Strengthening our partnership with The Recruitment Network: TRN Summer Retreat 2026  

Last week, our Corporate Finance Director, Chris Theobald, attended the 2026 TRN Summer Retreat, marking an important milestone in our partnership with The Recruitment Network.  

Held on 29–30 June at the Crowne Plaza in Stratford-upon-Avon, the retreat brought together around 200 business owners and senior leaders from across the UK recruitment sector. Centred around the theme of “Breakthrough” and fittingly launched to Queen’s iconic song of the same name, the event encouraged delegates to reflect on the changing landscape of recruitment and the opportunities ahead as technology, particularly AI, continues to transform the way businesses operate. 

Through a combination of keynote presentations, workshops, peer-led learning and networking sessions, attendees explored the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the industry. More importantly, the retreat provided a valuable forum for recruitment leaders to come together, share experiences, discuss common challenges and learn from one another.

Key themes from the retreat 

One of the most prominent topics throughout the event was the role of AI and emerging technologies in driving efficiency, improving productivity and supporting business growth. However, discussions consistently returned to the importance of maintaining the human element that sits at the heart of successful businesses. 

Chris noted that a recurring theme was finding the right balance between using AI as a powerful business tool while recognising the continued importance of human judgement, relationships and personal interaction. 

The overall sentiment across the retreat was one of optimism. While the recruitment sector has faced significant challenges in recent years, there was a strong sense that businesses are adapting well and are well-positioned to capitalise on future opportunities. 

Building relationships across the recruitment sector 

The retreat provided an excellent opportunity for us to connect with recruitment leaders from across the UK and gain deeper insight into the priorities, opportunities and challenges influencing the sector today. 

As advisers to recruitment businesses and owner-managed companies, staying close to these conversations is essential. Understanding the issues facing business leaders enables us to continue providing practical, relevant support across areas such as corporate finance, growth planning, funding, acquisitions, succession planning and strategic decision-making. 

The quality of discussions throughout the event highlighted the ambition that exists across the recruitment sector and the determination of business leaders to drive performance while preparing for future growth.

Looking ahead

As we continue to develop our partnership with TRN, the Summer Retreat provided an excellent introduction to the network’s community and the value it delivers to its members. 

We’re delighted to be partnering with TRN to bring specialist advice and support to recruitment businesses as they progress on growth journeys that closely mirror our own. Looking ahead, we are excited to engage further with TRN members on key topics including raising finance, business acquisitions, growth strategies, succession planning and preparing for successful business sales and exit events. 

We would like to thank the TRN team for organising a highly engaging and insightful event, as well as everyone who took the time to connect with Chris over the two days