From boardrooms to beaches: why Chris Clarke is betting big on the South West
After years of running global corporate events, Chris Clarke has swapped airport lounges for the Cornish coast - launching Leadership West to reimagine leadership retreats through place, purpose and immersive experiences across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.
Chris Clarke
Chris Clarke
For years, Chris Clarke was on a plane almost as often as he was in a boardroom, orchestrating high-profile corporate events around the world. But two years ago, he swapped airports for beaches, and endless itineraries for a more meaningful, lifestyle-led approach.
“I just sort of had this stop the world, I want to get off moment,” he reflects. The result is Leadership West, a new subsidiary of the well-established agency Purple Dog Solutions, which came about following some inspiring brainstorming with fellow eventprof and South West resident Debra Nightingale. The specialist agency aims to bring bespoke leadership retreats to Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset, blending work, wellbeing, and local culture in a way corporate clients rarely experience.
Clarke’s move to the South West wasn’t just a change of scenery - it was a lifestyle reset. After a period of personal loss, he decided to step back from the high-intensity travel and refocus on work that felt meaningful. “I wanted to be busy in a diverse space,” he explains. “I’m hoping that Leadership West will be a great collab our partners down here.”
The concept behind Leadership West is simple. The team hand picks a portfolio of boutique hotels, historic houses, and coastal properties that offer more than just a venue. Activities are designed to take participants out of the boardroom and into the environment, from surf schools and cookouts on the beach to strategic sessions in rooms with character and history. “We’re not trying to do 50 events a year,” Clarke says. “The aim is to be meaningfully busy with the right clients, in the right environment, doing work that really matters.”
By focusing on smaller groups - typically 10 to 50 people - Leadership West can tailor each event to the client’s culture and objectives. “It’s a leveller,” Clarke explains, giving leadership teams the chance to collaborate in ways they wouldn’t back in the office. “They come down here and we get them in a wetsuit and they’re on the beach, then they have a cookout on the beach and a little bit of an afternoon in the boardroom. But it isn’t a boardroom, it’s a Georgian kitchen.”
The South West itself is a key part of the offering. Known for its holiday appeal, the region is less established as a corporate hub, but Clarke sees huge potential. “Everybody knows Devon and Cornwall and Somerset, but people tend to know it more for holidays rather than necessarily as places that they can also do business,” he says. With accessible flights and trains, the region can host leadership retreats that are both distinctive and logistically viable.
Seasonality also plays a role. Many venues are fully booked in summer, so Leadership West focuses on the quieter months to maximise impact. Clarke is also exploring other ways to engage clients and the community, including licensed food tours inspired by top chefs, bringing a taste of the region to corporate experiences.
The venture reflects a broader shift in Clarke’s approach to work. Having spent decades in high-paced corporate events, he has consciously slowed down to focus on quality, creativity, and balance. “The whole idea was to be busy in a diverse space, so that we can actually enjoy where we live,” he says. In fact, he hasn’t flown for work in two years - a stark contrast to the 30–50 flights a year he used to take.
For Clarke, Leadership West is about more than just events; it’s about creating an experience that benefits both clients and the local economy. “Whether it grows and we take on more properties, I don’t know the answer to that one at the moment. We hand-pick a basic programme that the corporates are able to tailor based on their culture and their objectives,” he explains.
It’s also a personal win: a way to combine professional expertise with enjoyment and local connection. Clarke is deeply embedded in his adopted region, chairing the Residents Association and participating in community life, all while building a business that champions the South West as a corporate destination.
With Leadership West, Clarke is focusing on corporate events that are immersive, tailored, and deeply connected to place. By taking leadership teams out of familiar settings and into environments that spark creativity and collaboration, he is hoping to share his passion for his adopted home to help create meaningful work - and meaningful experiences. As Clarke says, “Sometimes, all you need is to be on the Cornish coast, with sand between your toes and a kayak nearby.”