Comparison · 9 material differences
The CEO Institute vs Convene
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact; it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Peer advisory
Verified September 2026 The CEO Institute
CEOs, managing directors, founders and business owners in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with parallel programmes for senior executives, chief people officers and emerging…
Peer advisory
Convene
Christian CEOs, business owners and presidents in the United States, with parallel tracks for C-suite executives and other senior leaders in their organisations
What the records say
- Role or title: The CEO Institute: The CEO Syndicate: CEOs, managing directors, founders and business owners who carry ultimate responsibility for their organisation; Convene: CEO & Owner teams: CEOs, business owners and presidents.
- Geographic restriction: The CEO Institute: Australia, New Zealand and Singapore for in-person syndicates; online programmes are open more widely; Convene: No published geographic restriction.
- Annual dues: The CEO Institute: Not publicly disclosed. The Institute's own FAQ says only: "Membership costs vary depending on the programme, location and membership category."; Convene: Not publicly disclosed. Convene's own membership page states: "Membership pricing is based on multiple factors, including company size, annual revenue, location, team type, and more. For accurate pricing information, please contact our team.".
Side by side
| The CEO Institute | Convene | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Peer advisory | Peer advisory |
| Founded | 1992 ("The CEO Institute was founded in 1992, in Melbourne Australia. The first meeting of The CEO Syndicate Program was held in June, 1992" per its own About page.) | 1996 ("In 1996, Brian Thatcher and five pioneering CEOs founded Convene" per its own story page, which also marks 2026 as its thirtieth anniversary. The organisation began as the "BBL Forum", started by Brian Thatcher and Ric Green out of Saddleback Church.) |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia | Anaheim Hills, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Australia, New Zealand and Singapore: syndicates in Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney, Parramatta, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Singapore, plus online programmes | United States, with in-person and online teams; Convene also runs international teams. It does not publish a public list of team locations, only a zip-code search |
| Members | Not publicly disclosed as a current figure. The organisation states it has "supported 5,726 members and alumni, and awarded 718 certifications" since 1992, which is a cumulative total rather than active membership. | Not publicly disclosed as a current figure. Convene states it has served "2000+ member companies over the last 25+ years", which is cumulative rather than active membership. |
| Chapters | 14 | Not publicly disclosed. Convene's locations page is a zip-code and team-type search rather than a published list; its team directory uses opaque internal identifiers. |
| Primary audience | CEOs, managing directors, founders and business owners in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with parallel programmes for senior executives, chief people officers and emerging leaders | Christian CEOs, business owners and presidents in the United States, with parallel tracks for C-suite executives and other senior leaders in their organisations |
| Typical member | Members of The CEO Syndicate are CEOs, managing directors, founders and owners who carry ultimate responsibility for their organisation. The Executive Syndicate takes COOs, CFOs, CPOs, CMOs, CTOs, general managers and divisional heads. No revenue or headcount threshold is published. | Members are Christian business leaders. Teams are composed of 10-15 peers from non-competing industries. Convene publishes no revenue or headcount threshold, though it says pricing depends partly on company size and annual revenue, implying a size-banded structure. |
| Qualification | ||
| Role or title | The CEO Syndicate: CEOs, managing directors, founders and business owners who carry ultimate responsibility for their organisationverified September 2026 · source ↗ | CEO & Owner teams: CEOs, business owners and presidentsverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Geographic restriction | Australia, New Zealand and Singapore for in-person syndicates; online programmes are open more widelyverified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published geographic restriction |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | No | No |
| Application process | An enquiry form or brochure request goes to one of the Institute's Directors, who discusses the applicant's role, business and market to establish whether a syndicate is a fit. The Institute then matches the member to a Chair and a group with the right mix of experience, business complexity and industry diversity, checking for conflicts of interest. Membership applications for the face-to-face programme are completed on a form with conditions of membership obtained from the local office. | Prospective members submit a membership application or enquiry form on the website; Convene then makes contact to explore fit before placing the candidate on a team with a Chair. There is no published sponsor or nomination requirement. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. The Institute describes a careful matching process designed to protect syndicate integrity, but publishes no acceptance rate. | Not publicly disclosed. Convene says it will "reach out to explore if this is the right next step" but publishes no acceptance data or screening standard. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | Not publicly disclosed. The Institute's own FAQ says only: "Membership costs vary depending on the programme, location and membership category."verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosed. Convene's own membership page states: "Membership pricing is based on multiple factors, including company size, annual revenue, location, team type, and more. For accurate pricing information, please contact our team."verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Membership term | Not documented | Not documented |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | CEO Syndicate members meet monthly for half a day, plus breakfast, lunch and summit events and an annual CEO Retreat | One full business day a month with the team, plus a 60-90 minute one-to-one coaching session with the Chair, and annual regional and national gatherings |
| Peer forums | Syndicates of 12-16 non-competing CEOs and founders led by an experienced Chair, matched by region and business complexity | Teams of 10-15 Christian business leaders from non-competing industries, led by a Convene Chair who is a seasoned business coach; teams run in person and online |
| Confidentiality | "Confidentiality is central to The CEO Syndicate experience"; conversations are described as treated with discretion and respect | Teams are described as peer-advisory groups of non-competing leaders; Convene does not publish a written confidentiality code |
| Time commitment | Half a day a month for the CEO Syndicate, plus optional events | About one full business day a month plus a 60-90 minute coaching session |
| Organized as | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Partial | Yes |
| Online community | Partial | Partial |
| Member directory | Partial | Partial |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | Yes | Partial |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | Yes |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Partial |
| Next-generation programming | Partial | Partial |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Partial |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | Yes |
| Networking emphasis | High | Medium |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: The CEO Institute · Convene