The European Leadership Programme Achieving excellence as a CEO
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“It’s hard to take time out of running a start-up for what amounts to a training course for CEOs. But it should be a top priority – with ELP I generally come away with 4 or 5 great insights per session that are immediately valuable to the business and the way we grow it. Plus hearing other CEOs share the same trials, tribulations and successes helps you understand that this stuff doesn’t just happen to you!” Mark Curtis Founder & CEO, Flirtomatic
“Where talented leaders go to get even better”
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The European Leadership Programmme
Background
About ELP
The Programme
CEOs face a wide variety of challenges – some of which they meet naturally – others which are outside their scope of experience. Being at the pinnacle of their organisation, there is often nowhere to turn for assistance. Shareholders provide some support, but usually recognise that they are rarely in a position to train or coach effectively.
The European Leadership Programme is a high impact personal and professional development programme for Founders and CEOs of high growth companies in Europe.
Members meet in groups of twelve in quarterly workshops facilitated by top-tier advisors. These workshops provide a structured learning environment as well as a confidential space to address specific ‘live’ challenges. The experience of other members, of professional advisors and of subject experts gives ELP members the edge when addressing some of these tougher challenges.
It combines advanced personal development training with structured workshops facilitated by subject specialists, as well as group debate and peer-group support and coaching.
The European Leadership Programme (ELP) was designed to help CEOs perfect the art of Like top athletes attending an academy, leadership, and to support them in their day ELP is the place where talented, to day business challenges. open-minded CEOs go to raise their game within a stimulating, powerful and confidential environment.
The programme is unique in that it is exclusively for CEOs of high growth companies. These individuals share many common challenges and most report to outside shareholders and owners. Through ELP, members develop a strong peer group support network which has proved invaluable to member CEOs.
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The Programme
Workshops
Subjects
Each ELP workshop provides a stimulating, ELP has found that most business leaders powerful and confidential environment for have similar concerns for their own Europe’s leading CEOs to perfect their game. development and often face similar challenges, and therefore group working The first half of the day focuses on personal and debate around key issues form a development and leadership skills, and the central part of each workshop. Critically it second half consists of master classes and is through the analysis of each member’s workshops in practical topics which make needs that the agenda for workshops is set up the challenges faced by CEOs. rather than relying on MBA-style theoretical case studies. The sessions are led by a combination of first class professional advisors and executive Members are interviewed prior to their coaches – as well as by successful CEOs initial workshop to help set the agenda – who have first hand experience in the role. which may cover some of the trickier issues Workshops are not led from the front by difficult to discuss elsewhere. The workshop a slide show, but instead are facilitated is then built to address the chosen subject sessions which leverage the collective matter so that members can leave with brain-power and experiences of the practical answers which can individuals in the room. be implemented.
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Advisors ELP programme partners offer access to an exceptional network of contacts for every ‘support’ need for the fast paced business leader. Companies involved to date include innovation agency Entheo, investment bank GP Bullhound, law firm Kemp Little LLC, executive search firm Nexec Partners, public relations experts Hotwire, and financial services group The Royal Bank of Scotland.
Membership
Membership profile
Benefits
Members are typically leaders of high growth businesses in the Technology, Media & Telecoms (TMT) sector. Our members range from the emerging CEO talent pool through to seasoned, exit-savvy CEOs.
Through ELP, talented leaders can: > Develop, calibrate and refine their leadership skills – supported by peers and advisors who have first hand experience in the role themselves
“ELP is refreshing and challenging. A select group of high-growth business entrepreneurs willing to share their highs and lows in an engaging and helpful ‘real life’ environment. And it’s not just talk:
in a few hours away from the office I was All are ambitious, brilliant and open-minded. delighted to have resolved a few critical ELP members share certain characteristics, > Meet and build relationships with other including: exceptional leaders in the technology sector decisions, and to give a little back in return. in Europe – and learn from their experiences It’s a real pleasure to spend time with this > A background of consistently delivering results in a fast-changing environment > Find solutions to real-life challenges faced impressive and supportive bunch of people.” in their organisation – in a safe, confidential Andy Skipwith > Passion, drive and ambition – coupled environment Founder & CEO, Rated People with a determination to continually raise their game > Explore shared knowledge of the different challenges faced in running a high tech > A willingness to share experience with start-up – from founding/joining a business and learn from peers and raising funds through to managing growth and delivering the exit > Become the very best at what they do – and through that, deliver the best returns to shareholders and themselves
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Events
Industry events
Drinks & Dinners
ELP and its partners use their network of business leaders and subject experts to organize relevant seminars for the benefit of their members.
