9.30AM-11.30AM | WEDNESDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2026 | MANCHESTER

step out of delivery mode and think honestly about the questions AND CHALLENGES you're actually facing

The workplace has never been a tougher place than it is today. And you’re the one carrying the weight of it on your shoulders without anyone to turn to. This community is here to change that. Welcome to The Honest CPO.


WHY WE’RE DOING THIS

You've got a lot to deal with right now… and not much space to make sense of it.

Especially when it comes to AI, workforce change, and how organisations are evolving. The Honest CPO is space to talk through decisions, explore uncertainty, and test judgement on the things People Leaders like you are facing right now.

No one is expected to have it all figured out. That's the point. The thinking happens together, in the room.

IT'S A SPACE TO WANDER AROUND A TOPIC. TO ASK THE OBVIOUS QUESTION FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE, OR THE BRAVE ONE YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO ASK.
Gemma Longfellow

WHAT’S ACTUALLY DIFFERENT?

WHO IS THIS FOR

To get the most from this, you'll want to be operating at a senior level… typically CPOs, CHROs, Heads of People, or People leaders.

But more than anything, it's for you if you’re sitting with real, unresolved questions and want honest perspectives rather than validation.

If you’re willing to contribute as much as you take, and believe that the best thinking happens when there's genuine openness in the room.

 

WHO’S IN THE ROOM

MEET THE TEAM

SAM HARVEY
Founder & Director of Braver Leaders

Former competitive sprinter, team and mindset performance coach, and the Founder of Braver Leaders. Prior to coaching I’ve led teams of up to 150 around the globe in manufacturing, tech, tourism and media.

I have completed post-graduate study in Coaching for Behavioural Change at Henley Business School and a postgraduate diploma in Organisational Leadership at The University of Oxford. I am currently reading for an MSc in Performance Psychology at the University of Edinburgh.

BAZZ DEANS
Co-Founder of Braver Leaders

As a team coach and leadership performance specialist, we’ll partner together to discover, or re-discover, the joy of being in a truly great team.

Initially, through my passion and expertise in connecting people through play, the outdoors and shared experiences, I enable your leadership team culture to become anchored in vulnerability, psychological safety and candour. From here we can get to work focusing your team on clarifying outcomes, living their purpose, creating alignment and impact. 

 
The Important Stuff
Everything You Need To Know
Here's everything you need to think about
When
Wednesday 7 October 2026, 9:30–11:30am
Where
Open Partners Office, Manchester
What To Bring
Just yourself, an open mind, and the willingness to get uncomfortable
Join The Honest CPO