19-20 september 2024

upn retreat
BARCELONA

Elevating Excellence:
In Our People, Our Clients,
and  Our Agencies

Don’t miss the UPN Retreat 2024: GEAR UP. This gathering is more than an event; it’s a beacon for growth and excellence within our network of PR agencies and our amazing clients. This year, we’re channeling our focus into three empowering pillars:
Grow Myself, Grow Our Clients, Grow Our Agencies.
Each pillar is a testament to our commitment to advance collectively and individually in this dynamic world of public relations and integrated communications.

Grow myself

Personal Empowerment for Professional Impact in the Grow Myself sessions, we aim to fortify your personal skills, vital for professional impact. These segments are dedicated to personal development – from enhancing leadership qualities to fostering innovative thinking. You’ll have access to workshops and presentations designed to bolster your professional presence, emotional intelligence, and communication skills. Our goal is to nurture your individual strengths, facilitating not only your professional growth but also enriching your personal life.

grow our clients

Fortifying Partnerships for Mutual Success Under ‘Grow Our Clients’, the spotlight is on nurturing and elevating our client relationships. This pillar is dedicated to mastering the art of client service and success in the PR sector. Learn about emerging trends, understand how to leverage new communications channels, and discover innovative strategies and ideas to keep your clients at the forefront. These sessions are tailored to enhance your expertise in delivering outstanding results, ensuring our clients’ voices are not just heard, but resonate powerfully in their respective industries.

grow our agencies

Collaborative Growth for Collective Strength The ‘Grow Our Agencies’ segment is focused on the growth and development of our agencies and our network as a cohesive unit. Here, we’ll explore strategies for agency growth, effective team collaboration, and sustainable business practices. This is an opportunity to learn from seasoned industry leaders about scaling businesses, fostering a productive agency culture, and thriving in an ever-evolving marketplace. It’s a chance to strengthen our network, forge new alliances, and share insights that benefit us all.

partners

See what happened at the UPN retreat last year.

Barcelona, known for its rich culture and dynamic spirit, became host to the most memorable UPN Retreat by far – Slow Down 2 Speed UP.
At first glance, the theme may seem paradoxical. But as many successful teams have found, sometimes it’s essential to slow down in order to truly speed up: by taking a moment to pause, reflect, and deeply understand, we can act with greater clarity, precision, and purpose. In this city of art and history, we embarked on such a journey filled with connections, creativity, and celebrations. Clients, agencies, partners, comms professionals, and thought leaders came together to create a space of learning and growth. We allowed ourselves to sit, listen, and reflect, so we can be better equipped to act, realize, and execute in the future.

REGISTRATION

UPN MEMBERS & CLIENTS

Including: 19th September: Interactive sessions in the afternoon, welcome drinks, welcome dinner

20th September: Conference participation, coffee, breaks, lunch, celebration dinner, party, entertainment

non-members

Including: 19th September: Interactive sessions in the afternoon, welcome drinks, welcome dinner

20th September: Conference participation, coffee, breaks, lunch, celebration dinner, party, entertainment

SPOUSES & FAMILY

Including: 19th September: welcome drinks, welcome dinner


20th September: celebration dinner, party, entertainment

DAY One
19. september

All day arrivals

14:30 - 16:00

Innovation workshop for communications leaders: Disrupt the AI disruption - Pedro Janela, CEO and Founder WYGroup

16:00 - 16:30

Coffee break

16:30 - 18:00

Business Owners Mastermind Session Group 1: The mastermind group session is designed to connect agency leaders. In a safe space you will inspire each other how to tackle some of the most burning topics your business is facing today. Through experience sharing you will unite to find ideas that work and make a difference in the communications industry.

16:30 - 18:00

Business Owners Mastermind Session Group 2

20:00 - 22:30

Networking dinner and drinks

day Two
20. SeptembeR

08:30 - 09:00

Morning meditation 

09:00 - 09:20

Welcome to Barcelona experience

09:20 - 09:30

Official Opening

09:30 - 10:15

Client-centric account growth – Jenny Plant, owner of Account Management Skills

10:15 - 11:00

Purpose and colleague engagement, Ivanka Djoleva-Minioti, Senior Director, Corporate and Government Affairs Europe at Mondelēz International

11:00 - 11:30

Networking break

11:30 - 12:30

AI in communications: experience share

Richard Fogg, CEO, CCGroup
Madelene Kornfehl, CEO Cloudberry Communications AB
Juha Frey, CEO, NetProfile
Patryk Novak, Prowly

12:30 - 13:30

Lunch

13:30 - 13:50

Energy boost

13:50 - 15:00

Agency growth: Winning new business – Bronwen Andrews, Managing Director, Business Development EMEA, Real Chemistry

15:00 - 16:00

AI in PA: The potential of AI to transform public affairs work, Jeff Berkowitz, founder and CEO of Delve, Washington’s preeminent competitive intelligence and risk advisory firm

16:00 - 16:30

Networking break

16:30 - 17:15

Value over vanity: or how to measure success in communications/Raina Lazarova, Global Chair AMEC, Co-Founder and COO of Ruepoint

17:15 - 17:45

Keynote speech: The 3Cs of Influential Reputations by Aline Badr Impactful leaders become powerful not because of their authority or title but because of

their ability to lead themselves so they can influence, inspire and impact the people and circumstances around them. Aline Badr is Certified Global Executive Coach and Reputation Advisor as she shares the 3Cs that earn a reputation of lasting influence + impact.

17:45 - 18:00

Closing of learning part (with a bang)

18:00 - 20:30

Free time

20:30 - 02:00

Celebration party dinner

day THREE
21. September

All day departures

Optional experiences
(send request: upn@united-partners.com):

  • Wine tasting

  • Boat trip

2024 speakers

  • Interactive sessions, welcome networking dinner and drinks

    A stunning rooftop for our welcome networking dinner, with amazing city views.

    19 September

    14:30 - 18:00 interactive workshops 

    20:00 - Networking dinner and drinks

  • Conference venue

    A conference venue right in the heart of Barcelona, just steps from Rambla de Catalunya, Paseo de Gracia, Casa Mila, and Casa Batllo.

    20th September 

    Conference 8:30 - 18:00

  • Closing party

    A beautiful beachside location next to W hotel for our closing party dinner, perfect for unwinding to the sound of the waves and a breathtaking sunset.

    20th September 

    Dinner and party 20:30 - 02:00

Need some more convincing?

Read about the experience from last year’s retreat.