In addition to ELP workshops we regularly organise informal gatherings over drinks at central London venues. At these highly popular parties our members get to know each other and friends of ELP better in an informal environment.
In July 2008 for instance we organised ‘Countdown to Exit’, a joint event with The Royal Bank of Scotland, GP Bullhound, Nexec and Hotwire. Over 200 CEOs and VCs gathered to hear keynote speakers Michael Jackson (Executive Chairman of Elderstreet and former Chairman of Sage) and Steve Nicholson, CEO of The Cloud discuss with a panel of high profile CEOs and expert advisors on “What makes a sellable business?” and “Maximising value from a sale”.
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We also see this as an opportunity to introduce members to other people in our community such as our contacts who provide both equity capital and debt facilities.
“ELP sessions provide an excellent opportunity to compare notes on the wide range of business problems and challenges which come with running a fast moving growth company. The solutions I am offered are the result of discussions between like-minded individuals rather than often biased advice from professional advisors.” Paul Broadhurst Founder & CEO, Technetix
Example Agenda Times Detail 8.30
Participants Arrive - Registration and coffee
9.00
Introduction: What is the leadership quality that makes everyone want to please certain leaders?
10.00 Building Innovation Capability (Part 1) - What is important?
> The six characteristics of innovative organisations > Assessing your own innovation capability (in pairs)
10.45 BREAK 11.15 Building Innovation Capability (Part 2) - Plenary discussion on building Innovation Capability
> What are some of the actions that people want to take? > Sharing best practice > What has worked previously? > Ideas for the future
12.00 The role of HR in a Venture Backed Business
> Pain or custodian of the company’s greatest asset?
13.00 LUNCH 14.15 Finance - The dynamics of a working relationship with sales 15.30 BREAK 16.00 Meet the press & interview at your best
> Hone the pitch - understand the media’s currency
17.15 Creative Thinking - thinking preferences and creative tools to enhance lateral thinking
> Overview of brain preferences (right and left brain dominance) > The need for “brain stimulus” > Group work using lateral thinking tools > Brain energisers - Idea generation: reinventing the credit card
17.30 Wrap up - The ELP mandate
> How it is developing? Where it is going?
18.00 Drinks & canapées
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Our Team
Ashley ward Chairman
NATALIE TURNER Programme Leader
Ashley Ward is a highly experienced CEO who has been Natalie Turner has a background in marketing and through the spectrum of learning experiences as a CEO business strategy both from direct managerial including IPOs, trade sales and down-sizing. experience in the Telecoms industry as well as through her time as a Director in a variety of innovation and Career highlights include leading the IPO for one of LSE’s business consultancies including corporate incubators highest growth stocks in Orchestream with a market cap and interim management positions. of over £900m in 2000. He was also part of the leadership team that turned around Cray/Anite Networks and Working in strategic innovation and business facilitation, Natalie works with clients to help generate concepts executed its sale to Cable and Wireless. for new products, services and brand strategies from discovering the needs of a marketplace, creative idea generation and helping businesses to build and sustain a culture of innovation.
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RENATE NYBORG Business Development
Renate Nyborg oversees the Business Development activities for ELP. She manages our community by maintaining a dialogue with business leaders and investors in the TMT industry, and by involving notable contributors in ELP events. Renate graduated with an Honours degree in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge, and speaks fluent Dutch and Norwegian.
More Info
What is the cost?
For more information...
ELP membership is currently set at £3,950 per annum, which entitles the business leader to attend 4 full-day workshops.
The European Leadership Programme Linen Hall 162 - 168 Regent Street London, W1B 5TG United Kingdom
In addition our members receive invitations to our regular social gatherings and industry events.
Phone: Fax: Email: Web:
+44 20 7038 3832 +44 20 7038 3831 contact@european-leaders.com www.european-leaders.com
“The programme is designed for the sole purpose of improving the chances of success for the leaders of portfolio companies. This has to be positive for all stakeholders.” Ian Lobely Senior Partner, 3i
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Workshop Days - 2008/2009 I you are joining as a member, please choose which ELP session days you would like to attend this year by selecting either A or B for the numbers 1-5. Eg: “1B, 2B, 3A, 4A, 5B.” Confirm your selection by sending and email to renate.nyborg@european-leaders.com or by calling +44 20 7038 3832.
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1A – 3 July 2008
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1B – 2 October 2008
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2A – 6 November 2008
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2B – 4 December 2008
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3A – 5 February 2009
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3B – 5 March 2009
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4A – 2 April 2009
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4B – 7 May 2009
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5A – 4 June 2009
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5B – 2 July 2009
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