Context
The Board of Directors of a company in the energy infrastructure sector gathered at Matter in Rome for a strategic retreat focused on long-term thinking and the critical examination of key assumptions shaping the organization’s strategic direction. The session was requested by the Chairwoman to support the Board in looking beyond the visible horizon and identifying emerging risks and opportunities in the energy transition. The initiative followed up on the work begun during the 2022 retreat and incorporated updated insights from sources including the IEA and Hydrogen Council.
Approach
Matter designed and facilitated a one-day retreat structured around participatory and reflective exercises. The agenda included a pre-dinner activity to introduce key themes, followed by a series of modules exploring implicit assumptions, historical discontinuities, and possible futures. Expert input helped ground the conversation in current scenario analysis. Participants developed “what if” narratives for 2035 and examined how the company might respond to unexpected changes in the energy landscape.
Results
The retreat resulted in a stronger shared understanding of the strategic assumptions informing the company’s medium- and long-term positioning, enhanced dialogue between the Board and management, and clearer visibility into potential future disruptions. Outputs were captured in a digital archive to support ongoing strategic reflection.