< 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.

< All Speakers Robin Tuddenham Solace President & Chief Executive at Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council Robin has been Chief Executive at Calderdale Council, in West Yorkshire, since June 2017, previously the Accountable Officer for NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) since October 2020 and is Calderdale's Place Lead for West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board . He is responsible for leading both the Council's and Calderdale place's workforce, supporting system leadership across the area with public, private and voluntary sector leaders in support of Calderdale Vision 2024 and overseeing a £600m capital programme across the borough's market towns. Robin is Place Lead for Calderdale for West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and is joint SRO of the Improving Population Health Programme. He was elected lead spokesperson for Solace for Economic Prosperity in October 2020; having been deputy lead for Health and Social Care for the previous two years. Robin was previously Director of Communities and Business Change for Calderdale, leading the redevelopment of the multi-award-winning restoration of the Piece Hall and new Central Library in Halifax and prior to that worked in local government and the Probation Service in East London. Robin is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an honorary life member of the Faculty of Public Health and a Trustee of the Lankelly Chase Foundation .

< All Speakers Diksha Vyas Head of Digital Change and Service Improvement, Bracknell Forest Council Diksha is a digital and transformation leader with over 30 years’ experience across the public and private sectors. She currently leads digital change and service improvement at Bracknell Forest Council, where she has spent over a decade delivering strategic transformation across the organisation. Diksha heads a multidisciplinary team that operates through a user-centred, agile model, embedding continuous improvement and aligning digital delivery to corporate goals. She is known for building strong, high performing teams and creating a culture that empowers people to innovate, adapt, and deliver meaningful impact. She is deeply passionate about fostering greater collaboration across the local government sector, sharing insight, solving problems collectively, and strengthening sector wide capacity. A current participant in the Solace AMPlify programme, Diksha champions inclusive, values led leadership and looks forward to exploring the power of cross council collaboration during her session at the Solace Summit.

< All Speakers Darius Toomer Head of Agilisys Software

Peter AghManaging Director < Speakers < Previous Next > Peter Agh Managing Director ICMA Europe Peter Agh is the Managing Director of ICMA Europe, former Vice-President of ICMA and former President of the Slovak City Managers Association. Peter has 15+ years of experience as City Manager of the Municipalities of Nove Zamky, Dvory, Kamenin, Bratislava (all in Slovakia). In addition to his professional experience, Peter is a graduate of Harvard University (Kennedy School of Government - Senior Executive Program) and the University of Virginia (Weldon Cooper Center - Senior Executive Institute). He completed his PhD… Show More

Dr Khadija OwusuAward-winning Leader, International Speaker and Junior Doctor < Speakers < Previous Next > Dr Khadija Owusu Award-winning Leader, International Speaker and Junior Doctor Dr Khadija Owusu is an award-winning Leader, International Speaker and Junior Doctor. She is the Founder of AKAYA, Director of Programmes at Melanin Medics, Equality and Diversity Board Member at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, Ambassador at GUBA-Enterprise and Trustee. Khadija is a change agent, a voice for thousands of Black and Ethnic minority aspiring medics, medical students and doctors as she works to tackle issues on equality, diversity, and inclusion. She also has special interests in female empowerment and global health; impacting the lives of thousands… Show More

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

Vicky WillettDirector for Policy and Transformation < Speakers < Previous Next > Vicky Willett Director for Policy and Transformation St Helens Borough Council Vicky is Director for Policy and Transformation at St Helens Council with responsibility for ICT and Digital, organisational transformation, people management and performance improvement. Vicky is a people-focused leader, passionate about leveraging data and technology to achieve better outcomes for people and places.

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

Frances McBrideGroup Manager in Children and Families Legal Team < Speakers < Previous Next > Frances McBride Group Manager in Children and Families Legal Team Manchester City Council Frances McBride qualified as a solicitor in 2010 and began her career in litigation and housing law with a sharp focus on high-profile litigation including inquests, serious case reviews and public inquiries. Frances has led on visionary innovative projects throughout her career including the first LGBTQ+ Extra Care Housing in the UK and redesign of the Council’s Fostering Service. Frances is the Group Manager in the Children and Families Legal Team at Manchester City Council representing the group as a… Show More

Penny CalderProgramme Manager < Speakers < Previous Next > Penny Calder Programme Manager The North Essex Economic Board (NEEB) & Braintree District Council Penny Calder is a Programme Manager at Braintree District Council, a certified project manager with over a decade’s worth of experience working in a range of sectors from local government to social housing.  A proud graduate of Anglia Ruskin University, inspired to pursue a career in project managing after leading several successful large organisational change programmes. Prior to working at Braintree District Council, they were in social housing where they were responsible for a social value and homelessness. Penny uses her positive… Show More

Manny Singh Planning Services Improvement Manager < Speakers < Previous Next > Manny Singh Planning Services Improvement Manager Wealden District Council Manny has worked in local government for eighteen years and the Private Sector for four years and is the Planning Services Improvement Manager. Manny is passionate about public services and how he can contribute to differences he can make to our residents and communities. His professional journey has been defined by a commitment to enhancing the customer journey, improving service access, and influencing managed services with a firm belief that exceptional results can be achieved in even the most dynamic… Show More