Submitted by Richard.Parfitt on
Updated April 2026
By Richard Parfitt (Marketing Director, iVentiv and author of the iVentiv Pulse Report)
As a CLO or Global Head of Learning and Talent, there is no shortage of Learning conferences, events, or webinars that you can attend. There’s a keynote speaker, exhibition stands, and a room full of excited Learning professionals ready and raring to go.
Those events can be a good opportunity to hear case studies and take a whistle-stop tour of what’s happening in the industry. But they aren’t always the best way to take away real, actionable ideas. If you’re in a senior role at a big organisation, especially, you can spend a lot of time speaking to early career attendees from smaller learning teams who aren’t dealing with the same challenges.
But big conferences and ‘sit and listen’ events aren’t the only option for Heads of L&D and Chief Learning Officers. In this blog, we look at how CLOs can take the pulse of the industry, connect with other senior executives, and find solutions to their challenges at collaborative, iVentiv events in locations around the world.
Key Takeaways
- Big conferences offer breadth, but often lack depth for senior L&D leaders
- Peer-to-peer, collaborative formats deliver more actionable insights
- Smaller, curated groups enable more relevant and meaningful discussions
- The most valuable events focus on real-world challenges, not generic content
- Interactive, experience-led learning mirrors how leaders actually develop
The Best Chief Learning Officer Conference May Not be a Conference at All
Bigger isn’t always better. Yes, there are a lot of big conferences around the world where L&D professionals at every level and all types of organisation come together. Typically, these include a conference space with a mix of keynote speakers, case study presentations, and panel sessions.
There are a lot of helpful insights to take away from these sessions, but the opportunities to get into your own challenges are limited. There might be time for questions at the end of each presentation, but for the most part it’s a one-way experience.
Then, if you take some time to visit the exhibition space, you spend a lot of time picking up branded stationery at the stands or having brief conversations with junior sales employees. That can be frustrating if you’re a function lead for a global organisation. The vendor might have a really enticing offering, but you need to speak to the CEO or the L&D experts who are behind the product.
And if you want to find the other CLOs attending to share experiences with them? You might bump into them as you walk around, but there are so many people that it might be difficult to arrange. When you do manage it, chances are it’s a brief chat and not an in-depth examination of your Learning strategy.
Big events, in other words, have their place. They do a lot to bring larger groups together and showcase the latest and most attention-grabbing trends in the industry. But as a senior leader, you’re not alone if you think there’s something missing.
The Best Events for CLOs are Collaborative
L&D leaders know that the best learning rarely comes in the form of ‘sit and listen’ style sessions. The 70:20:10 learning model is one that Learning functions have put to good use over many years now.
But then why are so many of the learning opportunities for CLOs themselves based on sitting and listening? Instead, the best events for Chief Learning Officers are those where you can get into the 70 and the 20, with peer learning and collaborative work focused on applied, real-world challenges.
iVentiv events are built around experience-sharing sessions, problem-solving breakouts, and collaborative workshops. Instead of one speaker, with a PowerPoint presentation and a single point of view, every aspect of the event is an interactive exchange. The event is called an Executive Knowledge Exchange for a reason.
Each iVentiv event has a maximum of 40 attendees, all of whom are global function leads in a large organisation. The average attendee has a multi-million-dollar budget and tens of thousands of learners under their remit. That intimate, focused group means that every conversation you have is aligned to the challenges you’re facing in your role.
Typical sessions at an iVentiv event include:
- The iVentiv Collaborative Café: With ‘speed dating’ in pairs, focused on key topics identified by the group, followed by a group exercise to summarise the different perspectives in the room.
- Peer Coaching: A small group exercise where you can share a live personal development challenge and get instant feedback and ideas.
- The iVentiv Fishbowl: A quickfire session, focused on next actions, where anyone can raise a question and crowdsource ideas from the rest of the group.
- Breakout Conversations: Heads of Learning and Talent bring a live challenge from their organisation and invite you to work with them on next steps and solutions, including a chance to discuss similar projects and applications in your own organisations.
In every session, the key is conversation. Instead of talking at you, iVentiv events are all about you doing the talking with your fellow Learning and Talent experts.
