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All Speakers Dr Mariana Pexton Deputy Chief Executive, Leeds City Council Mariana is the Deputy Chief Executive at Leeds City Council, with responsibility for oversight of the Strategy and Resources directorate. She leads the council's cross-cutting transformation agenda and public sector reform and serves as the primary liaison with senior health partners. Strategy & Resources is a large directorate of about 5,000 staff including Finance, Human Resources, Digital, Legal and Governance, Shared Services, Strategy and Performance, Communications and Marketing, and crucially a service called Civic Enterprise Leeds that delivers many vital front-line services such as catering, cleaning, school crossing patrols, passenger transport and building repairs. She leads the strategic developments for Leeds City Council, including the Best City Ambition, and plays a key corporate role supporting councillors. Mariana has previously been employed in senior in roles in Leeds in Strategy, Customer Services and Children’s Services. Prior to joining the council in 2000, Mariana enjoyed a career in leadership and management in the Civil Service and an Inspectorate. She studied Sports Studies in Newcastle as her first degree and has a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Leeds. Mariana has recently been awarded a Doctorate in Business Administration at Leeds Beckett University, following research into local government leadership and strategy. She is married, with two children aged 24 and 16. Mariana is also chair of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation and a Director at Leeds Rhinos Netball as a volunteer. She loves family holidays in Menorca, and was proud to complete the first Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in 2023. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45–16:25 Leading with Purpose: Exploring the Nexus of Strategy and Leadership in Local Government Hall A, Royal Armouries Go to session

Devolution and LGR Zone 10:05–10:20 Devolution and LGR Drop-in Rewiring the State Previous Drop in for an informal conversation about devolution and local government reorganisation with the Solace team and associates. Next

Inspector Matthew SpencerInspector < Speakers < Previous Next > Inspector Matthew Spencer Inspector Police Scotland Inspector Spencer is the Community Inspector for Levenmouth in Fife, and is also the deputy local area commander for the Levenmouth area. Inspector Spencer has responsibility for all community and response resources in the station, and has worked in the area since July 2022. He has a background in response and community policing with a number of specialisms including public order, search and CBRN. Inspector Spencer has worked hard to develop a number of areas around public health policing and… Show More

Lucy EasthopeProfessor in Practice of Risk and Hazard, Co-Founder < Speakers < Previous Next > Lucy Easthope Professor in Practice of Risk and Hazard, Co-Founder University of Durham, After Disaster Network Lucy Easthope is the UK’s leading authority on recovering from disaster. She has been an advisor on nearly every major disaster of the past two decades, including the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, 9/11, the 7/7 bombings, the Salisbury Poisonings, Grenfell, and the war in Ukraine. She also advised the Prime Minister’s Office on the Covid-19 pandemic. She challenges others to think differently about what comes next after tragic events, and how to plan for future ones. Lucy grew up in… Show More

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

Sarah HealeyPermanent Secretary of the Department < Speakers < Previous Next > Sarah Healey Permanent Secretary of the Department The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Sarah Healey was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) on 7 February 2023. Prior to this, she was Permanent Secretary of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) from 2019 and before that worked in the Cabinet Office where she was the Director General overseeing the development and implementation of economic and domestic policy following two and a half years working on negotiations and preparations for the UK to leave the… Show More

All Speakers Jon Gleek Head of Research, LGIU Jon joined LGIU in the summer of 2025 as Head of Research following over a decade of experience in local government in South Yorkshire and London. He has extensive experience of senior management and high-profile roles in councils related to population level research, academic partnerships, insight development for policy making and strategy development, change management and service improvement. Jon is responsible for the organisation’s research and insight function, leading the portfolio of LGIU’s research partnerships and managing the Local Democracy Research Centre. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Shaping Communities – How Leaders Unlock Social and Economic Value Barton Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

< Back Previous Exhibitor, Sponsor CCLA Investment Management https://www.ccla.co.uk Stand 17 CCLA is one of the UK’s leading investment managers for local authorities, charities and faith-based organisations, and has been managing funds for more than 60 years. Our aim is to meet our clients’ financial objectives in a way that we believe aligns with their values and furthers their mission. CCLA, part of the Jupiter Group, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Next

Jamie OunanCo-Founder and Executive Chairman < Speakers < Previous Next > Jamie Ounan Co-Founder and Executive Chairman Inner Circle Consulting Jamie Ounan is the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Inner Circle Consulting, where he has played a pivotal role in delivering transformative regeneration projects across East London. From the 2012 Olympics and Crossrail to local estate renewal and community-led cultural initiatives, Jamie has spent over a decade driving change in some of the UK’s most complex urban environments. With a background spanning city planning, economic growth, and infrastructure, Jamie transitioned to service design and system transformation, helping local leaders achieve… Show More

Simon AllsopManaging Consultant < Speakers < Previous Next > Simon Allsop Managing Consultant CIPFA Simon Allsop is a CIPFA qualified accountant and a Managing Consultant with CIPFA. He was previously the joint Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) for both Derbyshire Police and Fire. He has 30 years of experience working with and in a range of public-sector bodies mainly local government, fire and police. He has extensive experience of audit and advisory work as a former senior manager in KPMG’s public sector audit and advisory team working with the NAO and Audit Commission,… Show More

Barry Quirk CBESpecial Advisor < Speakers < Previous Next > Barry Quirk CBE Special Advisor LGA, and to PwC’s public sector practice Barry is an advisor to local government on governance, management and strategy. In October 2022, he completed a 45 year service record in London’s local government. This was mostly as a chief executive: first at Lewisham (1993-2017), and then at RB Kensington and Chelsea (2017-2022). He has worked in every form of governance and has deep experience of both service and democratic innovation. He has a PhD in the political and social geography of public policy. His 2013… Show More