Reflections on Product at Heart’s 2026 Leadership Event
2026 has looked different from previous years in a number of ways. I don’t need to talk about all of them here (we’d be here all day!). But there’s one in particular I’d like to focus on: Along with Product at Heart co-organizer Arne Kittler, I made the decision to transform the Leadership Event from a half day folded into the main conference into a standalone 1.5-day event. We believed the Leadership Event needed a little more focus, dedication, and the chance to shine on its own.
As the result of this change, we moved the Leadership Event from June to April. We just wrapped it up and I wanted to take a moment to share a few reflections with you.
What is the Product at Heart Leadership Event? A brief overview
In case you’re not already familiar with the concept, the Product at Heart Leadership Event is an in-person gathering of 60+ product leaders. We’re very intentional about curating every aspect of the event:
The participants: We keep the number of participants small so that there are plenty of opportunities for making connections and engaging in deep conversations—not just surface-level small talk. In the interest of building psychological safety and encouraging participants to openly share their challenges, we also limit participants to those who are currently in a product leadership role (e.g. CPO, VP of Product, or Head of Product) where they manage product teams.
The agenda: We realize how difficult it can be to get out of your daily routine, which is why we want to make this time as impactful as possible. We schedule longer than average breaks in between sessions so attendees can genuinely connect. And the agenda itself is not simply one slide deck after another, but a mix of interactive workshops, small group discussions, offsite excursions, and highly relevant keynotes that provide actionable ideas you can take back to your teams the next week.
The venue(s): Hamburg has always been the home for our event, but we’re constantly looking for ways to show off even more of our lovely city. In 2026, we really took it up a notch, inviting participants to choose an offsite adventure like going on a boat cruise, taking part in an improv workshop, or visiting an organic farm. Again, we designed these activities specifically to spark new ideas and discussions.
The 2026 Leadership Event reminded me just how much I love to create these spaces where humans can meet each other and connect over the topic of product management.
Yes, this is something I already knew, but seeing it play out in front of me crystallized these ideas.
Seeing people talk, laugh, and share in person made it clear how rare events like this are. A lot of our professional development has moved online. A lot of our work happens remotely. And more and more of us are turning to AI—instead of a colleague across the table—to brainstorm and think out loud.
I get it. It's convenient. But I think we're paying a price.
When I look at what product leaders are actually hungry for, it's genuine human contact. Peers who get their world and real conversations that might go somewhere unexpected. Lovely moments of serendipity.
Yes, learning and inspiration still matter. But as I mentioned above, the long breaks, city excursions, and meals together were equally important.
I feel genuinely lucky that I get to design these kinds of experiences for hundreds of product people every year.
If you want to experience one of these Events from the front row, check out the official Product at Heart website to learn more. At the time of writing, there are still a small handful of tickets available for the main conference in June, and I’d love to see you there!
Photos by Enver Hirsch