A new transformative retreat for UK tech leaders has been launched amidst rising levels of stress and burnout in the industry.
Tech South West, the tech cluster for the South West of England, and leadership coaches, Conscious Leaders, have launched a new executive leadership retreat designed exclusively for UK tech CEOs.
This comes after the 2025 ‘State of the CIO Survey’ from Foundry found that as many as a third of leaders were facing some degree of burn out.
It looks to give tech leaders the chance to take a step back and find clarity, away from the day to day stresses of their roles, alongside other senior tech leaders.
Running September 2-4, 2025, at the 42 Acres retreat centre in Somerset, The Edge will bring together 12 tech CEOs for a programme focused on leadership development, strategic thinking and personal growth.
The retreat is facilitated by leadership experts Ruth Farenga, founder of Conscious Leaders and author of Next Level Leadership, Garry Pratt, author of The Creativity Factor, and Dan Pritchard, founder of Tech South West.
“Tech leaders are under huge pressure. The pace has been relentless over the last couple of years, not least as AI transforms how we work and develop products and opportunities,” said Farenga.
“There are some real dangers in that, which were highlighted by the State of CIO survey. The Edge creates space for tech leaders to step back, think clearly, and develop a new level of executive leadership.
“Even the most brilliant CEOs face one persistent challenge – leading with authenticity in an environment defined by constant pressure and complexity.”
The programme is built around three core themes – leadership imperatives, real-world challenges and building great culture.
Dan Pritchard, founder of Tech South West, added: “The Edge is where dynamic things happen. It’s where people find themselves, test themselves, be open and vulnerable, learn
and move forward, learning alongside peers who truly understand the realities of the role.
“They will gain exceptional learnings and practical frameworks they can implement immediately.”