Financial Times Executive Briefing and Dinner
Closing the Circle
Geopolitics, Technology
and the Road Ahead
In-Person | Thursday 24 September 2026
Financial Times, Bracken House, London
18.00 – 21:00 BST
This is an invitation-only event and designed for in-house, senior HR leaders only.
Event
How can leaders interpret today’s geopolitical and technological shifts and prepare their organisations for what comes next?
To conclude the 2026 Financial Times Briefing series, CRF and our partners Headspring are hosting this exclusive evening session to bring together senior HR and talent leaders to reflect on the forces reshaping business—and those likely to define 2027 and beyond.
Drawing together the key themes explored during Headspring and CRF’s joint spring and summer sessions, the discussion will examine the changing global order, from the reordering of global capital flows and fragmenting economic alliances to great-power competition and the accelerating race in artificial intelligence.
Björn Beam, Head of Tech & Geopolitical Research at Arcano Partners, will explore what the defining developments of 2026 reveal about where the world is heading and the practical implications for organisations navigating this increasingly complex landscape.
Participants will also be introduced to a practical framework for anticipating geopolitical shocks, assessing their potential impact and responding before they disrupt business strategy.
This is an opportunity to step back, connect the dots across a turbulent year and identify the signals that will shape the future of business, leadership and talent.
Agenda
| 18:00 – 18:30 | Arrival and Registration |
| 18:30 – 19:00 | Welcome Drinks |
| 19.00 – 21:00 | Executive Dinner Welcome from Richard Hargreaves, MD, CRF Briefing session with Björn Beam Closing Remarks from Nick Winwood, Headspring |
Who Should Attend?
This is a by invitation-only event designed for senior HR leaders (Directors, CPOs, CHROs etc) only.
CRF members: If you would like to attend, please register interest by completing the form or contacting events@crforum.co.uk.
Non-Members: If you are not a member of CRF but are a senior HR leader working in-house then please contact events@crforum.co.uk.
To register for this event please ensure you are logged in. If you are not a member and interested in attending, please contact us below.
If you would like to amend or cancel your booking please contact events@crforum.co.uk.
About Headspring Executive
As the bespoke leadership development arm of the Financial Times, Headspring offers corporate learning solutions to accelerate transformation and help organisations navigate the future.
Learn more at headspringexecutive.com.
Keynote Speaker
Björn Beam
Director of Technology Analysis & Geopolitical Intelligence Expert
Björn spent a decade with the United States Central Intelligence Agency, serving in high‑stakes operational roles across some of the world’s most sensitive regions, including North Korea and its nuclear programme. Before joining Arcano, he served as Director of Innovation for executive education programmes at MIT, the University of Chicago and Chicago Booth. He is also the founder of an educational technology start‑up for children and the author of four books on the subject. His intelligence work has earned him eight CIA commendations for innovation.
Björn holds an MBA from IE Business School, a Master’s degree in Terrorism and Counterterrorism Operations from King’s College London, and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Michigan.
Richard Hargreaves
Managing Director, CRF
Richard is responsible for the sustainable growth of CRF through delivering world-class HR content, facilitating knowledge exchange between HR professionals, focussing on future ventures and developing a great team. Prior to this role Richard was Commercial Director across CRF and PARC and previously the EMEA Sponsorship Director at The Economist Group.
Location
Financial Times
Bracken House
1 Friday Street
London
EC4M 9BT
