The Learning Forum
The Learning Forum is a private, member-driven executive peer network founded circa 1998, convening senior HR, Learning, and Talent leaders from 300+ Fortune 100 companies and government agencies through confidential councils, themed collaboratives, and the annual Joint Council summit.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersGreenlawn, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Learning Forum does
The Learning Forum is a private, non-profit member-driven research and networking organization founded circa 1998 by Brian Hackett (with leadership including Managing Director Meighan Hackett Portiz), operating from offices in Greenlawn and Brooklyn, New York. It convenes senior executives from Fortune 10/100 companies and key government agencies in confidential, cross-industry peer councils and themed working groups, addressing HR, Learning & Development, talent, and workforce transformation challenges. Core products comprise Executive Councils, themed initiatives (CLO LIFT, the Work Design Collaborative, the Pharma & Life Sciences Skills Collaborative, the Skills Strategy Working Group, Skills Accelerator, and HR Technology Councils for Oracle/Workday/ServiceNow), annual flagship events (Joint Council), and practitioner-led thought leadership via podcasts (Voices of CLOs, The Learning Geeks, Future of HR), Substack, CLO Magazine articles, and ASU+GSV Summit panels.
The business model is a subscription/recurring membership structure with annual billing, quote-based pricing tailored to organization size and council participation. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: growth depends on peer referrals, member invitations, and high-touch direct outreach to CHROs, CLOs, and HR transformation leaders, supplemented by ecosystem partnerships with vendors (TechWolf, Reejig, Sana, Attensi, Valence, Workera, Genesys), training providers (Udemy, Docebo), consulting firms (McKinsey, Oliver Wyman), academic institutions (Harvard Future Forward Institute, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell Tech), and innovation venues (Google, Disney, IDEO, IBM, Salesforce, Plug & Play). The organization reports 300+ member companies spanning pharmaceutical, financial services, consumer goods, healthcare, technology, retail, and government sectors, with strategic anchoring to sub-brand cohorts of 30-50 senior leaders each.
The Learning Forum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Learning Forum
- Legal name
- The Learning Forum
- Website
- https://thelearningforum.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Learning Forum is a private, member-driven executive peer network founded circa 1998, convening senior HR, Learning, and Talent leaders from 300+ Fortune 100 companies and government agencies through confidential councils, themed collaboratives, and the annual Joint Council summit.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Learning Forum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Peer Networks and Membership-Based Learning Communities
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA), Mentoring, Coaching, Alumni Networking & Peer Support Platforms (EDAFAMAN), Training, Enablement & Talent Development Summits (THAHAMAH), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)
Keywords
Where The Learning Forum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Greenlawn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Learning Forum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: The Learning Forum operates as a membership-based organization. Senior executives from Fortune 500 companies and government agencies pay membership fees to join executive councils and gain access to confidential peer networks, exclusive events, and practitioner-led learning initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Executive Membership - Confidential peer network for senior HR, L&D, and talent leaders |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels9 records
The Learning Forum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Learning Forum operates a confidential, invitation-based membership network for senior executives (CHROs, CLOs, talent and workforce leaders) from Fortune 100 companies and key government agencies. Members gain access to cross-industry Executive Councils, practitioner-led sub-brand communities (CLO LIFT, Work Design Collaborative, Pharma & Life Sciences Skills Collaborative), in-person summits such as Joint Council, benchmarking surveys, and confidential peer collaboration designed to solve persistent workforce, learning, and AI-transformation challenges.
Product overview
The Learning Forum is a peer network organization rather than a technology platform, offering an exclusive membership network for senior executives from Fortune 100 companies and government agencies. The core offering consists of Executive Councils—confidential, cross-industry peer roundtables for HR, Learning, Talent, Skills, and Workforce leaders. Supporting programs include CLO LIFT (a practitioner-led L&D innovation community), the Work Design Collaborative (partnership with Reejig and Sana focused on AI-era workforce transformation), and the Pharma & Life Sciences Skills Collaborative (partnership with TechWolf for skills-based workforce strategy). The organization also hosts in-person and virtual events including the annual Joint Council summit, and produces practitioner-driven thought leadership content through publications, podcasts, and webinars. The product portfolio centers on peer collaboration and knowledge exchange rather than a unified software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CLO LIFT: A practitioner-led community of senior L&D leaders working together to tackle pressing challenges in Learning and Development, representing 20 major organizations.
