Summary
As I sit here in the caravan with my coffee the morning after an intense first visit to the Anthropy 2025 National Gathering, my mind state is a cloudy combination of absolute exhaustion from clocking an average of 14,000 steps a day hiking from session to session up and down the steep paths of Eden Project, combined with a rousing sense of purpose and energy, gained from three days of inspiring thought leadership and debate – plus an overly generous injection of caffeine.
After twelve disturbing and turbulent weeks of international headlines since we re-emerged to the rat race after Christmas, I’d been excitedly looking forward to Anthropy as an opportunity for some mutual therapy amongst leaders who I hoped would share a similar level of concern with the state of world affairs and indeed our national predicament. I wasn’t disappointed, but as much as part of me wanted to feel the comforting reassurance of an echo chamber of like-minded progressives, I also knew that this was an opportunity to listen to the views who didn’t necessarily agree with my own world view, and try to understand where they were coming from.
Anthropy is set up as a three day collection of over 200 sessions, delivered by over 600 speakers embracing a range of different formats from panel debates, to participative workshops and even game-like exercises, all designed to extract wisdom and insight from over 2,000 leaders on some of the most pertinent contemporary issues affecting our country. It’s impossible to get to everything, so delegates carefully select the most interesting sessions to them, then immerse themselves in dialogue in an attempt to learn, inform, connect and engage with each other in a constructive and collaborative manner. In the words of the sign that adorns the entrance hallway, ‘Leave your egos and silos at the door.’
So, what did I observe? Well, for the most part, I saw a group of authentically motivated leaders, unified by a desire to make a difference. Humility isn’t everyone’s default position, but on the rare occasion that contributors began to let their egos get the better of them, it was quickly called out and conversations reset by skilled chairs and moderators. This created a safe space for delegates to voice their opinions and made for an excellent opportunity to wrestle with some spiky issues that might otherwise have ended up in bickering and to that end I was impressed.
Beyond that, I witnessed a diverse assembly of passionate leaders, seemingly unified by a collective fear of the dangerous direction in which world politics and environmental issues are headed and committed to learn other’s perspectives and to play their part in giving this country the best chance for a positive future.
What follows is a short summary on the five sessions I took the most inspiration from…
Session 1. Our National State
Speakers:
- Ben Page – Global CEO, Ipsos
- Andrew Jasper – Group CEO, Eden Project
- Sir Jermey Darroch – Chair, Reckitt
- John O’Brien – Founder, Anthropy
- Karen Jones – Various
- Martha Lane Fox – President, British Chambers of Commerce
As one of the five key opening sessions, this session aimed to set the scene for the next three days with a big-picture summary from a range of corporate leaders. Providing recent stats from Ipsos’s treasure trove of global survey data, Ben started by highlighting startling inights into rising economic inequalities and the increasing perception from survey respondents that their children’s future will be worse than their own, abridging the global population into three types of people… the haves, the have nots, and the ‘have yachts’, with changes in demography due to an aging population, technological disruption, extreme weather and digital displacement, all contributing to a widening of the wealth gap in recent years.
But some hope to cling on to… Public trust in business is rising (increasing by 6% in 2024), possibly in part down to the rise of the purpose movement, which, whilst far from mature and purpose-washing remaining a threat to deep trust in business, has been the catalyst behind greater governance, transparency and self-regulation of Western businesses in recent years, giving some level of faith despite the ominous transatlantic headwinds this year.
Key quotes…
“Despite optimism being low on a national and international level, it remains high at the local level.” Ben Page
“Now is the time to be furiously moderate in your politics!” Martha Lane Fox
“In these times of uncertainty, we need a clear sense of a national mission.” Sir Jeremy Darroch
“Soft power is so important, now more than ever!” Martha Lane Fox
“Since Brexit, the UK economy has declined, having recently been superseded by India in the global rankings of largest economies.” Martha Lane Fox
“Shockingly, 51% of young people think we should do away with elections!” Martha Lane Fox
“The level of national debt is wholly unsustainable, the chicken has come home to roost. We have to accept that there will be trade offs. We need our legacy to be that we’ve helped young people.” Jeremy Darroch
“Boomers inherited a world better than the one we’re handing down to the next generation, and we must act fast to halt the decline of living standards.” John O’Brien
“We have an invisible Covid Class – young people who never went back to school after lockdowns, now living with no qualifications, poor mental health and poor social skills. Karen Jones
“The UK might need to evolve it's foundational values to address contemporary issues.” Karen Jones
“The main role of a leader is…enabling. And also courage – courage comes from control." Jeremy Darroch
Session 2. Five Generations, One Workplace
The descriptor said... "With five generations now in the UK workforce, tensions arise from different expectations, working styles and values. This session explores how to manage intergenerational conflicts, improve communication, and leverage each generation's strengths to foster a cohesive, productive workplace."
