An organisation brings senior leaders together to discuss AI transformation. The speakers are experienced and the agenda covers important topics.

What should the conversation achieve?

Perhaps the organisation wants to understand what is preventing adoption, establish relationships around a shared priority or explore the conditions for a joint initiative. Each purpose calls for different participants, questions and preparation.

At Wave Advisory, strategic convenings connect an organisation’s priorities with the design of the conversation. Our work includes programme architecture, speaker curation, session development and moderator preparation.

Give the conversation a clear purpose

Before shaping the agenda, establish why the organisation is bringing people together.

For an executive roundtable on AI, “discuss the future of AI” leaves a wide field. A more useful purpose might be to understand what leaders need before moving from individual pilots to wider organisational use.

That purpose gives the programme direction. It guides who should participate, what evidence would be useful and which questions deserve time.

It also provides a way to assess the value of the discussion afterwards.

Bring relevant perspectives into the room

The participants shape what the conversation can reveal.

Our AI roundtable might benefit from leaders responsible for strategy, operations, technology and organisational change. Someone who has delivered a rollout can contribute practical experience. Someone still weighing the decision can explain the questions that remain unresolved.

Wave Advisory’s speaker curation connects those contributions with the purpose of the session. Each participant should bring a perspective that gives the audience something useful to consider.

The format matters too. A small roundtable allows a different conversation from a public panel. The choice should reflect the depth of discussion, audience and sensitivity of the subject.

Build sessions around specific questions

A clear session needs questions that participants can answer with experience and evidence.

For example: What stopped a pilot from expanding? Which leadership decision made progress possible? What capability was missing inside the organisation?

These questions give speakers a starting point and allow the discussion to examine choices and consequences.

Wave Advisory’s session development connects the topic, audience and intended outcome. Research and briefing material can give participants a shared foundation while leaving room for different views.

Prepare speakers and moderators

Preparation gives everyone a clear understanding of their role.

Speakers need to know the purpose, the audience and where their contribution fits. Moderators need enough context to ask informed follow-up questions, clarify unfamiliar terms and keep the conversation focused.

For our roundtable, that could mean asking a speaker to explain how a decision worked in practice or inviting another participant to challenge an assumption.

Wave Advisory brings communications expertise to this preparation, supporting a discussion that is clear, relevant and accessible to the people attending.

Plan what happens afterwards

Decide in advance how useful findings will be captured and which follow-up is appropriate. Agree on attribution and confidentiality so participants understand how their contributions may be used.

The next step might be a leadership briefing, a further working session or an agreed action for participating teams.

By connecting purpose, programme design and preparation, Wave Advisory supports organisations in creating conversations that advance their priorities.

Explore Wave Advisory to discuss the purpose behind your next roundtable, panel or strategic convening.