Reflective Repasts

Reflective Repasts

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Reflective time is scarce and hard to take, yet it is from reflection that we spring forward re-invigorated. As a bit of grit in an oyster provokes the pearl, good company combined with a pinch of paradox and discussion provokes insight. Z/Yen seeks to create situations for clients and friends, as well as ourselves, where insights can be found.

Z/Yen values the support of clients and friends. Many of our clients and friends enjoy opportunities to share experiences with each other. We enjoy creating these “networking” opportunities and hold many events during the year - seminars, cocktail parties, exhibitions for struggling artists, workshops, boat trips. We also hold a few events, our Reflective Repasts, where we hope our guests experience a high degree of interaction, some in-depth conversation on an interesting subject and intellectual stimulation. These events are by special invitation to a small number of people, typically to those people whose ideas and thoughts we feel will shape the nature of our economy and society, whether they are well-known or relatively unknown.

Reflective Repasts centre around the guest of honour’s favourite puzzle, koan, conundrum or paradox – “you know, there’s been one thing that always bugs me…”. The guest of honour is not called upon for a presentation, nor a humorous after-dinner speech, nor an assembly address, rather an observation or two combined with two or three thought-provoking questions which our guests can get their teeth into (particularly if the entrée is a bit bland) – we call this the Koan Kourse. Guest numbers are limited to 12 (apparently this is a traditional number for dinners). Obviously, all remarks are off the record, “Chatham House Rules”, and any press presence is there on a personal level only. The format is:

welcome and canapes (30 minutes);
first course (20 minutes);
Koan Kourse (10 to 15 minutes);
discussion and main course (30 minutes);
sweet and Final Remarks (15 minutes);
coffee, thanks and close.

We usually hold Reflective Repasts on board the Thames Sailing Barge Lady Daphne. Lady Daphne is a charming venue for good discussion – her large hold (21 feet by 40 feet) provides a quiet, wood-panelled, fire-lit, secluded room for convivialité or gemütlichkeit (depending on your linguistic preference), particularly if the weather justifies starting the iron stove. Typically, Reflective Repasts are in the evening and we do not sail.

Some past puzzle posers include:

Dave Prentis (General Secretary of UNISON the UK’s largest trades union) who led a discussion with the likes of Douglas McWilliams and Shaun Woodward - “Trading With Unions – Friend, Foe or Futile?” – and signed up a new union member, the Chairman of a healthcare company;
Dr Douglas McWilliams who posed a real teaser – “Is the Precautionary Principle the Best Precaution?” – the group response was “No”;
Professor Ian Angell of the London School of Economics who led a very animated, Nietzschean discussion on the puzzles “Beyond Good and E-ville”;
John Lloyd (producer of BlackAdder, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (co-author too!), etc). John spoke on “Paradox and Confusion, The Guardians of Truth?” to launch his new BBC show “QI”, Quite Interesting;
the Rt Hon John Gummer, who questioned “Do Good Principles Make Good Profits?”;
Sir Willie Purves (Chairman of HSBC) with a question as to whether “the UK is to Europe more as Manhattan is to the USA, or more as Hong Kong is to China?”.

We welcome ideas and themes which are genuinely thought-provoking and are happy to change the format or venue to suit particular circumstances or requirements.

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Copyright © 1994-2008 - The Z/Yen Group of Companies
Last modified: 31 July 2008

Copyright © 1994-2008 - The Z/Yen Group of Companies Last modified: 31 July 2008

Copyright © 1994-2008 - The Z/Yen Group of Companies
Last modified: 31 July 2008