Adam Hill is Chief Executive of Mansfield District Council and previously Deputy Chief Executive of Swansea Council. Adam has built up over 37 years’ experience across, Private, Public, Higher Education and 3rd Sectors. With over 20 years as a chief officer, working across both England and Wales.

Adam has worked in a number of roles and authorities where there has been significant focus on organisational improvements and change agendas, partnership working, economic Development, Growth and regeneration, development of Place and place shaping and leading and delivering on the commercial and business agendas.

Adam is very passionate about delivering better outcomes for residents and has a strong approachable leadership and strategic thinking style, underpinned with exploring innovation and challenging the “norm”, with a drive to get things done. 

Alex has been at the heart of politics and policy discussions for more than 25 years. He has worked for the LGA, as a Director in the public affairs industry, and was for six years the Chief Executive of the think tank Localis. Before that he worked for the Conservative Party leading policy development on devolution, local government, housing and planning prior to the 2010 general election, and in various Whitehall departments.

Alison is a district council Chief Executive with over 40 years local government service and experienced Board Member with a wealth of expertise in leading services that enhance quality of life for communities. Experienced in whole systems working and partnerships, and committed to objectives-led, evidence-based and outcomes-focused approach blended with public engagement her experience includes  Strategic Planning: driving organisational strategy and strategic planning across a wide array of complex, user-based services (including housing, economic development, community safety and wider community support services).  Place-based Leadership: guiding spatial policy and development of place-based approaches that improve quality of life for borough communities, fostering strong partnerships for delivery of integrated public sector and community services.  Fiscal Responsibility: leading alignment of medium-term financial strategy to align with corporate priorities ensuring efficient use of resources and implementing value-for-money strategies.  Governance & Assurance: embedding robust governance frameworks that assure accountability, transparency and rigorous performance management. 

Amy is Corporate Director of Regeneration Economy and Growth for Durham County Council, one of the largest local authorities in the UK. Amy has previously held senior roles in local government in two large metropolitan authorities in the West Midlands and South Yorkshire. Amy is committed to delivering outcomes for communities and our potential for real inclusive economies. Amy has also held senior combined authority roles including, TfN, South Yorkshire MCA and Transport for Greater Manchester. Amy is responsible for a wide range of Council front line business and community services and broad portfolio of regeneration themes, including transport, leisure, culture, corporate property, planning, commercial investment and housing as well as regional devolution. Amy has a breadth of experience in delivering major projects, commercial developments, influential strategy and key front-line services, she is an active member of SOLACE and ADEPT committed to the DE&I agenda, community wealth building and advocate of the positive role that local government should play in place leadership and empowering communities.

Andy has been CEO of East Staffordshire BC since 2009 when he became England’s then youngest council CEO. Andy counts his and the council’s achievements as: introducing a new generation social service into a district council setting, supporting young parents; working with the University of Birmingham to roll out a post graduate officer development strategy which has seen 6% of the workforce graduate; facilitating a new sixth form college in the Council’s Town Hall building; advising/supporting the Council’s founding status of the Greater Birmingham LEP, including an equal seat at the table; encouraging and supporting inward investment into Burton-Upon-Trent from the Football Association, National Forest, National Brewery Centre as well as retaining investment from key employers such as Molson Coors; working to deliver improved connectivity, new enterprise/skills development and profiling hidden heritage, through the Burton Towns Fund; and supporting the council transition through 6 leaders/7 administrations in 15 years.

Ann Carruthers is Director of Environment and Transport for Leicestershire County Council and has previously worked with a number of local authorities across Scotland and England covering the highways, transport, environment and growth agendas. Ann also spent a number of years with Transit New Zealand responsible for introducing sustainable transport options and new ways of working across New Zealand’s state highway system. Ann is President of the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation, a member of the Highways Sector Council and Chair of Midlands Highway Alliance+, a collaboration of 36 local highway authorities providing routes to market, sharing best practice and driving up standards across our highways work.

Arthur Charvonia became Chief Executive of Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council in January 2017. He is a barrister by profession but has worked directly within Local Government at a senior level since 2005, both in London and elsewhere in Suffolk. For further information about Arthur and his passions please search for him on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-charvonia

or Twitter @acharvy 

Beverley Tarka has significant working experience in local government having worked in Haringey Council for more than thirty years. Beverley is currently the Director for Adults, Health and Communities in Haringey, a role that she has held for over seven years and involves leadership and management of a portfolio that includes Adult Social Care, Public Health, Housing Needs and Community services. As a member of the Corporate Leadership Team, Beverley also leads on Equalities, Diversity, and Inclusion for the organisation. Beverley served as President of ADASS 2023-24.