- The Work Design Collaborative
- Pharma & Life Sciences Skills Collaborative
- Skills Accelerator
Products and services
- Executive Councils Membership
Quantifiable outcome
- 300+ companies represented in the trusted peer network
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use The Learning Forum
Customer profileNamed customers34 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Learning Forum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Learning Forum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- TechWolfcoreTechWolf is a key ecosystem partner in The Learning Forum's Skills for Pharma & Life Sciences initiative. The partnership brings together HR leaders to tackle workforce and AI transformation in pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors, with TechWolf providing AI expertise and exclusive access to frameworks and tools. Collaboration includes virtual workshops, in-person summits, and pre-meeting webinars at Joint Council 2026.
- ReejigcoreReejig partnered with The Learning Forum and Sana to create the Work Design Collaborative, bringing together 50 pioneering HR leaders to architect the future of work in the AI era. Siobhan Savage, CEO of Reejig, is featured as a practitioner-led speaker. The collaboration provides practical frameworks and strategic insights through quarterly summits and ongoing collaboration.
- SanacoreSana partnered with The Learning Forum and Reejig to create the Work Design Collaborative. Jon Lexa, President of Sana, is featured as a practitioner-led speaker. The collaboration enables enterprise HR leaders to design, build, and lead the AI-powered workforce through quarterly summits and virtual sessions.
- St. Charles Consulting GroupsupportingEcosystem partner for CLO LIFT initiative, providing genuine thought collaboration. Active participation in addressing crucial issues and striving for solutions alongside CLOs from major global organizations.
- Ariel GroupsupportingEcosystem partner for CLO LIFT initiative, contributing to practitioner-driven efforts to strengthen the field of Learning & Development through thought collaboration.
- AttensisupportingEcosystem partner for CLO LIFT initiative and pre-meeting webinar partner for Joint Council 2026. Provides expertise in learning technologies and transformation strategies.
- AbilitesupportingEcosystem partner for CLO LIFT initiative, contributing to the practitioner-driven movement to advance insights into action and shared value in L&D.
- WorkerasupportingPre-meeting webinar partner for Joint Council 2026. Partnered with The Learning Forum to bring actionable insights before the main event through focused session featuring real-world client success stories and newest technologies shaping talent and workforce architecture.
- GenesyssupportingPre-meeting webinar partner for Joint Council 2026. Co-hosted February 25th session with TechWolf to provide pre-event insights on talent, learning, and workforce topics.
- ValencesupportingPre-meeting webinar partner for Joint Council 2026. Partnered to bring actionable insights before the main event featuring real-world client success stories and newest technologies.
- UdemysupportingCross-partner collaborator in CLO LIFT initiative alongside Docebo and Harvard's Future Forward Institute. Supports practitioner-driven movement to strengthen the field of Learning & Development.
- DocebosupportingCross-partner collaborator in CLO LIFT initiative alongside Udemy and Harvard's Future Forward Institute. Part of collaboration to advance CLO LIFT's position as a practitioner-driven movement.
- Harvard's Future Forward InstitutesupportingCross-partner collaborator in CLO LIFT initiative alongside Udemy and Docebo. Academic partner providing research support and thought leadership for the practitioner-driven L&D movement.
- McKinsey & CompanysupportingResearch support provided under leadership of Heather Stefanski. CLO LIFT co-author and ecosystem partner. Contributed to McKinsey article 'The future of the CLO: Leading in a world of merged work and learning.' Also co-hosted Attensi session at Joint Council 2026.
- Plug & PlaysupportingInnovation hub that has hosted Executive Council meetings. Provides inspiring venue environment for learning and collaboration alongside academic institutions like Carnegie Mellon and Cornell Tech.
- IDEOsupportingDesign thinking and innovation firm that has hosted council meetings. Provides inspiring venue for intimate strategy sessions and design-focused dialogue.
