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Alix BedfordRisk Proposition Manager < Speakers < Previous Next > Alix Bedford Risk Proposition Manager Zurich Municipal Alix Bedford is Risk Proposition Manager at Zurich Municipal. A strategic risk professional with over 18 years’ experience working both with and within the public sector, Alix is passionate about the value of risk management and its role in driving improved resilience of organisations and communities. Her current role involves looking at the key emerging and evolving areas of risk impacting the public sector now and in the future and leading Zurich Municipal’s response to these. Alix is also leading… Show More

All Speakers Lemn Sissay OBE FRSL Playwright, memoirist, performer and broadcaster Google “Lemn Sissay” and all the return hits will be about him. There is only one person in the world named Lemn Sissay Awarded the 2024 Hay medal for poetry Lemn Sissay OBE FRSL is also a playwright, memoirist, performer and broadcaster. His latest book “Let The Light Pour In” is a Sunday Times Best Seller. The paperback comes out in 2025. His autobiography My name is Why was a Number One Sunday Times Best Seller. In 2021 he helped select the work for Hold Still which also became a Sunday Times Bestseller. His Theatre adaptation of Benjamin Zephaniah’s Refugee Boy is a text on The National Curriculum. In 2022 he was made a Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature. In September 2024 Sissay was made honorary fellow of Mansfield College Oxford and 2020 he became Honorary Fellow at Jesus College Cambridge. Lemn was named MBE for services to literature, awarded by The Queen at Buckingham Palace and then he was named OBE for services to Literature and Charity, awarded by King Charles at Windsor Castle in 2023. He was chancellor of University of Manchester from 2015 to 2023. He is the only Guest Director of Brighton Festival two have been two years (2020 and 2021). In 2024 he was the curator of the first Ethiopia Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2024. He has read poetry on stages throughout the world: from The Library of Congress in The United States to The National Theatre in Addis Ababa. From the Opera House of Dubai in The United Emirates to London Palladium in England. Sissay was the first poet commissioned to write for The Olympics in 2012. His Olympic poem Spark Catchers is a landmark poem on Queen Elizabeth Park today. His other landmark Poems are in Manchester London and Addis Ababa. There have been a few BBC TV documentaries about his life the latest is “The memory of me”. Listen to his desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 or “Origin Stories” his series on Superheroes relating to the care system. His Channel Four Documentary “Superkids” was nominated for BAFTA, Broadcast and Grierson Awards. Lemn Sissay has received seven Honorary Doctorates at Universities throughout UK.. He is presently Honorary Bencher at The Inner Temple. He is Honorary Chair of creative writing at The University of Manchester. Lemn was approached by The City of London and accepted Freedom of The City of London. To be approached in such a way is an honour which includes Nelson Mandela. He has been photographed by Steve McCurry, Rankin, Zoë Law and Ethiopia’s greatest living photographer Aida Muluneh. A painting of Lemn is in The National Portrait gallery. He is trustee of The Foundling Museum under its new director Emma Ridgway and he is founding trustee of The Gold From The Stone Foundation which supports Christmas Dinners for Care Leavers on Christmas Day. Thursday 16 October 2025 16:30–17:30 Empowering the Vulnerable: Lemn Sissay's Journey of Advocacy and Change Main Stage, New Dock Hall Go to session

All Speakers Ciara Graven Consultant – Economics and Casemaking Team, Arup Ciara is a Consultant in the Economics and Casemaking team at Arup providing strategy, planning and economic services to private and public sector clients. She specialises in developing the vision, strategy and economic narrative for regeneration, development and infrastructure proposals in cities, towns and their regions. She is a certified practitioner in authoring HMT Green Book compliant business cases for investment and undertake socio-economic needs analysis and impact assessments for planning and policy and provide strategic advice on inclusive growth and project appraisal, delivery and management. She is currently working on several projects that include providing strategic advice to the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority on their Local Growth Plan and Investment Pipeline and supporting the development of an Economic Strategy for the Humber region. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45–16:25 Delivering Together: How Local Authorities and Strategic Authorities Are Jointly Driving Place-Based Transformational Growth Hall B, Royal Armouries Go to session