Carolyn has 40 years experience in the development and regeneration sector, including the planning, financing and delivery of major projects, regeneration, inclusive growth, placemaking and development of cultural strategies and programmes. She is a highly experienced Non Executive Director. She is currently on the Boards of the Jersey Development Company, The Connected Places Catapult and the Institute of Couriers. She is a Commissioner with the National Preparedness Commission, a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, and a Member of the Institute of Directors.

Chris McLoughlin OBE initially worked as a qualified nurse at Manchester Royal Infirmary in the 1980s and subsequently became a social worker based in a community team in central Manchester.  She held a number of key leadership roles in Manchester City Council in Children and Family Services (1987 - 2009). Chris joined Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council in 2009 as Service Director for Social Care and Health. In 2012 she became the Director for Safeguarding and Prevention.  Then in 2018 became Stockport’s Director of Children’s Services. As of 2022 Chris is the Executive Director for People and Neighbourhoods, responsible for all children’s services and oversight of adult’s services. Chris Chairs the Greater Manchester School Readiness Board and is co-Chair of the Greater Manchester Children’s Health and Wellbeing Executive. Chris is a Non-Executive Director at the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and she also holds the position of Senior Independent Director for the Trust. Chris represents Greater Manchester Directors of Children's Services on the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership Board.

Claire McColgan CBE is a loyal public servant and creative entrepreneur who has received numerous awards for her outstanding work in leading Liverpool’s cultural and visitor economy offer. She has achieved many accolades over the years including the Innovation in Business Award and Woman of The Year Award. With a career spanning over twenty-five years Claire is an expert in culturally led regeneration, supporting cities across the country and world in telling their stories. This has seen her head internationally significant campaigns from European Capital of Culture to being at the forefront of the pioneering national Events Research Programme, which saw Liverpool host the first club night and festival during the pandemic. Always looking to the future, Claire is a master at securing events of national and international calibre. Most recently, she delivered an unparalleled Eurovision on behalf of Ukraine using her exceptional diplomatic and creative vision to deliver something extraordinary for the UK. At her side and throughout this since 2008 is her multi award-winning team who have achieved global recognition for their work. Highly regarded in her field, Claire is a trusted advisor for the wider city region, a non-executive board member for Visit Isle of Man and The Carnegie Trust and deputy chair for the UK City of Culture Competition 2025.

Colm is Head of Public Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement for the Local Government Association leading a busy team supporting engagement with parliament, parliamentarians, and stakeholders. His experience includes roles across the public, private and political sectors. Before joining the LGA he worked for a communications agency as Director of Public Affairs, and at the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, KPMG, and Accenture. At the London Development Agency, as Head of Engagement and Research, he led on stakeholder engagement for major initiatives including The Thames Gateway, the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy, and the Crystal Palace Park Masterplan. In addition to working for a London MEP and for the European Commission as a Human Rights Expert, he is a trained Election Agent and Election Observer. Away from public affairs Colm has been part of founding teams behind two digital startups, including a social network that remains one of Apple’s most popular apps.

Currently Chief Executive of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council in Kent Previously Chief Executive at Surrey Heath Borough Council in Surrey Chief Operating Officer at Epsom and Ewell Borough Council And before that, Chief Officer roles at Waverley Borough Council, Tower Hamlets Borough Council, Croydon Borough Council and Islington Borough Council including lead roles for Corporate Strategy and Performance, Service Transformation and ICT, Economic Development and Partnerships. Formal study: BSc (Hons) Psychology and Mathematics and Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and a qualified therapist I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to lead the work that won the MJ Award for Workforce Transformation in 2017, and previously the MJ Award for Total Place after coordinating one of the national Total Place pilots. Before that had a central role in winning a number of separate national Beacon Awards including Community Cohesion, Local Strategic Partnerships and Local Area Agreements. I'm passionate about local government, public service reform, unlocking the true potential of our workforce, and working closely with partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors to deliver tightly integrated solutions that are aligned to local need.

Dawar is a Director at executive search firm Penna and has specialised in senior public sector appointments for over twenty four years. He set up and chairs the national Diversity in Local Government Leadership network (DLGL) and is the only executive head-hunter to be on the board of The Staff College, which supports the development of leadership and management capacity in local authorities and their Children’s Trust partner organisations. He is also a mentor on the NGDP BAME 2023 mentoring programme for graduates in the national management scheme in local government. He was recently recognised as the most influential muslim in the UK for professional services by Equality X, who surveyed the 3.9 million muslims in the country and compiled a top 100 list which included the likes of Sir Mo Farah, Hollywood actor and rapper Riz Ahmed, Liverpool footballer Mo Salah and BBC journalist Mishal Hussain. 

