Leeds Beckett partners with international business to develop future leaders

The residential programme brought together CEOs and other C-suite leaders from major Brazilian organisations operating across technology, banking, insurance and telecommunications for a week of academic sessions, leadership development and business experiences in Leeds and the wider area.

Developed by Leeds Business School’s academic team, the programme explored global economics, changing consumer behaviour, leadership, strategic thinking and the future of technology. Sessions included psychometric leadership assessments, discussions around Generation Z and Generation X, and inclusive workplaces for neurodivergent employees.

The programme connected academic expertise with the practical challenges facing senior decision-makers, while showcasing Leeds Beckett’s approach to applied business research and industry collaboration.

Participants also met senior colleagues from across Leeds Business School to learn about degree apprenticeships, regional business engagement, Innovate UK funding and sustainability partnerships with global organisations.

Connecting international business with Leeds

Alongside the academic programme, the group explored the region’s business community and cultural heritage through a series of visits and experiences.

Andrew Cooper, CEO of LeedsBID, led a tour exploring Leeds’ retail heritage and the role of the city’s business community in supporting skills development. The executives also visited Sticks & Glass, a Leeds-based broadcasting SME, and Catapult, a sports technology business, to learn more about how technology is being used across different industries.

A visit to York, including afternoon tea at Bettys, offered a further opportunity to experience the region’s distinctive cultural heritage.

Building a long-term international partnership

Olga Munroe, Head of the Retail Institute at Leeds Business School and Programme Director, developed the bespoke programme around the interests and challenges facing senior executives, bringing together expertise from across the Business School.

Olga said: “We look forward to building a long-term partnership with WCES. Its experience in executive education and its ability to connect senior professionals from international markets with academic expertise create an important opportunity for collaboration.

“Our approach is centred on learning through action, using applied methodologies, structured discussion and critical thinking to connect academic insight with the challenges leaders face in practice.”

The programme also brought together academic knowledge and industry experience, with Celso Tonet, an executive with extensive experience in customer experience, relationship management and business transformation in Brazil, contributing his professional insights.

Celso said: “There is enormous value in being able to transform decades of practical experience into knowledge capable of preparing other leaders.”

The partnership reflects Leeds Business School’s commitment to working with businesses internationally, sharing academic knowledge and creating opportunities for learning through practical experience.

Following the success of the first cohort, Leeds Beckett and WCES are exploring plans to welcome another group of executives to Leeds in spring, alongside opportunities to extend the collaboration internationally, including with partners in China.