Global(e)
Higher Order Leadership on the World Stage
Autumn 2026
The most extraordinary experience of your life
Five days in the foothills of the Pyrénées, centered around the stunning Clos de Gaye estate in south west France, that enables you to step onto the global stage and be the leader our world really needs
At a time of huge global crisis, Global(e): Higher Order Leadership on the World Stage, is a ground-breaking leadership journey that will shake you to the core of what you believed to be true about the world and inspire you to be the leader our world really needs.
Using a combination of participatory theatre, immersion in the natural world, and experiential learning in the Béarn and Basque regions, you will come away with the personal and professional skills necessary to be part of birthing the new world.
Setting the Scene
At the core of The Centre for Arts and Global Leadership lies the deliberate integration of personal evolution with global transformation. We see this as a leadership journey unlike any other, meticulously designed to empower individuals to take the helm of their own growth and to challenge all the assumptions they previously held about the world and their place in it. This involves a profound commitment to an "interior journey," which, once undertaken, unleashes a powerful force capable of instigating transformative change within individuals, their communities, and, most importantly, our wider world.
We provide essential space and time for reflection, fostering new leadership skills, forging connections that lead to outsized impact, and enabling decisive action on the most pressing global challenges. Our holistic approach is inspired by Joseph Campbell’s "The Hero's Journey," framing the experience as a guiding narrative for participants to embody the change our world urgently needs and to construct new narratives that drive meaningful action.
Whilst we draw leaders from around the world for our high-level retreats, our focus is not about bringing together those with 'influence' in the way we have come to think about it to date, but those with moral fibre and upstanding character, and a willingness to learn, grow, and do things differently. We see this as a bold rejection of conventional metrics of power and success, prioritizing ethical integrity, humility and the willingness to change, and genuine commitment. This emphasis indicates our strategic intent to cultivate a new kind of global leadership network—one built on shared values and a sincere dedication to service, rather than mere positional authority or public profile. We believe this approach implies that the failures of current global systems stem not only from structural issues but also from a moral deficit in leadership, which we seek to address by selecting participants based on character and a willingness to embrace new paradigms.
Clos de Gaye
Extraordinary experiences where the world comes together for impact
Welcome to Clos de Gaye!
Clos de Gaye (pronounced ‘guy’) means ‘Place of Joy’ and it is at once a private home, a residential retreat, a creative and artistic workspace, organic farm, community kitchen, restaurant and tea house, and a convening ground for global leaders, artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and all those charged with the care and governance of our planet. Think of it as the meeting point between the Bloomsbury set’s Charleston and Camp David. It is a place to stay, to play, to share and to transform our world.
The spirit of Clos de Gaye is one of contribution, generosity and accountability. Those that have a seat of the table have arrived there through hard work and a genuine desire to be of service to the world. Time spent here is for you to reflect on what has been achieved so far and to be a springboard into future leadership and the continued desire to be a force for good in the world.
Deep in the heart of the French countryside, embedded in the ‘old world’ rises a new way of thinking about the future. The best of European heritage, beauty and aesthetic, with interiors from all over the world, reflecting our founder’s upbringing in Asia, and bringing energy, dynamism and a sense of inclusion of the new world.
An opportunity to reclaim the very best of European culture and values, with a renewed way of thinking about its relationship with the rest of the world, restoring humanity to everyone.
All retreats and high-impact summits are lead by Caroline Watson, visionary founder of The Centre for the Arts and Global Leadership, and the Global Arts Impact Agenda. An award-winning entrepreneur, Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum (Davos) and a talented performer herself, using the arts to effect large-scale social change across the world, Caroline is the owner of Clos de Gaye and a masterful hostess and creator of extraordinary experiences.
Caroline Watson, Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Harvard, Yale, INSEAD, Oxford
Coach and leadership development expert to global heads of state, corporate executives and world leaders.
Unfolding your leadership potential
“Caroline is a wonderful events organizer, Her multifaceted skill sets, combining her talents as an actor and leadership expert, shines through in every detail she orchestrates. Caroline’s passion, strong sense of inclusion, impeccable organizational skills, and innate flair for hospitality ensure that every event is a seamless and rewarding experience……Caroline's events are expertly curated adventures that leave a lasting impact.”
— Shirley Liu, L’Oréal Paris
Each retreat takes place against the backdrop of some of the most beautiful corners of south west France and includes sightseeing, fine dining and excellent hospitality in the Béarn, Basque and Pyrénée region.
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The Pic du Midi d’Ossau
Stunning views from Clos de Gaye
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Soothing effect of the ocean
Dramatic waves
Award-winning cuisine
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Culture
Heritage
History
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Elegance
Sophistication
Refinement
Accommodation will be provided on the Clos de Gaye estate or at another local provider. Priority for the Manor House and Rose Cottage will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.