Having witnessed a rise in clients approaching Sherrington Associates to help 'diversify' their boards over the last decade, we've been involved with several search campaigns that required us to assemble broad teams of Non-Executives including those capable of providing multi-generational perspectives, so have seen first-hand the value of intergenerational board-room composition.
Since launching our Future Sustainable Leaders division in 2023 recruiting high-calibre young managers aspiring to develop leadership careers, we've worked with a far more diverse cross-section of age demographics, and have come to understand the benefits of exposing more experienced leaders to aspiring leaders from other generations than the stereotypical 40+ candidates we'll typically interview for executive level search assignments. This session was an opportunity to delve deeper into the challenges and opportunities of multigenerational workplaces, and how we can better help our clients assembling multigenerational teams in the future.
Speakers
- Steph Barnes – Marketing & Communications Manager, Future Leap
- Nishi Mayor – Director of Employer & Engagement, Youth Futures Foundation
- Patrick Dunne – Chair, Royal Voluntary Service
- Rebecca Robins - CEO, Ways of Seeing
The panel covered a range of issues from the challenges of linguistic differences across the age spectrum, to the differences in expectations around flexible working, to the benefits of reciprocal mentoring, flexible hierarchies,
Key quotes…
“Don’t just give a voice to young people, but invite them to really challenge us” Patrick Dunne
“My uneducated Irish Grandmother said…it’s really important to listen to what people say, but even more important to listen to what they think” Patrick Dunne
“To get the best out of five generations in the workplace, leaders need to be really good at managing conflict.” Patrick Dunne
"Gucci out-perform Prada because they appointed a next-gen board who told the main bard how out of touch they were with their strategy in terms of how it relates to their main buying group, i.e. young people." Rebecca Barnes
Rebecca Scott, Jacobs:
Q – Reciprocal Mentoring? And how mentorship can evolve into sponsorship?...ideally that leads to employment.
A: Yes but it has to be predicated on mutuality, interdependence, and open-mindedness.
Kate Robertson, One Young World:
Q – How will big company leaders in the room view their organisations reaction to DEI pullback in the US?
A – We'll double down. It's also still a legal obligation for corporates in the UK.
Audience:
"Our lives are so much more integrated with work now, i.e. expectations about responding to messages in personal time etc. Also, intensity of work and burnout culture so prevalent."
"Young people expect a better level of flexibility but older generations never had that so has the potential for tension."
"Ageism is more prevalent in the US. Big corporates often hollows out after 50. At 50 you’re viewed as past it."
Session 3. A Vision for Britain
Chair:
Isobel Berwick – Editor, The FT
Speakers:
- Lucy Frazer – Former Culture Secretary
- Matt Brittin – President EMEA, Google
- Jeremy Darroch – Chair, Reckitt & Chair, National Oceanography Centre (NOC)
A Day One session that aimed to paint a picture of what a 2050-Britain could look like if dynamic and visionary leaders from across business and politics manage to work together in the right way to shape the conditions for economic recovery, social solidarity and a renewed sense of optimism and national purpose amongst Britons.
Lucy Frazer:
“The trouble is, the British don't believe in themselves very much right now, but that isn't to say that other countries have the perception about us, in fact Britain is seen as an exemplar in many realms, despite our own insecurities… eg: Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual Liberty and other key principles within our values system. Whilst never perfect, on the world stage these things are regarded as some of the best in the world and if we look, we can see evidence of them right now...."
