A breakfast for HR, People, Talent and Learning & Development (L&D) professionals, as well as team leaders, to exchange ideas about people, talent and what helps teams thrive.

Good Coffee. Different Perspectives.

A morning for HR, People, Talent and L&D professionals, and team leaders.

We want to have an honest conversation about how hiring, developing and retaining talent is changing, and what technology cannot solve for us.

This isn’t just an event where you sit and listen. We’ll start with an inspiring conversation and then move to the heart of the morning: small-group discussions where different perspectives come together, ideas are challenged and everyone has a seat at the table.

First, a Fireside Chat

Timo Buetefisch (Cooltra) × Damiana Casile (Dow Jones)

We’ll kick off the morning with an open conversation between Timo Buetefisch, founder and CEO of Cooltra, and Damiana Casile, Senior Manager, People Business Partners at Dow Jones.

Timo founded Cooltra in Barcelona almost 20 years ago and has grown it into a company operating across Europe. Together, they’ll explore the human side of building a business: the people-related decisions that made the biggest difference, what it really means to bring AI into a company, and how leadership and teams are evolving.

Real stories, lessons learned and a few questions we still don’t have answers to.

Then, pick a table and bring your perspective. Or simply stay for a coffee and some networking.

After the opening conversation, we’ll move into small-group discussions around coffee tables, each hosted by an expert bringing a different perspective on people, teams and the changing world of work.

Why this format? Because some of the best ideas come from unexpected conversations, different disciplines and people who don’t always see things the same way.

Meet the Table Hosts & Explore the Conversations

Bring your questions, experiences and curiosity. You don’t need to be an expert in any of the topics. At the end, each table host will share some of the key ideas and questions that emerged with the whole group.

Table 1 — Future-Ready: Are We Learning Fast Enough?

AI, upskilling and the skills we’ll need tomorrow.

AI is transforming how we work, but are we also changing how we learn? Let’s explore how to develop future-ready skills, embrace artificial intelligence and help people grow alongside technology.

Table expert: Alfonso Bustos, Ph.D. — Head of Digital Skills & Workforce Transformation at RICOH Europe.

Table 2 — What Makes People Want to Stay?

Motivation, belonging and team engagement.

What really keeps people motivated? Beyond perks and pay, we’ll explore what makes people feel valued, connected and excited to contribute, especially when everything around them is changing.

Table expert: Damiana Casile — Senior Manager, People Business Partners at Dow Jones.

Table 3 — From Colleagues to Community: Closing the Belonging Gap in Hybrid Teams

For people who move to a new city or country for work, their team often becomes their first community in that new environment. If they don’t find a sense of belonging there, they may disengage or decide to leave.

When we spend less time together in person, how can we get to know our colleagues beyond their professional roles? What new dynamics, adapted to hybrid working, can help turn a team into a supportive community?

At this table, Yeon Sue will bring an anthropological perspective to exploring how teams can become genuine communities.

Table expert: Yeon Sue Park — Anthropology Practitioner and Founder of Culturematters.

Table 4 — Are We Hiring the Same People Over and Over? Who Are We Missing?

We often hire for what feels familiar: the right degree, the expected career path or a CV that ticks all the boxes. But what if we’re overlooking the talent our teams need most?

Critical thinking, communication skills and the ability to bring fresh perspectives don’t always fit the traditional mould. Humanities graduates are a great example.

In this conversation, we’ll explore how to identify overlooked talent, recognise transferable skills and rethink recruitment practices to bring in people we might otherwise miss.

Table expert: Núria F. Rius — Professor of Art and Visual Culture at Pompeu Fabra University and Vice-Dean for Employability and Institutional Relations at the Faculty of Humanities.

Table 5 — What Does a Good AI Future Look Like for Your People?

Vision, purpose and the positive impact on people that HR professionals and team leaders can help shape.

Most conversations about AI at work focus on reacting: which tools to adopt, which roles will change and which risks to manage. Yet far fewer of us stop to think about what a genuinely positive future for people would look like.

Without that vision, we risk making decisions driven by fear and uncertainty rather than by a clear sense of purpose.

At this table, we’ll try to build that vision together. What would a positive AI future mean for the people in your teams? What would you like to see five years from now? And what would need to change in the way we hire, develop and lead to make it happen?

Table expert: Tobias Haug — Founder of Humanizing Business Network and former Head of Humanizing Business at SAP.

Tick the relevant box during registration to receive a notification when sign-ups for the discussion tables open.