On September 25th, 2024, the Business Agility Conference UK took place at the Open University. I had the honour of chairing this incredible track, where leaders, practitioners, and thinkers came together to share cutting-edge insights on business agility. The conference covered various aspects of agility, from cultural shifts to operational effectiveness, all aimed at helping businesses adapt and thrive in an unpredictable world.
As I reflect on the day, I wanted to share my key takeaways—insights that resonated with me and will hopefully inspire further dialogue in the global business agility community. Each speaker brought a unique perspective, making it one of the most engaging conferences I’ve ever attended. Below are my reflections on the emerging themes tied to the expert talks that shaped them.
1. No Matter What the Future Brings — Evan Leybourn
The opening keynote from Evan, Cofounder and Head of Advocacy & Thought-Leadership of the Business Agility Institute, set the tone for the entire day. His talk, "No Matter What the Future Brings," explored how businesses excel in times of crisis not through rigid efficiency but through resilience, adaptability, and purpose-driven work. Evan stressed that companies are often good at responding during emergencies but struggle to dynamically allocate resources and unlock the full potential of their teams during normal times.
His key message was that success hinges on behavioural change. He used the metaphor of a dragon boat team to illustrate how even well-coordinated efforts can be undermined if the systems and processes in place are not aligned with the desired new behaviours. Evan reminded us that agility goes beyond processes—it is a cultural and behavioural transformation that enables businesses to thrive, no matter what challenges lie ahead.
2. The Leadership of Business Agility: Harnessing Collaborative Systemic Intelligence — Philippe Guenet
In his talk, "The Leadership of Business Agility: Harnessing Collaborative Systemic Intelligence," Philippe explored how collaborative intelligence can drive business agility. Philippe emphasised the importance of cross-functional collaboration and transparent communication in creating an environment where innovation can flourish.
He discussed how leaders can foster a culture of openness, where all team members feel empowered to contribute their ideas and collaborate toward a common goal. His insights on collaborative intelligence were a powerful reminder that agility is not just about speed or efficiency—it's about harnessing the organisation's collective intelligence to solve complex problems.
3. How Marketers Are Building Business Agility — Pam Ashby
Pam's talk, "How Marketers Are Building Business Agility," brought a fresh perspective to the conference. She focused on how marketing teams adopt agile practices to stay relevant in a world driven by rapid changes in customer behaviour and digital technology. Pam highlighted the importance of quick feedback loops, iterative campaign development, and the ability to pivot strategies in real time based on data.
Her talk was particularly insightful for non-IT professionals in the audience. It demonstrated that agility is not confined to software development. Pam showed how the same principles of responsiveness, customer focus, and iterative improvement are helping marketing teams create more impactful and personalised campaigns.
4. How Does an Organisation Become More Agile? And Why Would It? — Peter Coesmans
In his talk, "How Does an Organisation Become More Agile? And Why Would It?" Peter tackled a foundational question, diving deep into the reasons why agility is critical for businesses today, linking it to long-term competitiveness, customer satisfaction, and innovation.
He outlined the steps organisations need to take to become more agile, from embracing a culture of continuous improvement to investing in the right technologies and processes. Peter’s session provided a comprehensive framework for organisations at any stage of their agility journey, showing how incremental changes can lead to significant long-term benefits.
5. Accelerating Sustainable Practices Through Business Agility and Workforce Empowerment — Scott Seivwright
Scott took the stage next with a powerful talk titled "Accelerating Sustainable Practices Through Business Agility and Workforce Empowerment." He explored how agile methodologies can be applied to sustainability efforts, showing that empowering teams to make decisions autonomously can drive business success and environmental stewardship.
He shared compelling examples of businesses that have embraced sustainability through iterative, agile processes, allowing them to adapt to regulatory changes while innovating in green practices. Scott’s message was clear: businesses that integrate sustainability into their core operations while remaining agile are better positioned for long-term success.
6. Leading with Agility: Uniting Team, Culture, and Elevating Performance for Business Success — Sheetal Thaker
Sheetal delivered an inspiring session titled "Leading with Agility: Uniting Team, Culture, and Elevating Performance for Business Success." She emphasised that true business agility is deeply rooted in culture and behaviour. She shared powerful examples of how companies have successfully cultivated a culture of psychological safety, allowing teams to take risks, experiment, and learn from failures without fear of repercussions.
Sheetal’s focus on leadership as a driver of cultural change resonated strongly with me. While processes are important, she argued that the key to business agility lies in empowering and supporting people. Sheetal left us with a clear message: to unlock the potential of business agility, organisations must foster an environment where teams can innovate and thrive.
7. How to Enable Business Simplicity and Accelerate Value Creation — Kwasi Amponsa
Kwasi’s talk, "How to Enable Business Simplicity and Accelerate Value Creation," focused on simplifying business processes to enhance agility. He made a compelling case for reducing governance, operations, and decision-making complexity to allow teams to focus on value creation.