Dawn Hudd is the CEO of Arun District Council in West Sussex, a role she started in July 2024. Following a career which started in banking, after running a series of companies, Dawn joined local government in 2004 as the Economic Development Manager for Canterbury City Council. Roles followed in Maidstone, Medway, Guildford and Waverley where she was Strategic Director – Place. Dawn has a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, regeneration, place shaping and organisational change as well as a broad knowledge across a wide range of council services. She is passionate about helping the Arun district achieve its full potential and working with her staff, elected members, partners and stakeholders to do this.

Debbie Barnes was appointed to Chief Executive of Lincolnshire County Council in 2020. Prior to this, Debbie was Director of Children's Services since 2013. During her time as chief executive, Debbie has led the development of the ten year Corporate Plan for the Council and has driven through a one council approach, integrating service planning and delivery across the council and with partners. Through Debbie's leadership, Children's Services Social Care has been judged as outstanding and Debbie has chaired the Improvement Board at Rotherham Borough Council, resulting in Rotherham being judged as good by Ofsted with services for care leavers judged as outstanding. Starting her career as a children’s nurse, Debbie is passionate about the benefits of integrated health and care services to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities and address health inequalities. Debbie was awarded an OBE in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Donna Nolan is Chief Executive for Watford Borough Council. She has a proven track record in promoting and driving through forward-thinking, ambitious plans that benefit everyone. Since joining Watford, Donna has transformed its culture and performance. She has also reset the Council’s approach to strategic planning and driven a new focus on economic development, health, housing, sustainability and commercial relationships. With a strategic mindset and dedicated to understanding and improving people’s quality of life, Donna balances the competing demands of service provision, organisational performance and partnership working. She follows a visible-management approach: developing talent; creating opportunities; investing in training; and forging a culture of active engagement. Donna is a solicitor by profession, has practiced in the private sector, and has held a number of board level roles in local government.

Appointed as Chief Executive of Somerset County Council on 3rd October 2022, and as Chief Executive of Somerset Council from 1st April 2023 Duncan continues to work to bring together the new council to deliver better outcomes for Somerset and its residents. Before this, Chief Executive of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and heavily involved in many national profile events including a significant role in delivering Operation London Bridge. Previously held a number of local government chief executive roles alongside a portfolio of non-executive board positions. Whilst a generalist by background originally brought into local government to deliver large scale economic growth and regeneration, particularly estate, town, and city centre programmes.

Leader in education and community health, focused on equality and equity. Passionate and collaborative, my focus revolves around building more effective child safeguarding practices, identifying innovative solutions that improve education outcomes, and fostering conducive workplace cultures that promote inclusivity, wellbeing, and growth.

Gary Westbrook – Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Hampshire 2050, Hampshire County Council. Gary is a Director at Hampshire County Council with responsibility for leading strategic place-based priorities and functions at one of the largest upper tier local authorities in the UK. His work brings together strategic responsibilities across Skills and Economy, Strategic Land and Assets, Culture and Communities, Planning and Transport. Gary is a fellow of CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy), having started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in financial consultancy roles. He has previously led major change programmes across a range of public sector organisations, including the development and delivery of the Hampshire public sector Shared Services Partnership to over 95,000 employees and volunteers across multiple public sector organisations. Gary originally hails from the North West of England and now lives in beautiful rural Hampshire, with his young family and recently adopted puppy.

Georgia Chimbani is the Corporate Director of Health and Adult Social Care at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. A registered Social Worker, she holds a master’s degree from the University of Southampton.

Georgia holds over 28 years’ experience of social care, working in London Boroughs, Unitary authorities and County Councils. She was recently Director for Adult and Community Services in Suffolk County Council. Georgia started her career in the voluntary sector in Zimbabwe working to promote the rights of women living in disadvantaged communities. She remains a strong advocate for the promotion of equality, non-discriminatory practice, and empowerment of communities.

 A member of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services [ADASS], Georgia was the national Dementia lead for ADASS until July 2022, supporting the Department of Health and Social Care in delivery of the national agenda on dementia. She leads the ADASS International Network and sits on the board and council of the European Social Network, an organization that brings together over 165 social services departments in public authorities in 35 countries.

Greg Fell is the Director of Public Health in Sheffield. He graduated from Nottingham University with a degree in biochemistry and physiology in 1993. He has worked as a social researcher in a maternity unit; a number of roles in health promotion and public health before joining the public health training scheme. Greg worked as a consultant in public health in Bradford in the PCT then Bradford council. Since Feb 2016 he has worked for Sheffield City Council as the Director of Public Health for the city. Greg was also appointed to the role of Vice President to the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) in December 2021 and then became President in October 2023.

