“Inspirational”, “mind-refreshing”, “an enriching experience”, “an invitation to strive for”. These are some of the reactions of Kuba employees who came together for last week’s 20:30 Club Conference.

Coming from our offices in the UK, France, Denmark, Italy and South Africa, they represented talent from every business function across our global team.

The concept of the 20:30 Club is closely tied to ‘Community’, one of the six pillars of Kuba. This is the foundation on which we build our culture and business, and ‘Community’ is critical. It recognises that nurturing our talent has a lasting positive impact, extending beyond the walls of our offices and into the communities where Kuba technology makes a difference.

Mixing work and play

Kuba’s 20:30 Club brought together a group of innovators and creators who will play a part in the future success story of Kuba. Alongside fun experiences in the capital, interactive workshops at Kuba’s London HQ tested their creativity, tenacity and competitive spirit.

To build a sense of anticipation, the agenda was a closely guarded secret until the day the guests arrived. The first afternoon was an opportunity to experience ‘iconic’ London: sightseeing in a privately hired Routemaster bus and a ride on the London Eye with the whole city in view. In the evening, delegates got to know each other over dinner.

Rising to the challenge

As the four days of activities unfolded, there was a growing buzz in the air. A wine tasting session at an East End wine bar was much enjoyed, and a scavenger hunt involved teams using London’s many modes of public transport to capture photos around the city.

The second evening separated the team into smaller groups for ‘salon dinners’ hosted by some of London’s most successful entrepreneurs. This was an opportunity to experience different cultures and cuisines at excellent restaurants, and also to tap into some of the best business minds in the UK and learn about the secrets of fast growth organisations.

Everyone in the group gained confidence as they stepped outside of their comfort zone to tackle team tasks. These included challenges set against the clock, like learning how to take a professional portrait photo, and uncovering and presenting a colleague’s life story.

Long-lasting impact

So what is the objective of the 20:30 Club? Aaron Ross, Kuba’s CEO, explains:

“The 20:30 Club is all about building a network of our future leaders, imagining what we can achieve collectively by 2030 if we continue to raise the bar.

“We brought together people from different backgrounds, with different strengths and skills, and enabled them to work collaboratively. We asked them to share their perspectives on what Kuba stands for and how we grow. We gave them the chance to think about things they might do differently – or tear up and redesign – to support our growth.

“Going forward, the 20:30 Club will allow this network of colleagues to pick up the phone and talk to someone they might not otherwise have known. We want them to go back to their offices energised about the future of working collaboratively across the globe. And we want their colleagues to share their aspirations and strive to be in the next 20:30 Club.”

A transformative experience

From the attendees point of view, being included was seen as a reward for their hard work and dedication. With service to our company ranging from one to 28 years, many of them said that they felt “trusted”, “recognised”, “valued” or “honoured” to be invited.

This was the first trip to the UK for many and will become a special memory. Oupa Lintso, Application Support Technician, Kuba South Africa, said, “This was my first time overseas. When we landed at Heathrow airport, it was a wow situation! On the same day, we went to London landmarks and took photos. It was a beautiful moment for all of us.”

The activities were carefully curated to drive self discovery and inspire confidence to both collaborate and lead. Marius von Molendorff, Customer Relationship Manager, Kuba South Africa, said, “I quickly understood that we are all human, regardless of the position we hold. Leadership involves teamwork, proper communication, trust and mutual respect.”

The event has succeeded in creating a global community that will continue using their new connections. A Blink channel set up to keep the delegates in touch has been pinging since everyone returned home. There are plans underway to work together on initiatives beyond the daily scope of their roles, elevating their development and Kuba’s mission.

Check out our photo gallery capturing some highlights of the Kuba 20:30 Club Conference…