The Best CLO Events Are Focused on New Ideas for the Biggest L&D Priorities
Too often, the topics you end up hearing about at events are dictated by the conference organiser or a keynote speaker with a vested interest in the topic at hand. That can mean that you get a lot of information about a solution that isn’t right for you, or a topic that simply isn’t relevant for your organisation.
Instead, the best events for Chief Learning Officers surface the challenges that are top of mind for the group who are in the room. At iVentiv events, from the moment you register your iVentiv contacts work to understand how the event can be shaped around you. Before the event, you complete a pre-event questionnaire where you select your biggest priorities.
All this helps to shape the topics and questions on the day. Every event is different, but the most selected topics for Learning leaders on their pre-event questionnaires over the last year are:
- Leadership and Executive Development: 61%
- Artificial Intelligence: 60%
- Reskilling and Upskilling: 55%
- Learning Culture: 47%
- Change Management: 40%
If you want to know more about the top priorities for the Global Heads of Learning and Talent who attend iVentiv events, download the iVentiv Pulse Report.
Expert-Led Collaborative Events for Heads of Learning
While big conferences will typically bring in a big name, celebrity keynote speaker, that doesn’t necessarily deliver the kind of insights that you can action when you return to your organisations.
At a conversational event, where the participants lead the discussion rather than a single speaker, contributors should be facilitators rather than lecturers. With iVentiv events, for example, facilitators and event chairs are genuine L&D experts from global organisations. Regular event chairs include Karen Kocher (Global GM, Learning & Skilling, Microsoft), Professor Dr Nick Van Dam (Former CLO, McKinsey & Co.), Jay Moore (Former CLO, GE Corporate), Charles Jennings (Co-Founder, 70:20:10 Institute) and Tyra Malzy (Chief People Officer, Zoī).
Location matters too. An exhibition hall or an auditorium takes a big group, but events that take place in a genuine corporate setting give you a taste for another organisation’s business and learning culture. Novartis, McDonald’s, GE, AXA, Visa, Toyota, Citi, MetLife, Standard Chartered, LinkedIn, ASML, Microsoft, Lloyds Banking Group and many more have hosted iVentiv events in the past.
It’s not just about having an inspiring space. When you can get a small group of senior Learning leaders together, you can bring in senior leaders and others from the host company and have a genuine discussion about what Learning is and should be doing. CHROs, Chief AI Officers, function leaders, and frontline managers have all joined iVentiv events in the past and offered their perspective on how well L&D serves them. The result is a two-way dialogue, with both sides able to find new ideas that could work for them.
Events Recommended by Chief Learning Officers
There’s a reason that iVentiv events have an all-time event satisfaction score of 93% and a net promoter score in the 90s. The Global Heads of Learning and Talent who attend iVentiv events are enthusiastic in their praise for the interactive format and the senior group that comes together. Here are just a few examples:
“The last two days have left me recharged and re-energised. Loved the breadth of topics and quality of participants sharing insights.”
- Chief Learning Officer, Shell
“My experience at iVentiv was rich with insight and learnings from my peers who are challenged by the same problems and opportunities. It was a meaningful experience, well worth the time!”
- Global Head of Learning & Leadership Development, Invesco
“Such an interactive couple of days, thanks so much for all of the insights and some connections I know will be long-lasting and incredibly beneficial! Good to meet everyone and such a lovely setting too!”
– Global Head of Talent, CBRE
“I had a lot of fun facilitating an energising session at the iVentiv Learning Futures conference. Instead of slides, we rolled up our sleeves with sticky notes, pens, and plenty of debate.”
– VP, Skills & Development, RedHat
“Thank you iVentiv and a big shoutout to the Talent Management colleagues for our open and transparent dialogues throughout the days. You’ll see me again.”
– VP, Global Talent Management, HARMAN International
Where Can You Network with Chief Learning Officers? iVentiv Events Around the World
iVentiv events take place in locations all round the world and participants frequently fly in from elsewhere to attend. There is no registration fee, and attendance is limited to senior L&D leaders in global roles. That makes iVentiv events the ideal way to network with CLOs and Heads of Learning and Talent.
iVentiv delivers events across the world, including Europe, the United States, and Asia, with regular events in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UAE and the US.
