ABF2026 Pre-event: Day 1 Attitude

Your Amsterdam Business Forum experience starts the evening before the main event.

Together with our hospitality partner WestCord Hotels and Oh My People, we look forward to welcoming you for an inspiring evening of new ideas, great food and meaningful connections.

The pre-event takes place at the SKYY Bar at WestCord Fashion Hotel Amsterdam – a relaxed setting to meet fellow ABF attendees, enjoy dinner and get inspired before ABF2026 officially begins the next morning.

Program

• 17:00 – Arrival & welcome drinks
• 17:30 – Day 1 Attitude with Dr Elke Van Hoof
• 18:30 – 21:00 – 3-course walking dinner at the SKYY Bar
• 21:00 – End of the pre-event

Talk: Day 1 Attitude

What do you do when every compass disappears?

A media storm, an AI breakthrough, a layoff or a sudden loss can disrupt lives and organizations in an instant. The old map no longer works, while a new one doesn’t exist yet. Our natural response is often fear and an urge to regain control.

In this talk, Elke Van Hoof explores how to stay grounded, find direction without certainty and lead with nuance and care. Her answer is the Day 1 Attitude: learning to work with disruption and uncertainty rather than resisting it.

Speaker: Elke Van Hoof

Elke Van Hoof holds a PhD in psychology and specializes in stress, leadership and return-to-work. With more than 25 years of experience, she helps leaders build resilient, future-proof workplaces.

She is a lecturer, author and host of the podcast Stress als BFF, translating science into practical strategies that strengthen both wellbeing and performance. Elke is CEO of Oh My People.

Practical information

Thursday, September 17
WestCord Fashion Hotel Amsterdam
Arrival from 17:00

Your ABF badge will be waiting for you at the pre-event. This means you’ll already be checked in for Amsterdam Business Forum and can skip the registration queue on Friday morning.

We look forward to welcoming you on Thursday and kicking off ABF2026 together.

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