- PfizersupportingMember firm hosting the Change Management in a Rapidly Evolving Industry in-person session at The Spiral in New York City (April 2025) as part of the Skills for Pharma & Life Sciences Collaborative.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Learning Forum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chief Executive Group: Chief Executive Group produces CEO peer events, roundtables, and summits, including the CEO2CEO Summit series, with a membership-driven model serving senior executives. It is a comparable peer network in the executive convening space, particularly for C-suite leaders seeking confidential peer learning.
- YPO (Young Presidents' Organization): YPO is one of the largest global peer networks for senior executives and CEOs, offering member-led forums, learning communities, and exclusive events. It is the most direct analog to The Learning Forum's executive peer council model, though it focuses more broadly across C-suite roles rather than HR/L&D specifically.
- Vistage: Vistage operates trusted peer advisory groups for CEOs and senior executives, combining monthly group meetings, one-on-one coaching, and exclusive events. It is a comparable membership-based peer network with a similar emphasis on confidential, high-trust peer learning and recurring fees.
- Talent Management Institute (TMI): TMI convenes senior HR, talent, and learning leaders through peer councils, research, and conferences, with a similar focus on the CLO and CHRO personas that The Learning Forum targets. It is one of the closest direct competitors in the HR/L&D executive peer network niche.
- World 50 (now called The Studio): World 50 (rebranded as The Studio) operates invitation-only peer communities for C-suite executives across functions, including HR, technology, and marketing, with a similar focus on trusted, confidential peer roundtables and exclusive events for large-enterprise members.
Emerging players
- Executive Networks (now Jarkko): Executive Networks (now part of Jarkko) operates peer councils for senior HR leaders at large enterprises, providing research, benchmarking, and convening services. It is a closely comparable peer network that serves a similar CHRO/CLO buyer persona, though with a more technology-enabled research and benchmarking orientation.
- Human Capital Institute (HCI): HCI is a membership organization for HR and talent leaders that offers research, training, conferences, and peer networking, including a strong CLO/CPO community. It serves an overlapping HR/L&D executive audience with a similar practitioner-development focus, though with a more content- and certification-oriented model.
Broad incumbents
- Catalyst: Catalyst is a global nonprofit membership organization that convenes senior executives, particularly CHROs, for research, peer learning, and events focused on workplace inclusion and leadership. It serves an overlapping HR executive audience with a similar membership-driven peer engagement model.
- The Conference Board: The Conference Board is a major member-driven business research and networking organization that convenes senior executives across functions for research, councils, and conferences. The Learning Forum's founder previously led HR research there, and the two organizations address overlapping executive audiences with similar membership and event models, though The Conference Board operates at significantly greater scale.
- Aspen Institute: The Aspen Institute convenes senior leaders across sectors through invitation-only executive seminars and leadership programs. It represents a comparable high-trust, convening-based model for senior executive development, though it serves a broader cross-sector audience including policy and civic leaders.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Learning Forum social profiles
Digital presenceThe Learning Forum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Learning Forum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Learning Forum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Learning Forum M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Learning Forum
What does The Learning Forum do?
The Learning Forum operates a confidential, invitation-based membership network for senior executives (CHROs, CLOs, talent and workforce leaders) from Fortune 100 companies and key government agencies. Members gain access to cross-industry Executive Councils, practitioner-led sub-brand communities (CLO LIFT, Work Design Collaborative, Pharma & Life Sciences Skills Collaborative), in-person summits such as Joint Council, benchmarking surveys, and confidential peer collaboration designed to solve persistent workforce, learning, and AI-transformation challenges.
Is The Learning Forum a public or private company?
The Learning Forum is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Learning Forum founded?
The Learning Forum was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Learning Forum based?
The Learning Forum is headquartered in Greenlawn, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Learning Forum make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Fees.
Who are The Learning Forum's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chief Executive Group, YPO (Young Presidents' Organization), Vistage, Talent Management Institute (TMI) and World 50 (now called The Studio). Emerging players are Executive Networks (now Jarkko) and Human Capital Institute (HCI). Broad incumbents are Catalyst, The Conference Board and Aspen Institute.
Does The Learning Forum have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Learning Forum.
What industry is The Learning Forum in?
The Learning Forum's product category is Executive Peer Networks and Membership-Based Learning Communities. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHACAA, Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies), with a secondary code of THAHAMAA, Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites). Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.