Kwasi provided case studies of organisations that had successfully stripped away unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, enabling faster decision-making and more dynamic resource allocation. His talk reminded us that while complexity might seem necessary in a large organisation, it often stands in the way of true agility. Leaders must constantly look for ways to simplify processes to unlock greater value.
8. Organisational Agility – Beyond the Rhetoric, What it Is and How to Measure It — Patrick Hoverstadt
In his talk, "Organisational Agility – Beyond the Rhetoric, What it Is and How to Measure It," Patrick dissected the concept of agility, distinguishing between its strategic and operational dimensions. Patrick stressed that while many organisations focus on operational agility—the ability to respond to day-to-day challenges—strategic agility is equally important, if not more so.
He argued that strategic agility allows businesses to anticipate future trends, pivot their strategies, and remain competitive in the long term. Patrick provided practical tools for measuring agility, encouraging organisations to look beyond short-term fixes and consider how well they are positioned to adapt to larger, more systemic changes.
9. 3 Surprising Truths About New Age Leadership — Alize Hofmeester
Alize delivered a thought-provoking talk titled "3 Surprising Truths About New Age Leadership." She explored the evolving nature of leadership in an agile business environment, focusing on the qualities modern leaders need to cultivate, such as emotional intelligence, adaptability, and the ability to inspire others.
She challenged several traditional leadership norms, encouraging leaders to take a more people-centered approach. Alize’s session left the audience reflecting on their leadership styles and how they can continue to evolve to meet the needs of their teams.
10. Strategy Leadership with OKRs in the Face of Complexity — Allan Kelly
Allan's talk, "Strategy Leadership with OKRs in the Face of Complexity," filled a crucial gap in the day's discussions by focusing on how Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) can drive strategic agility. Allan emphasised that traditional planning methods often fall short in complex and unpredictable environments. OKRs provide a flexible framework that allows organisations to set clear objectives while adapting to change.
He illustrated how OKRs enable teams to focus on outcomes rather than outputs, fostering an environment where innovation can thrive. Allan shared practical insights on aligning OKRs across teams and ensuring everyone moves toward the same strategic goals. His talk reinforced that agility requires operational adjustments, strategic clarity, and alignment.
11. The 5 Characters of Business Agility: Unleashing Your Organisation’s Potential — Giles Lindsay
Closing out the conference and giving my talk, "The 5 Characters of Business Agility: Unleashing Your Organisation’s Potential," was a real highlight. I identified five key leadership roles, or ‘characters’, that enable organisations to achieve agility: The Nurturer, The Conductor, The Artisan, The Shape-Shifter, and The Sprinter. Each character is vital in steering the organisation through complexity and ensuring that teams are empowered to innovate.
I argued that leaders must be adaptable, switching between these roles depending on the situation. This dynamic leadership model ensures that businesses can remain resilient and responsive, even in the face of unforeseen challenges. The framework provided a practical tool for leaders to assess their approach to fostering agility within their organisations.
Conclusion
The Business Agility Conference UK 2024 provided a wealth of knowledge, with each speaker offering valuable insights into how we can embed agility at every level of our organisations. As the conference chair, I was privileged to witness these conversations and the exchange of ideas that will undoubtedly shape the future of business agility.
Recurring themes included resilience, collaboration, culture, simplicity, and strategic alignment, and it is clear that businesses need to focus on these areas to remain competitive in an unpredictable world. From Evan Leybourn's emphasis on behavioural change to Allan Kelly's insights on the strategic use of OKRs, each session added a piece to the puzzle of what makes an agile organisation.
Looking ahead, I am excited to announce that planning is already underway for the Business Agility Conference UK 2025, which will take place during the week commencing September 22nd, 2025. I look forward to building on the success of this year's event and continuing to engage with the global business agility community. Together, we can navigate the complexities of the future, no matter what challenges lie ahead.
About the Author
Giles Lindsay is a technology executive, business agility coach, and CEO of Agile Delta Consulting Limited. Renowned for his award-winning expertise, Giles was recently honoured in the prestigious "World 100 CIO/CTO 2024" listing by Marlow Business School. He has a proven track record in driving digital transformation and technological leadership, adeptly scaling high-performing delivery teams across various industries, from nimble startups to leading enterprises. His roles, from CTO or CIO to visionary change agent, have always centred on defining overarching technology strategies and aligning them with organisational objectives.
Giles is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI), the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT (FBCS), and The Institution of Analysts & Programmers (FIAP). His leadership across the UK and global technology companies has consistently fostered innovation, growth, and adept stakeholder management. With a unique ability to demystify intricate technical concepts, he’s enabled better ways of working across organisations.
Giles’ commitment extends to the literary realm with his book: “Clearly Agile: A Leadership Guide to Business Agility”. This comprehensive guide focuses on embracing Agile principles to effect transformative change in organisations. An ardent advocate for continuous improvement and innovation, Giles is unwaveringly dedicated to creating a business world that prioritises value, inclusivity, and societal advancement.
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gileslindsay/
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