Aspen Germany’s Mareike Hadler, Senior Manager Finance and HR, had the opportunity to participate in the Aspen France Executive Leadership Seminar in September 2026.
Her reflections:
Almost everyone I had spoken to who had attended an Aspen Leadership Seminar described it as a formative, sometimes even life-changing experience. In early September, it was finally my turn to discover why.
I had the privilege of joining the Aspen France Executive Leadership Seminar in picturesque Annecy, directly on the shores of its namesake lake. Surrounded by the French Alps, it offered an inspiring setting to step away from everyday routines for two and a half days of reflection and dialogue.
Under the timely theme “The Future of Governance: Freedom, Democracy and Uses of Power,” we explored fundamental questions through readings ranging from Plato and Aristotle to Hannah Arendt and Minouche Shafik. Moderated by Todd Breyfogle, our discussions connected centuries of political thought with contemporary challenges.
For me, this was where the Aspen spirit became tangible. At a time when public debate often feels polarized, experiencing such an open, respectful and intellectually stimulating exchange was genuinely refreshing. Disagreement became an opportunity to understand different perspectives and challenge our own assumptions rather than simply defend our positions.
The conversations continued well beyond the seminar room, creating meaningful connections throughout the program. One memorable highlight was our collective staging of Sophocles’ Antigone in just 90 minutes.
What stays with me is how the experience continues to resonate with me. I find myself returning to our discussions in everyday situations, reconsidering familiar assumptions and reflecting on questions I might otherwise have overlooked. It has given me fresh perspectives on how I engage with others and encouraged me to approach the world with renewed curiosity.
If you have the opportunity to join an Aspen Leadership Seminar, whether in Germany or elsewhere in the Aspen network, I wholeheartedly encourage you to take it. And perhaps, like me, you will discover that the most valuable thing you take home is not an answer, but a question you had never thought to ask.
