction to the Reflect, Challenge and Commit journey and what you will take away from the retreat. |
|---|---|
| 09:20–10:35 |
Forces reshaping supply chains Explore perspectives on geopolitics and economic security, AI and the future of planning, resilience, sustainability and emerging operating models and consider what they mean for your organisation. |
| 10:35–10:50 | Break |
| 10:50–12:45 |
Stress-testing your supply chain Use a practical diagnostic, organisational examples and peer perspectives to examine your current position and sharpen the challenge that matters most. |
| 12:45–13:45 | Lunch and networking |
Thursday 8 October Afternoon - Reflect
High-performance leadership in practice.
| 13:45–15:15 |
Leading for high performance Explore how performance is built and sustained, and translate insight from high-performance environments into your own supply chain leadership context. |
|---|---|
| 15:15–15:30 |
Break |
| 15:30–18:00 |
The leader your challenge requires Consider how you lead yourself and others under pressure, identify the leadership shifts your strategy requires and test your response with trusted peers. |
| 19:00–21:00 |
Dinner conversation: Leading when it matters A hosted conversation exploring leadership, teamwork, resilience and sustained performance. |
Friday 9 October Morning - Challenge
Test the strategy and leadership.
| 09:00–10:45 |
Strategic and leadership stress test Challenge your assumptions, examine whether the rules have changed and test whether your proposed response remains fit for what comes next. |
|---|---|
| 10:45–11:00 |
Break |
| 11:00–13:00 |
From strategy to execution Explore why good strategies stall, draw on practical organisational insight and refine your strategic and leadership response. |
| 13:00–13:45 |
Lunch |
Friday 9 October Afternoon - Commit
Turning insight into action.
| 13:45–15:15 |
From insight to strategic priorities Identify up to three priorities and translate them into practical first moves that can begin after the retreat. |
|---|---|
| 15:15–15:30 |
Break |
| 15:30–16:15 |
Critical-friend review Test whether your priorities and planned actions are sufficiently focused, deliverable and bold. |
| 16:15–17:00 |
Leadership commitments and close Define how you will lead yourself and others differently, confirm your first move and leave with clear commitments for you and your organisation. |