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All Speakers Dr Henry Kippin Chief Executive, North East Combined Authority Dr Henry Kippin is the Chief Executive of the North East CA, responsible for its delivery programme spanning inclusive economic growth, transport, skills, housing, culture, public service innovation, net zero and devolution. He previously served as Chief Executive of the North of Tyne Combined Authority, and as an Executive Director at the West Midlands Combined Authority. Prior to this he held a number of roles in UK and international public policy, including as CEO of Collaborate and managing the cross-party RSA Public Services Commission. He is a trustee of the Young Foundation, a visiting professor at Newcastle University and was a visiting fellow of the UNDP Global Centre for Public Service Excellence from 2013 – 2018. In 2024 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law by Northumbria University. Friday 17 October 20225 10:00–10:50 Storming and Forming: The Creation of Combined and Strategic Authorities 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.

All Speakers Craig Swift-McNair General Manager, Woollahra Council, Sydney, Australia Craig is the General Manager at Woollahra Council in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, not far from the Sydney CBD – a role he commenced in July 2020. Prior to this, from 2014- to 2020, Craig was the General Manager of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, a large coastal regional Council on the mid north coast of NSW. Craig has spent over 20 years in local government in a range of roles across three Councils. Prior to his time in the public sector, Craig had a twenty-five-year career in the private sector in a range of roles and industries. Craig is dedicated to giving back to the local government sector and as part of that, he has been on the Board of Local Government Professionals Australia, NSW since 2018 and the Vice President since October 2023. Craigs focus at Woollahra is building a strengths-based and values-based organisation that delivers on its purpose; provides its people with opportunities to grow in their roles and as individuals, and that delivers excellence in operational and service delivery for the community. Thursday 16 October 2025 12:15–13:15 International Perspective Main Stage, New Dock Hall Go to session

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

All Speakers Kate Hurr Assistant Director, Digital Innovation and ICT, Cumberland Council Kate is a nationally recognised leader in local government digital transformation. She currently holds the position of Assistant Director for Digital Innovation and ICT at Cumberland Council where she is overseeing a complex technology change programme, navigating the challenges associated with local government reorganisation, ensuring a smooth transition from legacy authorities and the successful implementation of new technology strategies. With more than 20 years of experience in local government, Kate has played a pivotal role in delivering high-profile digital transformation programmes. Innovation is at the core of Kate’s approach. She leads teams that are harnessing emerging technologies, including robotic process automation, low-code platforms, and intelligent automation. Kate’s leadership was instrumental in Cumbria’s successful bid to host the nationally funded LocalGov Drupal website project. A passionate advocate for inclusive service design, cross-sector collaboration, and nurturing future technology leaders, Kate continues to champion transformation efforts that deliver improved outcomes for local communities and staff alike. Thursday 16 October 2025 15:00–15:40 Navigating Local Government Reform: Lessons from the Digital Frontline of Devolution Pearl Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session

Amanda CoulthardHead of Strategy and Performance < Speakers < Previous Next > Amanda Coulthard Head of Strategy and Performance Scottish Police Authority Amanda leads the Strategy and Performance function and reports into the Deputy Chief Executive (Strategy & Performance). Amanda joined the Authority in February 2021 from a role in West Dunbartonshire Council as the performance advisor to the Chief Executive and Elected Members, leading a team responsible for: Strategic Planning & Performance; Data Analysis; Policy; Consultation & Engagement; Equalities; Community Planning; Partnerships and Local Scrutiny. As the Head of Strategy & Performance for the SPA Amanda leads the Authority’s approach to… Show More

Lindsay HerbertAuthor of Digital Transformation, IBM Inventor and Chief Innovation Officer for IBM Garage < Speakers < Previous Next > Lindsay Herbert Author of Digital Transformation, IBM Inventor and Chief Innovation Officer for IBM Garage Lindsay Herbert is the author of Digital Transformation, a Bloomsbury business book that has received international praise for its practical framework on how to drive major change through innovation at enterprise scale. Her core message is that real digital transformation is about learning to become more adaptive to change itself. Success comes from the ability to react to the small and early signs of change, leveraging data, technology and new ways of working along the way. Lindsay is also an… Show More

Kim WrightChief Executive < Speakers < Previous Next > Kim Wright Chief Executive London Borough of Brent Kim has been Chief Executive of Brent Council since May 2023 and leads a workforce of 2500 people in a community of 340,000 residents. Before joining Brent, she was Chief Executive of Lewisham Council where she led the council’s response to the global pandemic. Kim has worked in Local Government for over 32 years and has spent 25 years working in London’s local authorities, including senior roles at Hackney Council and Barnet Council, responsible for a large range of… Show More

All Speakers Jonathan Clifton Director of Strategy and Communications, Sheffield City Council Thursday 16 October 2025 15:45-16:25 Test, Learn and Grow: How Do We Build a Movement? Hotot Suite, Royal Armouries Go to session