Ian is the Managing Director of Westco Communications – a marketing and PR agency for public service with an ethos of maximising social good through creative, strategic communications. He has developed strategic communications in the social good sector for over 20 years working at Director and Head of Communications level. He is dedicated to the continuous development of marketing and communications in the public sector and has been a member of both the PRCA Council and UK Government GCS council and judged national awards for the sector. Ian has co-authored national reputation guidance in the UK and helped drive strategic communications improvement through development of best practice models. He has also led the development of the innovative Campaign Hub at Westco designing and delivering creative campaigns for issues of national priority. He provides C-suite advice and guidance on creative, digital and strategic communications and crucially how to translate that into high performing teams.

Ian Thomas CBE is the CEO of City of London Corporation. The Corporation is the government of the Square Mile, a multibillion-pound organisation representing the UK's financial and professional services sector globally. Since commencing in role in February 2023 Ian has worked with Members and his talented team to deliver a new Corporate Plan, People Strategy and Digital and Data Strategy, providing the foundation for the next ‘fantastic five years’. Prior to this, he was CEO of Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and in 2019 he was made a Commander of the British Empire for leadership in local government.

Jackie Yates is Chief Executive of Reading Borough Council. A Cipfa member and ex S151 Officer, Jackie has worked in local government throughout her career and believes passionately in the difference local government can make to people’s lives. With significant senior leadership experience across all tiers of local government, Jackie has extensive expertise in leading service transformation and a track record of implementing and embedding both cultural and structural change as well as effective partnership working, and facilitating regeneration and delivery through alternative governance structures to deliver improved outcomes for customers and residents. Jackie is also trustee of a mental health charity, Response.

Jacqui joined Liverpool City Council in January 2022 to lead on improvement and transformation, with responsibilities for corporate services including policy, insight, strategy, EDI, communications, customer services, HR and organisational development, ICT/digital. She led on the development and implementation of the new neighbourhood model and culture change at the Council. Prior to joining Liverpool, Jacqui was Chief Executive of the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS), the national centre of expertise on governance and scrutiny. Jacqui oversaw CfGS’ work with a range of sectors including local and national government, health, housing, police and the voluntary and private sector. Previously, Jacqui was Corporate Director of Strategy and Customer Services at Staffordshire County Council and has worked in health, sport and the civil service, with a professional background in communications and marketing. She is also a proud Board Member of New Local, a national membership and research organisation focused on community power.

Jes Ladva is a Managing Partner at Odgers Berndtson, a leading global executive headhunter, with specific responsibility for leading Odgers’ Interim Management Practice for Government and with additional responsibility for Odgers Interim’s Financial Services, Digital, Data and Technology Practices. Jes also leads the company’s management consultancy division, Odgers Connect, which enables him to offer clients organisation change management capabilities alongside interim managers. Jes has over 20 years’ experience in the sector having initially worked in government. He then went on to establish a number of interim, search and consultancy firms in the sector, most recently operating as a chief executive of a specialist interim management and executive search company. He is widely recognised in the sector as a trusted advisor, capable of identifying and developing aspiring talent in line with the current and future challenges experienced across both local and central government.

Jo Brown has worked in the local government arena for 20 years, prior to which she was in the private sector. She is currently Assistant Chief Executive at Rotherham Council, with a wide range of corporate and neighbourhood services within her portfolio and is the lead for a number of priority cross-cutting projects. Prior to joining Rotherham in 2021, Jo was the Director of Transformation at Cheshire East Council and has also worked for Luton BC, Northamptonshire County Council and Peterborough City Council. From 2014-19, Jo worked a transformation advisor and consultant in the public sector, across commissions including the establishment of a mayoral combined authority, undertaking the commercial review of a local authority trading company, a whole organisational restructure and a customer/ blue light services remodelling project.

John has been CFO at the Combined Authority since its inception in 2014 and has played a regional and national role in the development of Combined Authority financial and governance models. John has also been Finance Director for our transport function (Merseytravel) since 2012, including a period as Interim MD. Before working in the Combined Authority John held a number of roles within local government finance at St Helens Council and the Audit Commission.

