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All Speakers Ed Whiting OBE Chief Executive, Leeds City Council Ed was born and grew up in Leeds and started as Leeds City Council’s Chief Executive in January 2025. Ed has spent most of his career working in a number of central Civil Service Departments, including in the Financial Stability Unit of HM Treasury through the 2008-09 financial crisis and as Deputy Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister between 2014 and 2016. Most recently, Ed was Director for Cities and Local Growth, leading a joint unit shared between the Business and Communities Departments working on the Government’s local economic growth priorities.  Between 2016 and 2022, Ed was Director of Strategy at the Welcome Trust, where he led the creation of a new strategy to solve the urgent health challenges of infectious disease, mental health and the impact of climate change on health. He developed new global policy and strategic partnerships functions and sponsored Welcome’s new mental health research and equity, diversity and inclusion programmes.  Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45–16:25 Public Collaborations: What are they for? Who does all the work? How long do they last? And who really benefits? Pearl Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Bury Theatre, Royal Armouries 15:45–16:25 Workshop The Leader’s Mirror: Defining the Legacy You Leave Behind Speaker/s Averil Price, Solace Associate and Director, Avie Consultancy As a senior leader in local government, your impact extends far beyond day-to-day decision-making. The legacy you leave, whether through policies, leadership culture, or the development of future leaders, shapes communities for years to come. This interactive session on Legacy Coaching will help you define, articulate, and strengthen your professional and personal legacy while preparing for the next chapter of your career. A timely session with further local government reorganisation and devolution in England and a working group of elected leaders and chief executives looking to develop a clear vision and a set of proposals that can support a sustainable future for local government in Wales. This workshop will provide a structured and reflective space to consider: The achievements and influence you want to be remembered for. What steps you are considering next in your career and how to transition purposefully. How you can help your team prepare for their future too. Delivered by

Lynn Overmann Executive Director < Speakers < Previous Next > Lynn Overmann Executive Director The Beeck Center at Georgetown University Lynn Overmann is the Executive Director at the Beeck Center at Georgetown University. She previously served as a Senior Advisor for Delivery with the U.S. Digital Service, embedded in the Domestic Policy Council to advise Ambassador Susan Rice on priority policy implementation. In this role, Lynn oversaw teams of digital service experts across diverse projects, including targeted efforts to make the asylum system more effective and humane, increasing access to federal funding for low-capacity communities, and improving the delivery of… Show More

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Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Exhibition, New Dock Hall 13:15–14:15 Exhibition and Lunch

All Speakers Brenda Orchard President of CAMA and Chief Administrative Officer, Lennox and Addington County Brenda Orchard is the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Lennox and Addington County, Ontario, and currently serves as the President of the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA). She has 25 years of experience in senior municipal administration and 16 years as a CAO. She has worked with Municipal Councils in three different provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario) and in both urban and rural settings. She has served as a CAO in Nova Scotia (Annapolis County) as well as Southwestern and Eastern Ontario (Huron County and currently Lennox and Addington County), and in both single-tier and upper-tier structures. She has a municipal background in Economic Development, having been a member of the Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC) for the past 25 years. Her passion now lies in employee engagement and staff development. She is dedicated to the growth and development of staff; believing that the success of our communities is predicated on high functioning staff teams that can work with Councils to realize a community's full potential. Brenda has served on many CAMA Committees in her seven years on the Board, but the Toolkit Committee has been her particular passion. She has worked on a number of resource documents to assist CAOs in navigating professional relationships with Councils and staff. She has been a member of the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators for 16 years. She is also a past member of the Board of Directors for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). Thursday 16 October 2025 12:15–13:15 International Perspective Main Stage, New Dock Hall Go to session

All Speakers Rosa Foster Director, Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission Rosa is a climate and environment specialist with over 20 years’ experience in leading operational programmes, including partnership-led major infrastructure schemes. As Director of the Leeds and Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commissions, she works at the nexus of stakeholders — government, academia, industry and communities — to translate evidence into practical climate policy and action. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Shaping Communities – How Leaders Unlock Social and Economic Value Barton Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

All Speakers Eleanor Kelly Former Chief Executive Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Life Safety First: Turning Risk into Assurance Hall B, Royal Armouries Go to session

Robin TuddenhamChief Executive & Policy Lead < Speakers < Previous Next > Robin Tuddenham Chief Executive & Policy Lead Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council & Solace Policy Lead for Economic Prosperity Robin is responsible for leading both the council and CCG workforce, and supporting system leadership across the area with public, private and voluntary sector leaders in support of Calderdale Vision 2024. Robin is the lead Chief Executive for Workforce Development and Cohesion, Resilience and Migration Issues for Yorkshire and Humber. He is co-chair of West Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, and a member of West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership Executive Group (also known as an integrated care system),… Show More

All Speakers Chris Naylor Solace Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Chris Naylor is a respected public service leader and reformer with over 25 years’ experience transforming local government. Formerly Chief Executive of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, he led nationally recognised work on inclusive growth, civic engagement, and prevention. In 2020, he was seconded to Birmingham City Council to help steer the organisation through the pandemic and preparations for the Commonwealth Games, earning recognition as Municipal Journal’s Chief Executive of the Year . Now Managing Director at Inner Circle Consulting, Chris supports public institutions to design and deliver lasting social impact and financial sustainability. He also serves as a Trustee of the Design Council and childhood trauma charity Body & Soul. A Chartered Accountant and Cambridge graduate in Social and Political Sciences, Chris combines financial acumen with a passion for people, place and public purpose, advocating for bold, values-driven reform to create thriving, equitable communities. 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

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Main Stage, New Dock Hall 11:35–12:15 Equity and Purpose – Progress, Possibility and the Path Ahead Chair Kirsty Wark, Speaker, Award-Winning Journalist and Presenter Speaker/s Chris Naylor, Solace Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Nazeya Hussain, Solace Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion In a world where the political, social and cultural ground is shifting faster than many of us can keep pace with, this session invites senior leaders to pause and reflect on what it means to lead with equity and purpose. As global narratives become more divisive and local realities more complex, the role of local government must evolve - not just as a service provider, but as a builder of trust, connection, and democratic resilience. This conversation will not dwell on past commitments, but rather challenge us to reimagine how we show up as leaders now. How do we foster belonging when communities are increasingly polarised? How do we ensure representation isn’t just a number, but a felt experience within our organisations and the communities we serve? Join us for an unflinching, honest and necessary discussion about the responsibilities we carry, and the possibilities we must unlock, as we lead effectively through the volatility of today and into the uncertainty of tomorrow.

Day One Day Two Previous Next Thursday 16 October 2025 Main Stage, New Dock Hall 16:30–17:30 Keynote Empowering the Vulnerable: Lemn Sissay's Journey of Advocacy and Change Speaker/s Lemn Sissay OBE FRSL, Playwright, memoirist, performer and broadcaster Join Lemn Sissay, acclaimed poet and tireless advocate, as he delves into his transformative journey from a child in the care system to a powerful voice for change. In this keynote, Lemn will share his personal experiences with local authorities and the profound impact these experiences had on his life. He will discuss his dedicated advocacy work, aimed at empowering vulnerable children and driving systemic reform. Through his compelling narrative, Lemn will inspire attendees to recognise the importance of supporting and uplifting those in care, and to join him in his mission to create a more just and compassionate system.