Catalyst Georgia Takes Centre Stage at HR Business Summit 2026

Bringing Team Building into the HR Conversation

On 7 May, the ninth annual HR Business Summit organised by HR hub brought together HR professionals, business leaders, and organisational development specialists at Mosavali Event Hall in Tbilisi. This year's event featured a renewed format — inspirational talks, masterclasses, workshops, and networking. The summit centred on the future of human resources and the themes shaping today's workplaces: talent development, employee engagement, and company culture.

As both an exhibitor and contributor, Catalyst Georgia used the opportunity to raise awareness of experiential team building for company culture in the Georgian market while positioning it as a strategic business tool rather than simply a social activity.

Building Awareness in an Emerging Market

Throughout the day, Catalyst Georgia hosted a dedicated stand where attendees could discover Catalyst’s globally recognised portfolio of team building programmes and customised corporate experiences.

In addition, the event created valuable opportunities to connect with HR managers, executives, and organisational development specialists seeking innovative ways to strengthen collaboration, engagement, and workplace culture within their organisations.

For many attendees, the conversations reflected a growing interest in experiential learning and employee engagement. All approaches that help organisations better understand team dynamics, communication styles, leadership behaviours, and employee wellbeing.

It also highlighted the important role Catalyst Georgia continues to play in educating the local market on the long-term value of purposeful team building experiences.

From Values to Behaviours: Team Building as a Strategic Tool

One of the highlights of the summit was a presentation delivered by Dave Turner, Catalyst Global's Head of Partner Engagement: From Values to Behaviours: How Team Building Experiences Shape Company Culture.

The session explored how team building can support organisations throughout the entire employee lifecycle — from recruitment and onboarding through to leadership development, team growth, and managing change.

Moreover, David shared how compelling team building, done well, is not a social activity or a reward. It is a strategic tool. One that reveals the behavioural patterns, communication styles, leadership potential, and collaboration dynamics that day-to-day work simply cannot expose.

Key themes that landed with the audience:

• Team building creates safe spaces for people to explore without fear of workplace judgement.
• Hidden strengths and underused personal skills often emerge during experiential activities.
• “Heroes” exist throughout organisations when people are given opportunities to contribute in different ways.
• Play and creativity remain essential drivers of innovation and connection.
• In an increasingly AI-driven world, human connection has never been more important.
• Team building allows organisations to observe behaviours in action rather than relying solely on what people say about themselves.

As a result, the presentation resonated strongly with attendees. Many connected with the idea that team building can serve as both a diagnostic and developmental tool for organisations.

Networking and Collaboration Opportunities

Beyond the presentation, the summit created real opportunities for relationship-building. Conversations throughout the day reflected a growing appetite in the Georgian market for experiential learning, employee wellbeing, and innovative approaches to talent development. Exactly the space Catalyst Georgia is working to lead.

The quality of interest from attendees — both from new contacts and existing connections — speaks to how effectively the team are educating their market and building credibility.

Dave Turner, Head of Partner Engagement at Catalyst Global, quoted:

With the growing integration of AI in organisations, the need for authentic human connection has never been stronger. By allowing employees to step away from the workplace and see each other as people rather than job titles, in a safe and non-judgemental environment, team building helps relationships develop and strengthen while enabling personal skills and attributes to shine.

Why This Matters to the Catalyst Network

As Georgia continues to evolve as a business and corporate destination, what Catalyst Georgia is doing is a powerful example of a great partnership. Against the backdrop of remarkable national change, they are building something significant. They are educating a market, raising standards, and helping local and international organisations understand the value of experiential team building.

By combining deep local market knowledge with access to the Catalyst Network's extensive portfolio of proven programmes and expertise, the team is uniquely positioned to deliver solutions tailored to the needs of organisations in Georgia. As a result, their presence at the summit demonstrated the value of combining local insight with the support, innovation, and global reach of the wider Catalyst Global Team Building Network.

In conclusion, events like the HR Business Summit help shape markets. By showing up, speaking up, and demonstrating the strategic value of what we do, Catalyst Georgia is not just growing their business; they are helping to grow the conversation around team building in their country. Furthermore, they are showcasing the strength of a global network that delivers impactful learning experiences to organisations worldwide.