Jon Rouse is Chief Executive of Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Previously, he was Chief Officer at the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, co-ordinating the delivery of Greater Manchester’s strategy for the transformation of health and care services. Other previous roles include: o Director General for Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships, Department of Health o Chief Executive, London Borough of Croydon o Chief Executive, Housing Corporation o Chief Executive, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment He has also held a wide range of non-executive positions, including on the Board of the Department of Health and as Chair of Shaw Education MAT. He currently sits on the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS Board as a partner member. He is the executive champion for children’s health. Jon is also currently the SOLACE national lead for Housing, Planning and Infrastructure and is a member of the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods. 

Jonathan has worked within local government for over 25 years, predominantly undertaking senior leadership roles, across a range of different organisations, Ipswich Borough Council, The London Borough of Enfield, Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Councils. Jonathan is currently Joint Chief Executive at Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District Council. Working more widely in Essex he is also lead CEO for Housing and Infrastructure for the Association of South East Essex Local Authorities (ASELA) and a Commissioner for the Essex Climate Action Committee. Jonathan also represents Solace (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers) at board level as a Non-Executive Director, and is on the DCN (District Council Network) national Chief Executive Group as a South East Region representative.

Dr Justin Varney recently took up the Regional Director role working with the NHS, Local Government and Public Health system in the South West Region to protect and improve the health of this diverse and vibrant region. Justin’s previous roles include over five years as Director of Public Health for Birmingham City Council, leading the work to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of the approximately 1.2 million citizens of England’s second city, National Lead for Adult Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England, Thinker in Residence at the University of Sydney and Policy Lead for Business in the Community, the Prince of Wales’s business charity. He has also been a board member for the Food Standards Agency. Dr Varney originally trained in general practice before specialising in Public Health and has worked at local, regional, national and international levels of the public health system. He holds an honorary chair at the University of Birmingham and honorary fellowship of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, as well as honorary doctorates from several universities for his work in the COVID-19 pandemic. Justin has a special interest in diversity and inclusion, previously holding regional and national advisory roles to several public sector bodies on diversity, and has published research and key documents on both ethnic and sexual orientation diversity.

Karen is the Chief Executive of South Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire. She has lead responsibility for the strategic direction of the Council ensuring excellent quality services are provided for all local residents. Karen works in partnership with key stakeholders such as Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Enterprise Partnership, Health Sector, Fire and Police Services to deliver key community schemes and projects. Karen has over 35 years’ experience of working in Local Government including holding a number of senior positions across the country. Key positions held by Karen are: Director of a local investment Children’s Charity since October 2020 As of October 2022, Karen is now the National Deputy Spokesperson for Housing and Planning for SOLACE, a networking organisation for Chief Executive’s and senior officers in the public sector. In July 2022, Karen joined ALACE as a Council Member. ALACE is the recognised negotiating body for Chief Executives’ terms and conditions of employment. Chief Executive of the Year finalist 2021-2022.

Kathryn has extensive experience of leading transformation and change in Local Government through several roles in Stockport and Wigan Council. She is passionate about improving the lives of people and communities. Kathryn has been at Stockport Council since 2019 and is currently the Executive Director for Corporate and Support Services, with responsibility for finance, legal and democratic services, workforce, communications and strategy. Kathryn is leading on the development of Stockroom, the transformation of vacant retail units into a new cultural centre. Kathryn plays a key role in the Health and Care partnership providing leadership for enabling programmes and also chairs the Greater Manchester Smart Cities Board. At Wigan Council, Kathryn played an integral part in the design and delivery of the Wigan Deal which transformed the way the council worked with communities. Kathryn is a trustee at Mencap and sits on the board of Care City.

Kim has been Chief Executive of Brent Council since May 2023 and leads a workforce of around 2500 people, with a focus on delivering of corporate priorities. Before joining Brent, Kim had been Chief Executive of Lewisham Council where she led the council’s response to the global pandemic, and prior to that, she held a range of Corporate Director roles at Hackney Council, responsible for a large range of front facing services. Kim began her local government career in leisure services at Spelthorne Borough Council, moving on to work at Barnet Council before joining Hackney. She has several pan London roles – as Chair of the London Partnership Board’s Tackling Structural Inequalities subgroup and as Deputy Chair of London’s Local Resilience Forum.

Laura joined Bedford Borough as the Chief Executive in October 2021. Bedford Borough Council is a unitary authority and is one of the few areas nationally to have an elected Mayor. Bedford Borough has the core urban area of Bedford and Kempston and a large rural area to the north. The Borough has significant housing growth and seen development of new employment sites. A key feature of the Borough is the River Great Ouse that creates a great environment but also challenges such as flooding. Starting her local government career as a trainee planner, her main experience has been in “place” related responsibilities with a particular focus on town centres, neighbourhood regeneration and economic development. Laura has always had outward facing responsibilities engaging with key partners including with the business community and on wider regional partnerships. As an example, she worked with the Government to support the retention of the Vauxhall Van plant in Luton. Laura’s last Corporate Director role was to take responsibility for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Housing during the COVID pandemic. Since joining Bedford, a key area of focus for Laura has been Children’s Services with an OFSTED inspection in her first few months, achieving a good outcome and are now providing support across the sector on SEND. Given the levels of housing growth, they are also looking at meeting the demand for school places. Laura also sits on the Integrated Care Board of Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes and is leading the “place” based work with health at Bedford.

