01
The Happy Clown
Hope, and its shadow: toxic positivity.
Boardroom
The leader who energizes the room.
Authentic Leadership by the Sea
Leadership
Behind the Red Nose.
What if one of the greatest leadership lessons came from a clown?
19–21 September 2026·Soma Bay·By application·Limited to 18
01The Idea
A serious idea, wearing a red nose.
The clown doesn't create a character. The clown reveals what's already there. Boardrooms do exactly the same.
A title gives you a seat at the table. Presence determines how people experience you once you sit down.
Leadership isn't revealed when everything goes to plan. It shows when tension rises, opinions differ, and certainty disappears.
“When the pressure rises and the mask falls, who shows up?”
02The Origin
It began with a clown, in Latvia.
The framework traces back to a Clown Presence workshop led by Pedro Fabião in Latvia, 2019. What sounded playful turned out to be about truth, not comedy.
Yasmine Helal carried that work out of the studio and into the boardroom — mapping clown presence onto how leaders actually behave under pressure.
We credit the lineage plainly and with gratitude. These reflections are Yasmine's own perspective, shaped by years in executive leadership, governance and coaching.
03What This Is
Not a performance.
This is not
- —performing
- —entertainment
- —clowning as comedy
- —a guru on a stage
This is
- +the study of human behaviour and emotional intelligence
- +the 'clowns' we all become under pressure
- +presence over polish
- +a mirror, not a lecture
Because sometimes, the mask we wear tells us more about our leadership than we realize.
04The Cast
One cast of clowns.
Seven faces the boardroom already knows.
Specific clown types mapped onto boardroom behaviour — the framework at the heart of the retreat.
02
The Sad Clown
Vulnerability that builds trust.
Boardroom
The leader unafraid to be seen.
03
The Frustrated Clown
Frustration as information; leading through uncertainty.
Boardroom
The leader who reacts when challenged.
04
The Aggressive Clown
Power without connection; compliance vs. commitment.
Boardroom
The leader who dominates the conversation.
05
The Curious Clown
Curiosity as a leadership discipline.
Boardroom
The leader who listens with genuine curiosity.
06
The Silent Clown
The power of listening.
Boardroom
The leader who hides behind silence.
07
The Invisible Clown
Disappearing when courage is needed.
Boardroom
The leader who fades when it matters.
05The Retreat
Three days by the sea.
19–21 September 2026 · Soma Bay · 14–18 participants · By application
This retreat is not designed to help you perform leadership better. It's designed to help you meet yourself more honestly, practise new choices, and return with a more grounded way of leading.
01
Authentic leadership
Building trust beyond authority and expertise.
02
Leading through uncertainty
Adaptability, emotional steadiness, and a playful relationship with mistakes.
03
Clear communication
Tuning into the state required for connected, purposeful contact.
04
From creating to co-creating
Moving from individual control to shared intelligence.
05
Constructive conflict & negotiation
Staying present when tension enters the room.
What's included
- —Three-day immersive programme, 19–21 September.
- —Arrival 18 September & departure 22 September for the Full Experience Package.
- —Facilitated leadership practice, reflection, movement and experiential work.
- —A short online pre-retreat group call with the cohort.
- —Curated meals, informal conversations and restorative time by the sea.
- —Optional Cairo, cultural and travel experiences per package.
06The Journey
How the experience unfolds.
- 01
Discover the retreat.
- 02
Apply (by application).
- 03
Selection & written acceptance.
- 04
Pre-retreat questionnaire + online cohort call.
- 05
The three days at Soma Bay.
- 06
Post-retreat community & follow-up.
07The Facilitators
Who holds the room.
Main Facilitator
Pedro Fabião
International clown, director, teacher and psychologist. Trained in physical theatre at École Philippe Gaulier (Paris) and clinical psychology at Coimbra University. Led one of Portugal's largest professional clown organisations for around sixteen years and has trained 300+ clowns across 25+ countries; Artistic Council member of the Fondation Theodora. He adapts clowning, improvisation and physical theatre for business, healthcare and education — around authentic leadership, creativity, playfulness and emotional intelligence.
Co-Facilitator
Yasmine Helal
ICF-accredited executive coach (ACC) and a 20+ year leader in banking, fintech and governance across Egypt — including senior roles at Citibank, CIB, ADIB, the Central Bank of Egypt, and as MD & CEO of a consumer finance company. She translates clown-presence work into the language of the boardroom, helping leaders lead from presence rather than performance.
08Packages
Choose your experience.
Full Experience Package
Training, accommodation and travel arrangements. Includes arrival 18 September and departure 22 September, plus optional cultural experiences.
Pricing shared upon acceptance.
Early-bird offer available — register your interest in the application.
Apply with this packageTraining-Only Package
Access to the full training programme without accommodation and travel.
Pricing shared upon acceptance.
Early-bird offer available — register your interest in the application.
Apply with this packageThe strongest leaders don't perform perfection. They create enough safety for truth to enter the room.
09Questions