the Human Element Breakfast // People & Talent Edition
About this Event
Good Coffee. Different Perspectives.
A morning for HR, People, Talent, L&D professionals and team leaders.
We want to talk honestly about how hiring, growing and keeping people is changing, and what technology can't solve for us.
This isn't just an event where you sit and listen. We'll start with an inspiring conversation and then move to the heart of the morning: small-group discussions where different perspectives meet, ideas are challenged, and everyone has a seat at the table.
First, the Fireside ChatTimo Buetefisch (Cooltra) × Damiana Casile (Dow Jones)
We'll kick things off with an open conversation between Timo Buetefisch, founder and CEO of Cooltra, and Damiana Casile, Senior Manager, People Business Partners at Dow Jones.
Timo started Cooltra in Barcelona almost 20 years ago and grew it into a European company. Together, they'll explore the human side of building a business: the people decisions that mattered most, what it's really like to bring AI into a company, and how leadership and teams are changing. Real stories, lessons learned and a few questions we still don't have answers to.
Then, pick a table and bring your perspective. Or just stay for a coffee and networking.
After the fireside chat, we'll move into small coffee-table discussions, each hosted by an expert bringing a different perspective on people, teams and the changing world of work.
Why this format? Because some of the best ideas come from unexpected conversations, different disciplines and people who don't always see things the same way.
Meet the Table Hosts & Explore the Conversations
Bring your questions, your experiences and your curiosity. You don't need to be an expert. At the end, each table host will share a few ideas and questions with the whole room.
Table 1 — Future-Ready: Are we learning fast enough? AI, upskilling and the skills we'll need tomorrow.
AI is changing how we work, but are we changing how we learn? Let's explore how to build future-ready skills, embrace AI and help people grow alongside technology.
Table expert: Alfonso Bustos, Ph.D. — Head of Digital Skills & Workforce Transformation, RICOH Europe
Table 2 — What makes people want to stay? Motivation, belonging and keeping teams engaged.
What really keeps people motivated? Beyond perks and pay, we'll explore what makes people feel valued, connected and excited to contribute, especially when everything around them is changing.
Table expert: Damiana Casile — Senior Manager, People Business Partners at Dow Jones
Table 3 — From colleagues to community: closing the belonging gap in hybrid teams
For people who move here for work, their team is often their first community in a new place. If they don’t find a sense of belonging there, they may disengage or decide to leave. With less time together in person, how do we get to know colleagues beyond their role? What new dynamics, suited to this hybrid setting, can help a team become a supportive community? At this table, Yeon Sue will bring an anthropologist’s eye to how teams become communities.
Table expert: Yeon Sue Park — Anthropology Practitioner, Founder of Culturematters
Table 4 — Are We Hiring the Same People Over and Over? Who Are We Missing?
We often hire for what feels familiar: the right degree, the expected career path, the CV that ticks all the boxes. But what if we're overlooking the talent our teams need most?
Critical thinkers, strong communicators, and people who bring fresh perspectives don't always fit the traditional mould. Humanities graduates are a great example.
In this conversation, we'll explore how to spot overlooked talent, recognise transferable skills, and rethink hiring practices to bring in the people we might otherwise miss.
Table expert: Núria F. Rius - Professor of Art and Visual Culture at Pompeu Fabra University and Vice-Dean for Employability and Institutional Relations at the Faculty of Humanities.
Table 5 - What does a good AI future look like for your people? Vision, purpose and the human outcomes HR and team leaders can shape.
Most of the conversation about AI at work is about reacting: which tools to adopt, which roles will change, which risks to manage. Far fewer of us stop to ask what a good outcome for people would actually look like. Without that picture, we make decisions out of fear and uncertainty, not purpose.
At this table we try to draw it together. What would a positive AI future mean for the people in your teams? What would you want to see in five years, and what would have to change in how we hire, develop and lead to get there?
Table expert: Tobias Haug - Founder of Humanizing Business Network , ex Head of Humanizing Business at SAP
Get notified when the sign up for the table open by checking the box at registration checkout.
Agenda
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM
Welcome Breakfast
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Fireside chat with Timo Buetefisch, founder and CEO of Cooltra
🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Discussion tables, or coffee and networking
🕑: 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Takeaways from every table
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