Lisa Cotton, with a career beginning in financial and retail sectors, Lisa’s experience is renowned in supporting organisations to place their customer experience at the heart of driving better outcomes; transformation and success. With over 19 years in local government, they have since dedicated their career to helping councils navigate the complexities of digital and customer transformation ensuring seamless and engaging customer journeys; whilst driving down the cost to deliver. Lisa’s career is characterized by a deep understanding of customer needs, a passion for innovation, and a commitment to delivering exceptional results. Outside of work, Lisa enjoys living in Dorset with family and for work and South Devon with her partner where she is grateful for the amazing coast, walking, a slower and quieter pace of life. As a life-long learner she constantly seeks new perspectives and ideas to fuel creativity in and outside of work.

Mark has extensive leadership experience across education, local and national government. He has

been a teacher and head teacher in a variety of special schools between 1985 and 2001.

Subsequently, in local government, he became a Director of Children’s Services (Solihull 2006-

09) and twice a Chief Executive (Solihull 2007-14 and Birmingham 2014-17).  Following 15

months of consultancy work with KPMG and CollaborateCIC, in June 2018 Mark became Director

General for Children, Young People, Education and Skills for the Government of Jersey. In January 2022, Mark moved back to the UK to become chief executive of the Leadership Centre and, since August 2023, he has been complementing this role with leading the establishment of the new East Midlands Combined County Authority.

For more information about the Leadership Centre: https://www.leadershipcentre.org.uk/

Martin has been CEO of Oxfordshire County Council since March 2023. He was previously CEO of Coventry City Council for 14 years and was also the Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority from March 2016 to September 2017. He had previously been with Bedfordshire County Council for three and a half years as Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Executive. Martin has held strategic leadership roles in a District and an outer London Borough and was Programme Director for Work Smart, Westminster City Council’s flagship transformation programme. Martin spent much of his early career as a lecturer and researcher and has a PhD in applied economics. He has an Honorary Doctorate from Coventry University in recognition of his service and commitment to the City of Coventry and is the first Honorary President of LARIA (Local Area Research and Intelligence Association). He is former President of SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives & Senior Managers) and is the current Local Government Association (LGA) National Procurement Champion.

Matt has worked across central and local government in a range of roles. Previous to being Peterborough's Chief Executive he was the Executive Director for Place leading on the regeneration and growth agenda in Barnsley MBC. Previously he has undertaken corporate director roles and served as Assistant Chief Executive, together with a period working in the private sector on digital infrastructure. Matt has played key roles in shaping performance within local government and developing strong relationships with key partners in the business and voluntary sector to facilitate change and improvement. Matt has a real passion for driving up standards and performance and realising better outcomes and improving the culture within the organisation. Having worked in the National Audit Office he has a very good understanding of finance and since then handling large and complex budgets. He currently has responsibility for overseeing and driving the improvement plan at Peterborough City Council.

Maxine is Chief Executive at Kensington and Chelsea Council. She has an extensive background in local government and the voluntary sector. She came into local government after working in advocacy and advice charities. She spent several years as an Executive Director of Homes and Neighbourhoods at Islington Council before joining Kensington and Chelsea in 2022.

Maxine is the Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service of Breckland Council where she guides an organisation of over 300 employees to provide the essential services for the Breckland District. With over 25 years’ experience as a Senior Leader in both the Public and Private Sector, a background in Human Resources and a Fellowship of the CIPD, Maxine is passionate about people, performance and change. Max led a transformational change programme for Breckland in 2021 which resulted in a fit for purpose modern workplace complimented by a modern working policy and laid the foundations for a modern working environment for a commercial Council of the future. Since the transformation, Maxine has worked extensively with other Local Authorities and their officers, advising them on workforce transformation and mentoring senior officers into leadership. Maxine previously held the role of Monitoring Officer for more than a decade, providing considered advice to Members and Officers, she remains Returning Officer for Breckland. In 2023 Maxine was voted onto the Chief Executive board for the DCN and in June 2024 Maxine won the prestigious MJ Chief Executive of the Year award for her work in transforming the workforce and workplace at Breckland and leading a change in the way local authorities can work with partners enabling them to provide targeted and effective services for their communities.