E.g.:
- How we’ve led on Ukraine
- First country to send weapons
- First country to implement sanctions
- Starmer’s stance – bridging relationships between US and Europe
...But – trust is diminishing (in politics)...
Remarkably, 57% of young people said they would prefer a strong leader rather than a democracy. 33% said they would prefer military rule.
Britain’s creative superpowers (world-leading):
- BBC
- Premier League
- Music
- Film
- Net Zero and pioneering commitment to Sustainability
"We need to maintain our world leading soft power” Lucy Frazer
“Don’t be too nostalgic. The past is a floor, not a ceiling. We need a new economic plan for Britain. We need to reimagine role of state to become an enabler of Britain. We should aspire for Britain to be the greatest country in the World for young people.” Jeremy Darroch
"I've Just joined the board of the Guardian and we've discussed recently that Brits have a really strong reputation for leadership – known as competent, fair, strong values. We need to recognise the reality of our situation, which is an aging and fragile European democracy which can only be strengthened by collaborative leadership." Matt Brittin
The panel were then asked about leadership in the context of such a turbulent operating landscape. What leadership qualities would leaders need in 2025 and beyond?
“The ability to make good decisions under pressure” Jeremy Darroch
"Curiosity & Humanity – continually learning and communicating." Audience
“We have established shared values. Politicians need to deliver on their vision, not just pander to what they think voters want. Even Trump does this – despite obvious flaws in values” Lucy Frazer
“The education system is flawed. It fails to encourage creativity or critical thinking etc. It is really hard to change the education system but we have to start.” Matt Brittin
“Same with the healthcare system, it is not fit for purpose i.e. healthcare is focused on cure, not prevention. We have to adapt the structure and strategy” Jeremy Darroch
"We’re in a new world order, there are lots of uncertainties. It is impossible to predict long term accurately, so leaders need to lead competently against a backdrop of continual uncertainty. Not easy, but we need to get used to it and fast." Matt Brittin
Matt...
- Agility
- Experimentation and scaling
- Quick decision-making
- Act like we’re in a permanent crisis (not panic, but lead with intent) so we cam move quickly
Lucy...
- Risk-taking – politicians are bad at this – too scared of failure
- Honesty – be honest if you fail, be honest that this decision is a risk
- Black-box thinking (like aviation sector) – analyse disasters/crashes – don’t blame, just learn and adapt
The subject of increasing societal polarisation arose, and the panel were then asked their views on causality and solutions...
Causes:
- Algorithms separate us instead of connecting us
- Political system is set up to make us adversarial
- Wealth gap is increasing
- Social cohesion is eroding
Solutions:
- It is not only the role of the government. Communities and businesses are also responsible for collaborating/connecting etc. (Lucy)
- Self-image is hugely important. Self-fulfilling prophecy happens. (Jeremy)
- One of Britain’s best assets is humour, so how can we inject humour and joy to connect people? We also need to cross-collaborate. E.g. there is not much big business experience in government and we need it. (Matt)
Session 4. What is Going on in the World?
Speakers
- Ben Page – Global CEO, Ipsos
- Jennifer Nadel – CoDirector, Compassion in Politics
- Kamal Ahmed – Director of Audio, Telegraph
- Patrick Harrison – Partner, Highgate
- Rupa Dash – CEO, World Woman Foundation
Badged as a dialogue on current affairs, this was a session of interest to many given the increasing complexity of big-ticket, global issues in recent months and the potential reshaping of world order in the wake of Trumpist chaos. A diverse panel with Q&A from the audience meant for a lively and thought-provoking discussion...
Key Quotes...
Ben - “The risk with authoritarianism is that, in the end, most people go along with it”
Audience - "Yes, until some brave resistance emerges!"
Jennifer - "Rampant neo-liberation led us here. Never let a good crisis go to waste. Let’s take Labours commitment to growth – How can we have growth without focusing on 'sustainable' growth? The US Democrats lost because they failed to address the needs of the system, Labour are doing the same."
Kamal - "I’m more optimistic. There needs to be a realisation about the new sense of individualism and personal action. Trump’s strategy is chaos. Trump is resistant to knowledge and facts because by knowing things he has to compute them and he is not willing to."