Beyond L&D Conferences: Collaborative Events for CLOs
There is a place for a wide range of events and conferences in the world of Learning & Development. Big conferences bring everyone from all levels and organisation sizes together. Panels and case studies can showcase successful programmes. Keynote speakers can inspire and create a real sense of occasion.
For CLOs and Heads of Learning and Talent who are looking to connect with others in similar positions, with similar remits, and take away real-life examples that they can implement in their organisations, you need something more interactive and collaborative. To get involved at an iVentiv Executive Knowledge Exchange for Heads of Learning, Talent Management, and Executive Development, sign up today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best event for Chief Learning Officers?
The best events for Chief Learning Officers are often small, collaborative, and peer-led rather than large-scale conferences. While a typical Learning & Development conference focuses on presentations and keynote speakers, the most effective CLO events prioritise discussion, problem-solving, and experience-sharing.iVentiv events are designed specifically for senior Learning & Development leaders, enabling you to explore real challenges with peers and leave with practical, actionable solutions you can apply immediately.
How do iVentiv events compare to a traditional Chief Learning Officer conference?
A traditional Chief Learning Officer conference or Chief Talent Officer summit typically includes keynote sessions, panel discussions, and exhibition spaces. These formats are useful for broad insights but often lack depth.iVentiv events differ by limiting attendance to a small group of senior leaders and focusing entirely on interactive sessions. Instead of listening to presentations, you engage directly with peers, making discussions more relevant, focused, and immediately applicable to your organisation.
Are there alternatives to Chief Learning Officer webinars?
Yes. There are more effective alternatives to L&D webinars, particularly for senior leaders. Webinars are usually one-way experiences, where interaction is limited to Q&A sessions.
In contrast, iVentiv events provide a fully interactive environment where you can discuss your specific challenges, test ideas, and gain feedback from other CLOs and Global Heads of Learning and Talent. This leads to deeper learning and more meaningful outcomes than a standard webinar format.
What topics are covered at CLO events?
CLO events typically focus on key strategic priorities such as Leadership and Executive Development, Artificial Intelligence, Learning Culture, Reskilling and Upskilling, and Change Management.
At iVentiv events, these topics are not pre-determined by organisers. Instead, they are shaped by the participants through pre-event input, ensuring that every session reflects the most pressing challenges facing Chief Learning Officers today. This makes the content more relevant than many traditional Learning conferences.
Who should attend CLO events like iVentiv’s?
CLO events such as iVentiv’s are designed for senior Learning & Development leaders, including Chief Learning Officers, Chief Talent Officers, and Global Heads of Learning. If you are responsible for organisational learning strategy, leadership development, or large-scale transformation, these events provide a valuable opportunity to connect with peers, benchmark your approach, and explore solutions to shared challenges in a highly focused environment.
How are iVentiv events different from a Chief Learning Officer program or industry awards?
A Chief Learning Officer programme or an Awards system are designed to recognise achievement or provide structured development. While valuable, they tend to focus on past success or formal learning pathways. iVentiv events, by contrast, are centred on real-time collaboration. The emphasis is on solving current challenges, sharing experiences, and co-creating solutions with other senior leaders, making them more dynamic and immediately applicable.
Can attending CLO events support career development and Chief Learning Officer jobs?
Yes. Attending CLO events can directly support career progression and preparation for Chief Learning Officer jobs. By engaging with other senior leaders, you gain insight into how organisations are evolving their Learning & Development strategies and what skills are required at the highest level. In addition, the relationships built at these events can expand your professional network, opening new opportunities and providing ongoing peer support beyond the event itself.
Where can I find high-quality Chief Learning Officer events?
High-quality Chief Learning Officer events are typically held in major business hubs and are designed specifically for senior leaders. While there are many large CLO conferences and Chief Learning Officer webinars available, smaller, curated events often deliver greater value. iVentiv hosts exclusive CLO events in cities around the world, bringing together senior Learning & Development leaders in collaborative settings. These events offer a more focused, relevant, and impactful alternative to traditional conferences.
