Graduate Network Highlights Leadership and Resilience at Barclays Event

Leadership, resilience and long-term career development were placed in the spotlight at a recent Barclays event, offering insights that resonate not only with large organisations but also with small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to build strong future leadership pipelines.

The event, organised by Barclays’ Graduate, Apprentice and Intern Network (GAIN), brought together early-career professionals from across the UK and Ireland for a keynote session with Tim Campbell MBE, entrepreneur and leadership expert best known as the first winner of The Apprentice.

Speaking to a live and virtual audience, Campbell shared practical lessons on leadership, adaptability and seizing opportunity—qualities increasingly valued by SMEs operating in fast-changing and competitive markets. He encouraged attendees to take ownership of their development, emphasising that strong leadership skills can be cultivated early, regardless of role or organisation size.

The session formed part of a wider programme of development initiatives delivered by GAIN over the past year, including dozens of in-person and virtual events aimed at building confidence, commercial awareness and professional resilience among early-career employees. Participants joined from locations including London, Glasgow and Dublin, reflecting strong engagement across regions.

Kiranjit Kaur Shergill, co-chair of GAIN, highlighted the relevance of these conversations beyond large corporates. She noted that skills such as self-belief, communication and adaptability are just as critical for SMEs, where employees are often required to take on broader responsibilities and develop quickly.

For SME owners and managers, the themes discussed underline the value of investing early in people development. Creating opportunities for learning, exposure to leadership thinking and mentoring can help smaller businesses retain talent, strengthen succession planning and build more resilient teams.

The event concluded with an interactive Q&A, allowing attendees to explore real-world challenges and practical career advice—reinforcing the message that proactive development, rather than reactive solutions, is key to sustainable business and individual growth.