AI – "Within 10 years we could have the ability to cure all diseases, within 5 years AI could be more intelligent than humans."
Ben - "My company is a product of capitalism and democracy. As much as the 70’s had good music, life was worse. It's easy to forget how good the world is today in many ways."
Kamal - (On culture) "The idea of enforced societal values is scary. When the public is told what is right and wrong, a significant percentage will just resist it."
Ben - "We have one of the meanest social welfare systems in OECD. The binary two-tier culture in Britain of upper and middle class is long gone now, it's been far more blurred and nuanced for a long time now."
Kamal - "45% of our economic activity is from the state i.e. public sector. Not sustainable."
Jennifer - "We need a “well-being index” not just measuring GDP. We need to find a consensus about what matters most to people e.g. Brexiteers V’s Remainers – both want the best Britain."
Ben - (On measuring happiness instead of GDP) – "I don't feel it's the government's specific responsibility to make people happy, but to create the conditions for a happy society, but individuals are then responsible for their own happiness. The reality is that a bit more money will make you happy!"
Kamal - (On citizens assemblies) – "Not everyone has the time, or motivation, to participate. Also, not many of the public have in-depth knowledge on issues like trade policy and inflation etc, so can't contribute from an informed perspective."
Jennifer - "Yes but participants at citizens assemblies are paid for their time. They don’t need to be experts as we bring in experts to advise them."
Session 5. 'Hope Not Tate'
Speakers
- Andi Hickman (Director of External Relations, Football Beyond Borders)
- Dan Allchurch (CEO, Talk Consent)
- David Harland (CEO Lost Gardens of Heligan)
- Duro Oye (CEO, 20/20 Levels)
- Thurstan Crockett (SW Regional Lead, A Band of Brothers)
Just a week after the now viral Gareth Southgate speech on the need for young boys to have role models rather than porn and video games, and against a backdrop of increasingly hateful misogynistic influencers leading to dangerous gender polarisation exemplified in the blockbuster Netflix series Adolescence, 'Hope Not Tate' was always going to be an emotionally-charged session. In a room that was bursting to the seams, the panel warned the audience that what would follow would be frank and brutal, but urged delegates to participate to make this a constructive session that would try to find solutions to an issue that weighs heavy on the minds of an increasing number of modern parents in Britain. Sobering stats, some terrifying examples and anecdotes, but as hoped, some incredibly powerful sources of hope and inspiration.
Key Points...
The Stats:
- Half a million young males are not in work or education (risen 45% since Covid).
- 50% are not looking for work/education
- 75% suicides are male
- 70% homeless are male
- 90% prisoners are male
- 60% reoffend within a year
- 1,400 young men under 25 are serving life
- Boys falling behind girls in every area of school
- 70% school exclusions are male
Within the dark confines of social media, there is an increasing pressure for young men to model a certain type of masculinity, a masculinity that is at odds with the real world values that older generations of males have grown up to believe are noble and chivalrous when it comes to their relationship with the other sex. Members of the audience argued that this is down to a confusing idea of what it means to be male due to opposing role models, leading to a concerning lack of purpose.
What do we want?
- Happy, healthy men
- Men who see a clear role for themselves in society
- Men who can express their emotions without being hateful/violent
- Men who realise the talents and strengths they have
- Men who realise the opportunities that do exist in society
Takeaway Quote...
“Hurt people, hurt people, so, let’s ask what’s happened to them, rather than just seeing them as inherently bad." Thurstan Crockett
"Too many men are isolated in today's society. Young men are now being exposed to a rising number of callous, manipulative and toxic influencers, whose sole drive is for their own gain. They willingly trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance, that strength means never showing emotion, and that the world, including women, is against them." Gareth Southgate (not present at Anthropy - quote from Southgate's speech at the BBC's Annual Richard Dimbleby Lecture)
This session had it all - tears, smiles, fear, inspiration, and most of all, as the title promised... hope. An incredibly powerful final session and an inspiring way to finish three incredible days at Eden Project. My first Anthropy was an eye opener and certainly won't be my last.
Rob McKay - Founder & MD, Sherrington Associates
