The Bermuda Summit Recap
March 28, 2022
Last week, the DLN Community gathered at the Rosewood Bermuda to reconnect and share business strategies. During the three-day Summit, members and partners experienced the island’s history through dynamic tours of local Bermuda architecture and historic landmarks. Professor Boris Groysberg of Harvard Business School presented interactive lectures on hiring superior talent and optimizing organizational performance that inspired members and partners to reflect on management techniques, with conversations continuing into the evenings over cocktails and dinner. On the last night, members sailed to the National Museum of Bermuda and dined in a cavernous hall that once stored gunpowder for the Royal Navy.
“After two-plus years without going to a summit, I realize my best and dearest friends are those I’ve made through the DLN,” says Atlanta-based designer Beth Webb, a DLN board member, “it once again exceeded all expectations.”
MONDAY
The Bermuda National Trust arranged tours that introduced attendees to Bermuda’s landscapes and culturally-significant sites including the pristine gardens of a 17th-century estate, Goslings Rum Factory, the 300-year-old Verdmont house, and St. George, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the evening, the festivities officially kicked off with an intimate welcome reception at the famed Coral Beach Club, followed by DLN’s renowned dine-around experience. Bermudian hosts demonstrated the island’s emphasis on hospitality by inviting Members into their historic homes, which ranged from an 18th-century farmhouse to a modern residence nestled within a secluded cove.
TUESDAY
In the morning, members and partners assembled for a presentation from Boris Groysberg, a professor from Harvard Business School who specializes in talent management and leadership. Boris brought decades of knowledge through case studies with anecdotal lessons about recruitment and retainment approaches to ensure organizational performance. Relying on two case studies, his presentation engaged attendees in thoughtful reflections about their own company practices.
After lunch on the Croquet Lawn and additional tours around the island, attendees boarded a sunset cocktail cruise on Zara, a 77-foot handmade catamaran. Zara transported guests from Hamilton to the Royal Naval Dockyards at the tip of the island, where the National Museum of Bermuda is located. Attendees had the chance to tour Commissioner’s House, an 1820s Georgian residence with wrap-around verandas with spectacular views of the Great Sound. Guests were treated to a surprise escort to the evening’s dinner location by a traditional Gombey dance performance representing the island’s fusion of British, West African, and Indigenous cultures. Dinner was served at the Queen’s Exhibition Hall, a former ammunition storehouse.
WEDNESDAY
Before departing the hidden gem of the Atlantic, attendees spent one more morning with Professor Boris Groysberg for a case study on overall organizational performance. “The Bermuda Summit was an intimate and robust experience which allowed our attendees to dive deep into a culture and history unknown to many,” says Meghan Buonocore, director of events and operations at the DLN. “Through the lessons from Professor Groysberg, attendees were able to leave Bermuda with real takeaways to implement in their own business practices.”
See images from the summit below.
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