All Speakers Hayley Hamlett Director of HR & Corporate Affairs Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Shaping Communities – How Leaders Unlock Social and Economic Value Barton Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

Monique DavidsonVice President of Taituarā and Chief Executive < Speakers < Previous Next > Monique Davidson Vice President of Taituarā and Chief Executive Horowhenua District Council Monique Davidson was the youngest local government chief executive in New Zealand, appointed at the age of 29. She is currently the Chief Executive at Horowhenua District Council. Born and bred in Levin, Monique completed a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria University of Wellington. Monique served at Horowhenua District Council for seven years in several Senior Management roles before starting as Chief Executive at Central Hawke’s Bay District Council in June 2016. Monique is a… Show More

< All sponsors Trueman Change Stand 12 www.truemanchange.co.uk At Trueman Change, empathy underpins everything we do. We understand the public sector’s challenges and share your commitment to success. Our psychology-driven approach focuses on people, their motivations, behaviours, and concerns creating smooth, impactful transitions. We make change less overwhelming, more rewarding, and deliver positive, lasting results our clients trust.

All Speakers Nazeya Hussain Solace Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Nazeya has worked in Local Government for over twenty-five years and is currently an Executive Director of Place in London. She specialises in urban regeneration and development. Her work continues to focus on how we design places and services to improve life chances for those who are marginalised and often not heard. She has a passion for enhancing community engagement and the needs to shift to more integrated forms of co-design and collaboration within communities. She has also held several non-executive roles including within an NHS Acute Trust and currently sits on the Solace Board as spokesperson on Equality Diversity and Inclusion. She is challenging the sector to develop new approaches to attracting and retaining a more diverse pool of talent that equips us to meet the future needs of the sector. Her successful podcast ‘Stories from Local Government’ features prominent leaders across the sector with the aim to celebrating public services and highlighting the amazing work that is done day in and day out across the country with the aim of inspiring more people to pursue a career in Local Government. She continues to use her experience and voice on issues of leadership, reform and diversity in public life. Thursday 16 October 2025 11:35–12:15 Equity and Purpose – Progress, Possibility and the Path Ahead Main Stage, New Dock Hall Go to session

Stand TBC < Back Zurich Municipal zurich.co.uk At Zurich Municipal, we help protect what matters to you. Since 1993, we’ve been insuring local authorities, schools and academies, housing associations, charities, voluntary organisations, clubs and community groups, and more. But we’re more than just an insurer. Our insurance supports society in ways you might not think. From providing access to flood prevention and safeguarding services, to protecting the physical and mental health of your team through access to nurses, counsellors and therapists. So you can protect their future in more ways than one. If you choose Zurich Municipal for public or voluntary sector insurance, you’ll have access to a dedicated Account Manager, who will develop an in-depth understanding of your organisation and your needs. They will act as a central point of contact to help with anything from making sure you have suitable cover in place, to providing risk mitigation guidance and checking the status of your claims.

Stand TBC < Back Commonplace www.commonplace.is Commonplace, now powered by Zencity, is a global leader in community insights and engagement. We work with 400+ local authorities across UK, Canada and US to build an ‘always-on’ understanding of community sentiment and experience. Our platform has proven that maximising audience reach, collaborating through multiple channels to create a clear understanding of community needs and closing the loop to take action are critical trust builders for place-makers.

Matthew CroucherEV Services Director < Speakers < Previous Next > Matthew Croucher EV Services Director Believ Matt Croucher is EV Services Director at Believ, a fast-growing UK charge point operator part owned by Liberty Global (the owners of Virgin Media/O2) and the Treasury, and on a mission to ensure everyone has access to convenient EV charge points and can make the switch away from internal combustion engine vehicles, including those without access to off-street parking. Prior to joining Believ (formerly Liberty Charge) Matt was the Zero Emission Mobility lead at WSP, one the world's leading planning… Show More

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Main Stage, New Dock Hall 20:00–00:00 Summit Charity Dinner This evening’s dinner is held in support of our charity partners. Please donate to our GiveWheel page . Thank you. Dinner drinks kindly sponsored by Newtrality. Sponsored by Supporting

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Exhibition, New Dock Hall 17:30–18:15 Drinks Reception Kindly Sponsored by