Monica Fogarty is Chief Executive of Warwickshire County Council. With over thirty years’ experience in local government, Monica has held a number of senior roles. Before taking the role of Chief Executive, Monica was Strategic Director for Communities, leading the ‘place’ agenda for Warwickshire. Prior to this. she was Assistant Chief Executive for Warwickshire. Winner of the MJ Chief Executive of the Year 2022, Monica has also held a range of local government Director posts including Policy, Performance and Change Management. Particular areas of expertise are Economics, Strategic Infrastructure, Partnerships and Organisational Change. With Irish roots, Monica is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and lives in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

Nabeel leads the Growth Directorate at the London Borough of Lambeth, focusing on building a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable local economy. With extensive experience working alongside senior policymakers and politicians, he specialises in urban development, climate action and placemaking strategies that drive growth and reduce inequality. At Lambeth, he oversees a broad portfolio and a development programme with a GDV of over £1 billion and works to foster strong partnerships across industry, academia, all tiers of government, and local communities. Previously, Nabeel worked for the Mayor of London, managing over £100m of investment into London’s growing tech and digital sectors and overseeing the Mayor’s business support functions both domestically and internationally. He is also a Non-Executive Director at Be First, an urban regeneration company tasked with delivering 50,000 new homes in Barking and Dagenham over the next 15 years. Nabeel also serves on various research and advisory boards, advising on economic strategy, tackling poverty and placemaking.

Niall Bolger is Chief Executive for the London Borough of Hounslow who were awarded the LGC Council of the Year 2021. He is Lead CEO for Infrastructure and Climate Change for the West London Alliance and lead CEO for Environment and Climate Change for the Chief Executive London Committee. He Chairs the Heathrow Strategic Planning Group Chief Executive’s Board, which coordinates the planning of the country’s largest port. He chairs the Health Equity Board for the NW London ICS, that leads on tackling health inequality in the largest Integrated Care System in the country. He also chairs the Program Board for the UK Cities Climate Investment Commission, 3Ci, which is in the vanguard of bringing funding and finance to the net zero challenge in local government. Niall is a Trustee for the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, the national “think-do” tank for fair and just economic development. He was the SOLACE spokesperson for Commissioning and Innovation from 2018 – 2020 and chair of the London Counter-terrorism Board (Prevent Board) from 2018 – 2023. Prior to his role with Hounslow, he was Chief Executive of the London Borough of Sutton for eight years. Niall’s professional background is in urban planning, regeneration and environmental management and he has held a number of board level roles in local government over the last two decades leading these areas and implementing organisational change. In all of his roles he has held, he is passionate about making a difference to communities and securing social justice. He is a graduate of Queen Mary, University of London, London Southbank University and Warwick University.

Pam joined Newcastle City Council as Chief Executive in January 2022 having been Chief Executive at Stockport Council since 2017. In April 2024 Pam was appointed Visiting Professor of Practice at Newcastle University, within the School of Geography, Politics & Sociology. Pam is known for building strong teams that deliver for residents. She led the University Town transformation in Burnley and the £1bn regeneration and transformation of Stockport including being a champion of the Mayoral Development Corporation which accelerated growth and opportunities for its residents. Working collaboratively across Newcastle and the region, Pam is now leading the city through the new Green Industrial Age as it becomes a global exemplar for clean energy and sustainable growth. Pam is focused on tackling inequalities and ensuring Newcastle is the best place for residents to grow up, grow older and live their best life.

I'm having a great time leading an organisation that is striving for excellence in the things it does. Monmouthshire is a stunning investable border County. We have built a commercial portfolio and have the wherewithal to be primary or co-investors. We are equally interested in community wealth building. If we can blend these approaches together we have a chance of building sustainable, resilient communities. We are the gateway to South Wales and the largest municipality in the Cardiff Capital Region. To our east are the vibrant cities of Bristol, Bath and Swindon. I am a visiting Professor at Cardiff University, a Governor of Cardiff Metropolitan University, Innovation and Business Engagement lead for the Cardiff Capital Region, SOLACE Wales lead for Economy and Digital, Board Member of SRS (Wales), Member of Wales Digital Advisory Panel, and Clerk to the Lord Lieutenancy of Gwent.

