Business leaders from across the county are set to come together at the home of Gloucester Rugby, Kingsholm Stadium, for the second year of the Gloucestershire Growth Forum.
Taking place on Wednesday 18 March 2026, the half-day business event presented by Emerge Digital features an engaging line-up of speakers, as well as practical workshops and the opportunity for networking.
What's on the Gloucestershire Growth Forum 2026 agenda?
Building on the success of last year's programme, this year introduces a stronger focus on artificial intelligence, exploring how it is influencing areas such as decision-making, operational efficiency, customer experience and risk across the wider business landscape.
The agenda combines keynote talks, strategy sessions and growth stories from local business leaders sharing honest reflections on what has worked, what has not and what they have learned along the way.
Alongside the main stage sessions, a series of smaller workshops will offer attendees the chance to explore specific ideas in more depth.
Organisers say the aim is to provide practical perspectives on how businesses can approach growth in 2026 – including where AI can add genuine value and where it may introduce new complexity.
Who is speaking at Gloucestershire Growth Forum?
The keynote will be given by Zoe Aldcroft and Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt from Gloucester-Hartpury and England Rugby, who will share insight from elite sport on leadership, resilience and high-performance culture.
Zoe is the former England Rugby captain and World Rugby Women’s player of the year, widely recognised as one of the most influential players in the women’s game, while Hunt is an England international scrum-half and multiple Premiership Women’s Rugby title winner with Gloucester-Hartpury.
Other speakers include Melanie Cheeseman, ApexAI programme director at Emerge Digital, who joins Nigel Church, CEO of Emerge Digital, for a fireside session entitled 'Human-first AI: Why your people are the real competitive advantage'.
The discussion is set to explore what it really takes to bring teams on the AI journey – from building confidence and trust to helping organisations move from hesitation to high performance with the right leadership and support.
There will also be talks from StillMoving Media's Spencer McPherson about 'The Creative Leap'; while Hewer FM's David Nottingham and Tabitha Penny share how their company is 'Building Momentum Through Innovation'.
Who should attend Gloucestershire Growth Forum?
Aimed at senior leaders from ambitious Gloucestershire businesses, the forum brings together CEOs, managing directors, CFOs, COOs and other decision makers to explore the challenges and opportunities facing businesses as they scale.
Businesses are encouraged to send more than one representative where possible, enabling teams to attend different workshops and share insights after the event.
The event is expected to attract leaders from a wide range of sectors across Gloucestershire, offering opportunities to connect with others navigating similar strategic challenges.
Where does the Gloucestershire Growth Forum take place?
The Gloucestershire Growth Forum takes place on Wednesday 18 March 2026 at Kingsholm Stadium, from 8am to 1pm.
How much do Gloucestershire Growth Forum tickets cost?
Tickets for the event are free of charge, with voluntary donations raising funds for Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Cheltenham Animal Shelter.
To book free tickets, visit eventbrite.co.uk.
