Member-only

VISIBLE: How to Advance Your Career Without Playing Politics

Name: VISIBLE: How to Advance Your Career Without Playing Politics
Start: 2026-02-26T18:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-02-26T21:15:00+01:00
Location: Browns, Covent Garden

A Blend Book Club Live

Browns, Covent Garden

February 26, 2026

6:00 pm - 9:15 pm

About this event

At every stage of leadership, the same quiet tension exists: how to be seen for the value you bring – without losing who you are in the process.

In this special Blend Book Club Live, we’re joined by May Busch, former COO of Morgan Stanley Europe, executive coach, and bestselling author of VISIBLE, for an honest conversation about advancing your career with authenticity. Drawing on her 24-year journey in global finance and her Career Mastery™ framework, May will share the subtle shifts that help leaders rise while staying true to their values.

Our speakers

Julia Belle

Head of Community - London

Julia is a broadcaster, political commentator, corporate event host and business trainer. She has been covering news, current affairs and entertainment for BBC Three for three years and before this she featured weekly on BBC 5 Live – discussing the newspaper headlines and the latest breaking news.

She hosted a BBC election show, diving into key voter topics, as well as a TED Talk titled “The Secret to Being Right” which was instantly selected amongst TED’s “Editor’s Picks.”

She has interviewed some of the most influential figures in politics and business, on a range of topics from general elections to generative AI.

She runs the London community of Blend as well as the members’ exclusive Blend Book Club, interviewing prolific business authors and sharing key learnings from a range of titles covering topics like leadership, negotiation, DEI, productivity and handling difficult issues.

May Busch

Founder, Career Mastery; Former COO of Morgan Stanley

May Busch works with good people who want to advance their careers and make the difference they’re meant to make in the world – without sacrificing their values in the process.

After her own 24-year rise to Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley Europe, she discovered the hidden shift that separates those who advance from those who plateau: it’s not enough to deliver excellent performance – you also need to make your potential visible to key decision-makers.

As founder of Career Mastery™, May has developed a practical framework that helps mid-career professionals accelerate their advancement while staying authentic. Her approach has guided hundreds of professionals toward promotions, leadership roles, and greater career satisfaction.

A Harvard College and Harvard Business School graduate, May serves as Senior Advisor for Leadership at Arizona State University and provides executive coaching globally. Her work proves that good people can finish first.

May is the International #1 Bestselling author of VISIBLE: How to Advance Your Career without Playing Politics, Selling Your Soul or Working Yourself into the Ground and Accelerate: 9 Capabilities to Achieve Success at Any Career Stage.

Everything May shares is what she wishes she’d had during her own journey.

Key themes & discussion topics

Identifying the common traps that stall progress – and learning techniques to overcome them

How power, hierarchy, and cognitive biases influence decision-making outcomes

How to reach timely decisions without silencing diverse perspectives

Practical strategies for facilitating decision-making and building accountability in senior teams

Event agenda

Registration & networking

6:00-6:30 PM

Workshop & discussion

6:30-8:00 PM

Dinner

8:00 – 9:00 PM

Event wrap-up, reflection & networking

9:00 – 9:15 PM

Why should you attend?

You want to grow your visibility without compromising who you are.

You’re preparing for a next chapter – or supporting others into theirs.

You value practical insight grounded in real executive experience.

You want thoughtful discussion, not formulaic career advice.

Event Organizer

Emily Osgood

emily@joinblend.com

Venue

Browns, Covent Garden

82-84 St Martin's Ln
Greater London
WC2N 4AG
United Kingdom

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