Marzia Aricò & Andy Polaine
LEADERSHIP RENEWAL
9-12 APRIL 2026
Step out of the noise.
Reclaim your Leadership.
Design Leadership coaches, Marzia Aricò and Andy Polaine, invite you to spend three days at the CIID Astino campus in Bergamo, Italy, for a leadership renewal.Connect with other senior design leaders in an intimate group, share your experiences, discuss, debate, cook together, eat together, enjoy some leftfield inspiration, and take part in facilitated coaching and peer-to-peer exploration.
The warmth of Italy. The clarity of coaching.
We know from our coaching experience that design leadership can feel surprisingly lonely. You are often the only person among your peers with a design background.Your calendars look like Tetris and you juggle the two identities of design and business. You lose your mojo, the outline of your story and there are few opportunities to share your experiences, hopes, fears and concerns in a safe space.You spend your days concerned about everyone else. We offer you the warmth of an Italian-style family gathering with the insight and respite of our coaching practices.This is time out to focus on yourself and re-centre. You will leave with a clear head, less noise, more confident and energised about your future.
9-12 April 2026
Bergamo, Italy
The retreat fee is €1,350 plus VAT.
This will be a small group of maximum 25 participants.To register, we ask for a €150 deposit to secure your place. The deposit is non-refundable should you cancel. Should the retreat not go ahead due to insufficient numbers or cancellation on our side, your deposit will be refunded in full. The remaining balance of €1,200, plus VAT on the full amount, is due by March 18th, 2026. You will receive a payment link by email ahead of the deadline.
Hosted at the CIID campus, where design and technology meet.
CIID is an international hub of creative minds driven by a deep passion for people and a life-centred approach, creating positive impact through the design of innovative products, services, and environments.This spirit is embodied in its home in Bergamo, Italy, where nature, history, and design meet in extraordinary ways. Nestled in the hills of the Astino Valley, also known as the Valley of Biodiversity, CIID is located within a thoughtfully renovated 12th-century monastery that now serves as a vibrant space for creativity, education, and collaboration, offering a living landscape in which to explore regenerative design and technology.
Your hosts.
Marzia Aricò is a leadership coach, author and public speaker. She operates at the junction of design, organisational transformation, and AI. Marzia pushes executives to treat AI as an amplifier of judgement rather than a shortcut. Her work centres on building systems where customer evidence, data, and design inform choices at every level of the enterprise.She has supported global companies such as adidas, JPMorgan Chase, Xero, and Gucci. With a PhD in organisational studies and a background in strategic design, she is known for embedding design as a governance capability inside complex organisations. She is the author of “Design Leadership Chronicles,” and the founder of Design Mavericks.
Andy Polaine is a design leadership coach, educator, speaker and writer who helps clients transform their organisations and themselves. For several years he worked at Fjord where he was APAC Regional Design Director.He is co-author of the book, Service Design: From Insight to Implementation and has over three decades of experience in design and innovation with clients across a broad range of industries. He holds a PhD from the University of Technology, Sydney and teaches on the MA Service Design at the Hochschule Luzern, Switzerland. He writes a popular newsletter called Doctor’s Note and hosts the Power of Ten podcast.
The programme.
Thursday 9 April
Arrival & Welcome
17:00–22:00Ease into the retreat and into the group.Welcome dinner cooked by Marzia and AndyGuided conversations to get to know each otherSetting intentions and framing the days ahead
Friday 10 April
Storytelling
09:00–17:30Storytelling inputs and short exercisesExperience: Visit to the local theatre in the city of Bergamo, exploring dramaturgy, presence, and deliveryCrafting and refining your own leadership storiesPeer feedback, iteration, and reflection
Focus: finding your narrative and making it land.
Saturday 11 April
Stepping into your power
09:00–21:00Walk-and-talk coaching conversationsClarity on agency, blockers, and next stepsExperience: Leadership through food. Learning from a chef hosting, decision-making, delegationCollective cooking and shared dinner experiencePersonal commitments for the months ahead
Focus: reclaiming momentum, confidence, and direction.
A carefully designed leadership experience.
What’s included
Your participation includes three days of coaching and facilitation led by Marzia Aricò and Andy Polaine, access to and use of the CIID Astino campus throughout the retreat, and all programme materials. The retreat also includes two curated, tailored experiences with a professional actor and a chef, designed as integral parts of the leadership work. Light breakfasts are provided each morning, as well as a shared dinner on the first evening and the final night.
What’s not included
Accommodation and transportation to and from Bergamo and the CIID campus are not included. Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and lodging. Relevant travel and accommodation details are provided below.
Still have questions? Get in touch.
© Marzia Aricò & Andy Polaine 2026