CTO Craft Mixers: Leeds
- Date
- 2026-05-21
- Location
- Leeds, England, United Kingdom
- Host
- CTO Craft Mixers
About this event
CTO Craft Mixers: Leeds is a chance to step away from the screen and spend an evening with people who understand the reality of senior technology leadership. If you value thoughtful conversation, strong peer connections, and meeting other builders and leaders in a relaxed setting, this is the kind of event that earns a place in your calendar. About the Event CTO Craft Mixers are designed to bring together technology leaders, senior engineers, and people operating close to the heart of product and engineering decision-making. This Leeds edition is an in-person gathering built around conversation rather than presentation, with the focus on meeting peers, comparing notes, and building relationships with people doing similar work. The format is intentionally social and low-friction. Rather than a packed agenda or a formal conference setup, this is about creating space for honest discussions: the kind you rarely get in larger, more performative settings. It is a meetup where the value comes from the room, the quality of the people attending, and the chance to talk openly about leadership, scaling teams, technical direction, and the day-to-day realities of running engineering organisations. Because it is local and in person, the event also offers something especially useful for the Leeds tech community: a chance to strengthen regional connections. Whether you already know people in the scene or are looking to meet more of them, this mixer makes it easier to find your peers. What to Expect Expect a friendly evening built around introductions, informal networking, and plenty of room for real discussion. You will have the opportunity to meet people across a range of backgrounds and company stages, from growing startups to more established teams, all with a shared interest in technology leadership and engineering craft. A typical experience at a mixer like this includes: Arriving from 5:30 PM and settling into a relaxed in-person venue in Leeds, United Kingdom Meeting other attendees through casual conversation rather than structured pitching Talking through practical topics such as team growth, hiring, delivery challenges, architecture trade-offs, platform strategy, and leadership development Making new connections that can continue beyond the event, whether as peers, advisors, future collaborators, or simply useful local contacts You should not expect a highly scripted evening. The point is flexibility: some conversations will stay tactical and specific, others will go broader into leadership, career paths, and how teams are changing. That mix is part of the appeal. It allows you to follow the discussions most relevant to your current role and challenges. If you usually avoid networking events because they feel transactional or forced, this format is likely to feel different. The emphasis here is on substance, shared experience, and meeting people who have enough context to make a conversation worthwhile from the start. Why Attend The biggest reason to come is simple: technology leadership can be isolating, and good peer networks matter. Whether you lead an engineering organisation, influence technical strategy, or are moving toward a leadership role, there is real value in spending time with people who face similar decisions and pressures. This event gives you the chance to: Pressure-test ideas with people who understand engineering leadership in practice Expand your local network beyond your own company, team, or existing circle Learn informally from peers without sitting through generic talks or sales-driven sessions Compare approaches to common challenges in delivery, hiring, culture, scaling, and technical decision-making Create ongoing relationships that can be useful long after the evening ends There is also value in showing up without a fixed agenda. Some of the most useful conversations happen when you discover someone else has already solved a problem you are currently facing, or when a quick introduction turns into a future coffee, a trusted contact, or a new perspective on a decision you need to make. For Leeds-based attendees especially, this is an efficient way to stay connected to the wider tech community without leaving the city. It is social, but not superficial; professional, but not stiff. Practical Details This is an in-person event in Leeds, United Kingdom, taking place on Thursday, May 21 at 5:30 PM GMT+1. The evening timing makes it easy to attend after the workday and gives the event a more relaxed, conversational feel than a daytime session. Because the format is a mixer, it makes sense to arrive ready to introduce yourself, share a little about your role, and be open to meeting people outside your immediate specialty. You do not need a prepared pitch or formal materials. Curiosity, generosity, and a willingness to talk honestly about your work will go further than anything polished. A few useful ways to get more from the evening: Come with one or two current challenges or themes you would be happy to discuss Be ready to talk about the kind of teams, systems, or problems you work with Leave space for serendipity rather than trying to schedule every conversation Follow up with the people you click with while the conversation is still fresh If you want an evening of high-quality peer conversation with people who care about engineering, leadership, and the craft of building strong technology organisations, CTO Craft Mixers: Leeds is a solid place to be.
Who should attend
If you want to meet thoughtful people working at the intersection of technology, leadership, and delivery, this event will likely feel relevant from the moment you walk in. - You lead engineering or technology teams and want candid conversations with peers who understand the realities of management, strategy, hiring, and scaling. - You are a **CTO, VP Engineering, Head of Engineering, Engineering Manager, or senior technical leader** looking to build stronger local relationships in Leeds. - You are an experienced **senior engineer, architect, or technical lead** moving toward broader leadership and want exposure to the discussions that shape engineering organisations. - You work closely with engineering leadership in product, delivery, or operations and want a better understanding of how strong technical teams think and make decisions. - You value networking that is practical and grounded, not overly formal, and prefer real conversations over sales pitches or staged panels. - You are part of the Leeds tech community, or looking to become more connected to it, and want to meet smart, generous people you may genuinely want to stay in touch with afterward.