On 5 and 6 October 2026, Loyalty & Reward Co welcomed 50 loyalty professionals to Runway East Bloomsbury in London for a sold-out Loyalty Programs: The Complete Masterclass.
Led by leading Loyalty & Reward Co consultants Philip Shelper, Hunter Murray and Kate Pay, the Masterclass took participants through 15 modules covering the key elements of loyalty program strategy, design, implementation and optimisation.
The course draws on Loyalty Programs: The Complete Guide (3rd Edition), academic research and the combined experience of Loyalty & Reward Co’s global consulting team.
London Masterclass participants came from retail, grocery, travel, aviation, hospitality, telecommunications, financial services, energy, insurance, and technology. Brands represented included Avolta, Nectar360, Heathrow Airport, TUI, Leonardo Hotels, Sony, Virgin Media O2, Nando’s, Nationwide, VodafoneThree, ManyPets, and more.
Some participants run established loyalty programs. Others are building new ones. Each brought their own challenges and questions into the room, which shaped the discussions across both days.
Day 1: Loyalty program fundamentals
Day one began with the foundations of loyalty program strategy, covering the objectives behind successful programs and the core program design components. Using Loyalty & Reward Co’s Essential Eight™ framework, the group assessed the strengths and weaknesses of existing programs and identified opportunities for improvement.
Consumer psychology was a popular topic. Discussions covered what motivates customers, how habits form, and how loyalty programs can influence behaviour. As one participant reflected, a central question was how a business can change customer behaviour beyond rewarding transactions that would have happened anyway. This led to conversations on incremental value, psychological ownership, behavioural reinforcement, and the role of rewards in lasting engagement.
Day one also covered rewards and benefits, and how businesses can build propositions that appeal to members and encourage desired behaviours. Differentiation was another key theme. Many loyalty programs rely on similar approaches, so participants discussed how brands can develop distinctive propositions that strengthen their competitive position.
Loyalty & Reward Co were delighted to welcome back Sian Larsen, New Partnerships Development Director at Nectar360 and a 2022 Masterclass graduate. Her guest presentation showed how gamification can encourage participation, build engagement, and create more rewarding member experiences.
Day 2: Loyalty program enablement
Day two focused on the operational, technological, and commercial side of running a loyalty program. Topics included data strategy, member lifecycle management, marketing and promotions, omnichannel personalisation, and the loyalty technology landscape. Participants explored how businesses can collect, manage, and activate customer data, and how to select technology that supports their strategic objectives.
Modules on commercial modelling and return on investment (ROI) optimisation covered program costs, the financial metrics that matter, and how to measure incremental value. Security and fraud also featured, with a focus on protecting programs and members from increasingly sophisticated risks.
The day closed with emerging trends, including artificial intelligence and agentic commerce, and how they may shape the next generation of loyalty programs.
Thank you to our sponsors and guest contributors
Thank you to London Masterclass sponsors TLC Worldwide and Loyalty Juggernaut for their support. Mike Brinn from TLC Worldwide and Martin Gogué from Loyalty Juggernaut also joined as guest contributors, bringing real-world perspectives to the discussions.
Congratulations to our newest Certified Loyalty Experts™
The London Masterclass produced 50 new Certified Loyalty Experts™. The course is independently certified by The CPD Certification Service in the UK, and graduates join the growing Loyalty & Reward Co global alumni community. Each participant also received a copy of Loyalty Programs: The Complete Guide (3rd Edition) to use as a reference after the course.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in London for your enthusiasm and openness, and congratulations on your certification.
What London Masterclass participants said
“Pleased to have completed the Loyalty Programs Masterclass a great opportunity to explore what truly drives meaningful customer loyalty.”
Jayprit Kalsi, Global CRM & Loyalty Manager, Leonardo Hotels
“Really enjoyed building on my knowledge of loyalty, hearing different perspectives and learning alongside colleagues from across the business.”
Reema Kapoor-Pathak, Campaign Delivery Manager, Nectar360 at Sainsbury’s
“A big thank you to Philip Shelper, Huter Murray, and Kate Pay for a genuinely thought-provoking couple of days and my new Loyalty Bible now has pride of place on my desk ready to be put to good use!”
Emma Mahoney, Global Account Director, TLC Worldwide
Next stop: Dubai, 4 and 5 November 2026
Loyalty Programs: The Complete Masterclass heads to Dubai on 4 and 5 November 2026 at the Marriott Marquis Dubai Creek. Philip Shelper, Krishna Mohan, and Hunter Murray will deliver the course in partnership with Loylogic and Epsilon, with practical insights drawn from global case studies.
