As headline sponsors of The Talent Gathering 2025, Firefly joined leaders and learning professionals in Edinburgh in October to explore the future of talent, leadership and change. From courageous conversations to powerful personal stories, the day echoed Firefly CEO Kirsty Maynor’s message to “find the offbeat”; those intentional moments of creativity, humanity and courage that spark transformation.
There are rooms that people light up - and there are rooms that light you up. Last week at The Talent Gathering 2025, it was both. From the Leaders Dinner the night before in Greyfriars Hall in the Virgin Hotel, to the conference in Murrayfield, every conversation carried that shared spark: these are our people. The event brought together leaders, learning professionals and change-makers who are shaping the future of talent and development; and for Firefly, it felt like coming home to the conversations where we thrive and bring the most value.
This event was a true highlight in the Firefly 2025 calendar and as headline sponsors, we’re already looking forward to continuing this rhythm in the future.
Finding the OffBeat: Kirsty Maynor’s Keynote.
Firefly’s CEO and Founder, Kirsty Maynor spoke at the dinner the night before the conference, with a talk that captured the essence of the whole event: Finding the OffBeat.
She began with rhythm (literally) inviting the room to clap along to a steady beat before introducing an offbeat. The metaphor landed. The beat, Kirsty explained, represents what’s safe and familiar - the structures that keep organisations moving. The offbeat is where creativity, courage, and transformation begin.
Kirsty reminded us that:
“The steady beat keeps us moving, but it’s the offbeat that makes us pay attention.”
Through stories of leadership, disruption and humanity, Kirsty shared that finding the offbeat isn’t about breaking things for the sake of it - it’s about intentionally choosing moments that bring courage, creativity, and compassion into the system.
Her talk invited reflection across every level of leadership:
Organisational: Where are we clinging to the beat simply because it’s familiar?
Talent and Development: What small, intentional offbeat could bring more humanity back into learning and growth?
Leadership: What’s the offbeat you need to own, even if it feels uncomfortable?
Future: What offbeat could you play today that becomes tomorrow’s rhythm?
And as Kirsty put it: “The offbeats we dare to play today are the beats everyone else will thank us for tomorrow.”
Threads from the Day: Shaping the Future of Talent and Leadership.
Throughout the conference in Murraryfield, the talks and conversations echoed Kirsty’s message; each speaker, in their own way, shared what it means to find and play their offbeat.
Amy Brann opened with “Unlocking Whole Brain Potential”, reminding us that leaders are not just decision-makers, but owners of context and architects of attention. “By changing the context,” she said, “we change the experience, and there’s a science to enabling people to fruitfully contribute.”
Frankie Deane from AG Barr Group showed what an organisational offbeat looks like in practice. Her talk, “Daring to Double,” explored how evolving culture - not breaking it - can fuel growth. Her call to action? “Work smarter, not harder, and stop doing the stuff that doesn’t make a difference.”
Mairi McInnes from PwC took us “Beyond the Hype” of AI, cutting through the noise to focus on human-centred leadership. She reminded us that the future of work isn’t about predicting 2030, it’s about shaping it today through adaptability, agility, and collaboration between humans and AI.
Natal Dank from PXO Culture invited us to fall in love with the problem. Using design thinking, she encouraged us to work together on some post-lunch activities to view employee experience as a product - one that creates value only when it solves real problems for real people.
A panel followed with Jo Chisholm (The Weir Group), Frankie Deane (AG Barr), and Noel Brown (HSBC), hosted by Donald H Taylor, exploring what it takes to attract, develop, and retain top talent. The discussion brought the day’s themes full circle: leadership, culture and courage as the levers that shape thriving workplaces.
We shared some of our key takeaways during the day, alongside some photos and some stand-out quotes on the Firefly LinkedIn too.
Redefining the Impossible: Darren Edwards’ Closing Challenge.
The day closed with a powerful talk and perspective from Darren Edwards, whose story of resilience and courage left the room inspired (and more than a few watery eyes).
“Ultimately, no one is in control of your story but you.”
Darren reminded us that leadership, like life, is about perspective and perseverance.
Perspective matters: “The right perspective has an ability to cut an obstacle down to size.”
Authenticity is strength: “Be authentic to who we are.”
Success is never solo: every achievement is built on the unseen support of others.
Gratitude underpins resilience: even in adversity, appreciating what we have gives us strength.
His closing question is highlighted in our notes app: “What “impossible” will you choose to redefine in your life?”
Closing Reflection: Lighting Up Together.
If Finding the OffBeat was about rhythm, then The Talent Gathering showed what happens when those rhythms come together.
As Kirsty said during her pre-dinner talk: “A single firefly is magical. But when leaders, teams, and organisations find their offbeats together - that’s when the whole forest lights up.”
That’s the rhythm we felt at The Talent Gathering; bold ideas, open conversation, and a shared commitment to shaping the future of talent and leadership with courage and humanity.
And as we head back into our own organisations, maybe the real question to carry forward is this: where’s your offbeat waiting to be played?
Special thanks to the Firefly Team and to Kenny Henderson and Dave Buglass from The Talent Gathering.