EL SOIRÉE
Event Production | Lisbon
The Client
Global technology company
Participants
36 C-suite and senior leaders
Geography
Europe, US and Middle East
Context
The company has grown rapidly through acquisition.
Business Challenge
Leadership is increasingly distributed across regions and functions. Strategic priorities are understood differently across the organization, collaboration is becoming fragmented, and newer leaders don't yet have strong relationships with the wider executive team.
The Ask
Create a three-day leadership retreat in Lisbon that strengthens strategic alignment, builds trust across the leadership team and creates momentum for the next phase of growth.
Transforming Business Challenges into Experience Objectives
Create Shared Understanding
Strategic Alignment
Increase Cross-Functional Interaction
Silos
Empower Authentic Conversation
Low Trust
Create Space for Reflection
Change Fatigue
Drive Concrete Commitments
Lack of Ownership
Experience Architecture
The 5P Framework
PURPOSE
“What needs to change?”
PEOPLE
“Who needs to connect, learn or collaborate?”
PLACE
“What environment will enable that?”
PROGRAM
“How should the experience unfold?”
PROGRESS
“How will we know it worked?”
Designing the Executive Retreat Journey
BEFORE
Anticipation + preparation
- Executive pre-survey
- Individual reflection
- Strategic questions distributed before arrival
- Personal objectives
- Optional pre-reading
DURING
Day 1 Connect
Move participants psychologically from: WORK → RETREAT
Day 2 Align
Day 3 Activate
AFTER
TRANSFER
- Individual commitments
- Leadership-team commitments
- 30-day follow-up
- 90-day check-in
Rhythm of the Day
“A structured flow to maximize mental clarity and team connection.”
Experience Design Principle
FOCUS
CONNECT
REFLECT
EXPERIENCE
RECOVER
RE-ENGAGE
DAY PROGRAMME
09:00
10:15
Strategic provocation
11:00
Small-group dialogue
11:30
Break
13:00
Cross-functional challenge
15:00
Long-form lunch
17:00
Lisbon cultural experience
19:30
Personal downtime
Hosted dinner
The Lisbon Experience
Lisbon as the third facilitator
The city provides:
DISTANCE
Physical separation from the daily corporate environment allows for objective thinking.
CULTURE
A rich historical tapestry that invites perspective on legacy and future innovation.
PACE
The unique rhythm of the city helps slow down internal noise to focus on signal.
PLACE
Curated environments that balance professional utility with aesthetic inspiration.
MEMORY
High-impact shared experiences that anchor strategic commitments in time.
CULTURE · ACCESS · ATMOSPHERE
Signature Experiences for Executive Teams
01 — A PERSPECTIVE WALK
Embark on a curated journey through Lisbon within diverse peer cohorts. This is not a sightseeing tour. Leaders engage with deep inquiries regarding resilience, evolution, heritage, scaling, and impact. These critical dialogues unfold naturally as they navigate the urban landscape.
02 — THE LONG TABLE
A deliberately designed dinner. No speeches. No PowerPoint. Seating is curated across functions and geographies. Each course introduces a different conversation prompt. The objective: Build relationships that wouldn’t naturally develop within the organization.
03 — THE ATLANTIC RESET
A morning or afternoon by the coast. Not 'team building.' A facilitated reflection experience around: What should we stop, start and continue as a leadership team? Then convert reflections into commitments.
The 3-Day Run of Show
Time
Experience
Objective
Energy
Format
09:00
Strategic provocation
Create shared context
High
Plenary
10:00
Cross-functional dialogue
Surface differences
Medium
Groups
11:00
Break
Reset
Low
—
11:30
Strategy lab
Create alignment
High
Workshop
13:00
Long lunch
Build relationships
Medium
Social
15:00
Lisbon experience
Perspective
Medium
Experiential
17:30
Reflection
Consolidate learning
Low
Individual
20:00
Dinner
Strengthen connection
High/social
Hosted
Stakeholder Coordination
WHO WE COORDINATE
CEO / Executive Sponsor
↓
HR / People Team
↓
L&D
↓
Finance
↓
Executive Assistants
↓
Facilitators
↓
Venue
↓
Hospitality Partners
↓
Local Experience Partners
One experience. Multiple stakeholders. One coherent journey.
Measuring the Impact of an Executive Retreat
A balanced view of immediate response, behavioral intent, and sustained value.
Before
Confidence in:
- Strategic clarity
- Cross-functional connection
- Leadership-team trust
During
Measure:
- Participation
- Interaction across functions
- Engagement
- Quality of discussion
After
30 days:
What changed?
90 days:
What was implemented?
Possible success measures: + Strategic clarity · + Cross-functional connection · + Commitment to priorities · + Leadership confidence