An energising and focused week of collaboration and hard work in Abu Dhabi saw our latest co-working retreat compound a strong start to 2026.

Our first all-team, in-person gathering since May 2025, the retreat created valuable space for alignment, collaboration and reconnection. It combined business-as-usual delivery with structured sessions designed to sharpen priorities and push key initiatives forward.

A series of all-team sessions formed the backbone of the week, bringing the entire group together around shared direction and collective goals. These sessions focused on Hyphen’s vision, operating model and long-term priorities, ensuring clarity and consistency across the business.

Time was also dedicated to exploring how the organisation continues to evolve. Discussions covered governance, ways of working and how different functions connect, supporting more effective collaboration as the company continues to grow.

An all-team workshop on artificial intelligence created space to reflect on practical use, emerging opportunities and how new tools can support productivity. The session encouraged open discussion and shared learning across disciplines.

Careful planning went into making sure the agenda balanced client work with internal responsibilities. Leadership planning, finance updates and operational discussions ran in parallel with business-as-usual activity to ensure we looked after both immediate and longer-term objectives.

The retreat also offered plenty of opportunities to reconnect on a more personal level, though. Group dinners, smaller team gatherings and shared experiences helped strengthen relationships across our team.

A trip to teamLab Phenomena brought an extra few splashes of colour to the reunion, while a group safari into the desert dunes proved to be an unforgettable experience. A few games of football also meant our team members were scoring goals as well as setting them.

The retreat closed with a clear sense of alignment and momentum. Our team left feeling sharper, more connected and ready to build on the progress made together.

As Hyphen is a remote-first company, our co-working retreats are essential for team-building, operational planning and creativity, and we look forward to bringing the group back together later in the year.