All meals are prepared using fresh, local, and often organic ingredients, sourced either from our cottage garden or from local providers in the Béarn and Basque regions. Halal, kosher or other dietary needs can be catered for on request.
Clos de Gaye is situated in the Jurancon wine region and there will be thoughtful pairings of wine and other non-alcoholic drinks with each meal.
Our spaces are unique, artistic and soulful.
Each retreat can be offered as part of a year-long learning journey lead by Caroline herself that comes with an individual, one-to-one personal development leadership programme, as well as a group coaching Masterclass development programme, ‘The Art of Leadership’ , based on her own experience as an award-winning leader and entrepreneur.
Caroline is no ordinary coach. Departing from a very technical approach, that focuses on externally-driven directives, Caroline works at a deeper level with her coachees to support their spiritual growth and the emergence of much more refined thought about their leadership. Sought after by corporate executives, heads of state and leaders from across the world, a coaching experience with Caroline will uncover layers of beauty, authenticity and substance in both your personal and professional journey, to help you emerge as the transformational leader our world really needs
“The first step is awareness …. to be aware of the power of the words …. the power of communication. I feel, I notice now, how people notice and express their ideas. If I go to meetings, I notice how people tell their stories. The power of presence. I am now more aware of how I sit, my breathing .... How to make leading ..... practical, it’s being rather than doing. I now understand my boss differently. I now lead as a queen”
Senior Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, UAE
When the show ends, what begins?
These retreats ask the big questions. They are part of a series of high-level retreats held on the Clos de Gaye estate each spring and autumn, lead by the founder of The Centre for the Arts and Global Leadership, Caroline Watson,
They re-imagine our world.
Transformational experiences, they are an exploration into our deeper humanity.
They form the basis of our ground-breaking work in reimagining our systems and empowering the next generation of ‘higher order’ leaders.
We use the arts to unlock a deeper level of discussion, and then explore how the arts can also be applied to solving the greatest challenges of our time.
These retreats are also the prelude for our ‘action summits’, held on the Clos de Gaye estate over the winter period, that invite deeper-level engagement from members of our community into solving the very real challenges we are facing in our world, through tangible projects incubated and executed through our impact lab, The Foundry.
Getting Here
From your home to Clos de Gaye
Clos de Gaye is situated less than 20 minutes away from both Pau airport and train station in south west France. We are also 50 minutes away from Tarbes/Lourdes airport. Biarritz, Bordeaux and Toulouse are all between 1 - 2 hours drive or train ride.
In keeping with our vision to have a positive impact on the world, all retreats start and end at Gare Montparnasse in Paris, so you can use train travel to ‘set the scene’ on your extraordinary journey and reduce your carbon footprint. We also kindly ask all international visitors to offset the carbon from their plane travel to Paris through a reputable carbon-offsetting scheme.
We suggest that you aim for a plane or train to arrive in Paris on the morning of the retreat date, and to take the 2pm train from Montparnasse to arrive in time for dinner. Transfers from the train station to Clos de Gaye can be arranged ahead of time and the transfer time takes less than 20 minutes.
Next retreat: Autumn 2026
Dates
Come together with visionary leaders and radical thinkers to take part in transformative workshops, discussions, performances and experiences that will change the world.
We run open-enrollment retreats for individuals in the spring and autumn and are also able to offer bespoke retreats for companies and organisations wishing to do this as an offsite at a time to suit them.
10,000 euros per person for 5-day retreat (arrival Sunday evening to Saturday morning departure)
25,000 euros per person for the year-long programme, to include one-to-one coaching and leadership development course and membership of the ‘higher order’ leadership community
20% sales tax applies
Each retreat is specially curated and takes no more than 5 - 10 participants per cohort. This ensures that we get the right mixture of participants to ensure a satisfying experience for all.
Investment
Included:
Retreat
All workshops, talks, dinners, and performances at the retreat in May
Your Accommodation on the Clos de Gaye estate or a similar property nearby
All your meals, including eating out
Your day trips to the Pyrénées and the Basque coast
Year-long personal development programme
All the above plus:
Year-long one-to-one, tailored, leadership development programme for each individual
Group coaching and networking with rest of your cohort for the 12 month period
Additional learning content for the 12 months surrounding the retreat experience through a micro-learning app (Gnowbe)
As a socially-entrepreneurial for-profit company, choosing to work with The Centre for the Arts and Global Leadership creates employment opportunities for artists and creatives, supports low-income and marginalised communities to also take part in extraordinary experiences at Clos de Gaye and elsewhere in the world, so your participation in this retreat also enables others to benefit from the life-transforming effects of our programmes.
Terms and Conditions
The Centre for the Arts and Global Leadership reserves the right to change guest artists and facilitators should circumstances dictate.
All retreat fees are non-refundable. In the event of an unexpected event that is out of the Centre’s control, we will offer you a replacement offer of similar value.
The time is now. Are you ready?
