Leading a team is one of the hardest and most meaningful challenges you can take on. Whether you’re building a company, scaling a function, or guiding people through change, leadership demands clarity, resilience, and the ability to perform under pressure. This evening is an honest, inspiring conversation for leaders at any stage who want real insight into what it actually takes to lead well, especially when things are messy, uncertain, or moving fast. It is a candid, interview-style conversation with Ben Stocken, founder of Atherio, exploring the realities of leadership: the setbacks, the hard decisions, the moments of doubt, and the habits that separate strong teams from struggling ones.

Ben has spent over 20 years advising FTSE 250 companies and high-growth organisations on leadership and performance. As the founder of Atherio, a real-time Leadership Intelligence Platform, he works with leaders navigating the human side of scale: trust, engagement, accountability, and culture.

A former England Rugby coach and extreme endurance athlete (including summiting the world’s 10th deadliest mountain and completing the Marathon des Sables), Ben brings a rare perspective on what pressure reveals, and what great leadership requires.

This conversation will explore:

The leadership mistakes most people make early, and what they cost

How trust, feedback, and conflict shape team performance

What resilience actually looks like in high-pressure environments

How leaders avoid becoming the bottleneck in their own organisations

What AI will change (and won’t change) about leading teams in the future

You will leave with practical insight, fresh perspective, and tools you can apply immediately, whether you lead a startup, a scale-up, or an established organisation.

Who Should Watch?

Leaders and managers at any levelFounders, operators, and executives navigating growth or changeData, product, and technology leaders building high-performing teamsAnyone curious about the realities behind strong leadership and culture