Paul Orders has been Chief Executive of Cardiff Council since 2013, working with successive political administrations to help deliver the ongoing transformation of Cardiff as a European Capital City, the growth and renewal of the Cardiff Capital Region, and a step-change in the performance of local public services. He is a Director of the Millennium Stadium plc; and has played a key role in the delivery of Cardiff’s major events throughout the last decade. Previously Paul was Chief Executive of Dunedin City Council in New Zealand’s South Island, where he helped lead the Council through a period of financial retrenchment. He is an Honorary Visiting Professor in the School of Geography and Planning at Cardiff University; and holds a doctorate in History from the University of Cambridge. Paul is an avid fan of rugby, football and music; and is married with three children.

Paul Sesay is the Founder and CEO of Inclusive Companies Limited, the National Diversity Awards, the Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers List, Inclusive Awards and D&I recruitment company Precedent Group. Paul’s business acumen has mainly been with a social focus. With over eighteen years’ worth of experience Paul is a leading figure across the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion sector, having worked with some of the largest organisations in the world on their D&I profiles. Passionate about inclusion across all protected characteristics, Paul continues to work holistically with diverse communities and inclusive organisations across the UK, encouraging and supporting individuals and groups from various backgrounds to achieve, empowering disadvantaged groups across the nation. Paul’s initiatives have helped thousands of organisations and individuals get recognised for their hard work and dedication to the diversity agenda.

Pinaki has been the Executive Director for Children & Young People (DCS) in Lewisham since June 2020. Prior to that he was the DCS in Brighton and Hove for 7 years and was in an Assistant Director role in Manchester and Warrington before that. For most of his professional life Pinaki worked in the North West of England originally as a teacher before moving into LA services, initially line managing minority ethnic achievement services before taking on wider Inclusion and Education leadership roles. At different points Pinaki has been responsible for adult disability services, Housing, Libraries, Community development and Community Safety.

Rachel is an experienced senior leader within the legal and governance space. She qualified as a solicitor in 2005 and specialised in the field of planning law for over 17 years. Throughout her career, she has worked both in local and central government, on complex strategic schemes and national infrastructure projects. This has provided her with significant experience across multiple commercial legal disciplines. Ensuring good governance has been key to each role she has held and is pivotal to the role she currently holds as Monitoring Officer and Director of Law & Governance at the London Boroughs of Newham and Havering (One Source). Additionally, Rachel holds a number of sector roles including: Immediate Past President of Lawyers in Local Government and Advisor to the Board (LLG); NED and Solicitor to Board of the Society of Local Government Chief Executives (SOLACE); Chair of the Professional Conduct and Disciplinary Committee BCS (Chartered Institute for IT), Lay Trustee (Legal & Governance) Westminster University Student Union and is a former Chief Projects Assessor and Law Society Advisory Academic Board Member (Diploma in Local Government Law and Practice). This experience provided her with a unique national insight into the current challenges and opportunities within the local government context. Rachel utilises these platforms to raise awareness of the principles of good governance, whilst championing the work undertaken by local government lawyers, and Monitoring Officers within this space. This has involved her contributing to multiple strands of assurance work and publications, in collaboration with several sector partners (LGA, Grant Thornton, LGiU, Solace, and CIPHA), to bolster the importance of the “Golden Triangle” and role of the Monitoring Officer.

Richard became Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Council following its establishment on the 1 April 2023 after 12 years as Chief Executive of North Yorkshire County Council. Richard has been closely involved in developing the Devolution Deal for North Yorkshire and York which saw the Mayor appointed in May 2024. Richard has been Chief Executive of North Yorkshire County Council since July 2010. He celebrated 30 years of working for NYCC in 2018 and has held many roles within the council. Richard first joined as a Trainee Trading Standard Officer, becoming Assistant Head of Trading Standards before using his background in economics to lead the Council’s Economic Development Team. Richard became Assistant Chief Executive in 2005 and then Director of Business and Environmental Services. As Chief Executive, Richard has covered the statutory roles of Director of Children and Young People’s service and Health and Adult Services at different times during the last eight years and has a detailed knowledge of the Council and North Yorkshire.

Rishi Shori is the current Deputy Managing Director and Director of Intervention Response at Birmingham City Council. Rishi joined Birmingham in July 2019, having enjoyed an extensive career across local government in corporate and political leadership roles. He has held numerous senior roles at Birmingham with a focus upon supporting the council’s operational and political leadership with advice in the areas of corporate strategy, external affairs, and strategic relationship management. Rishi was appointed by Commissioners to lead the council's response to government intervention. Rishi has also held senior political roles in local government having previously served as the Leader of Bury Metropolitan Borough Council and as a member of the leadership team of Mayor Andy Burnham at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Before working in local government, Rishi practised as a solicitor with over a decade's experience, specialising in Commercial Dispute Resolution.

Rob has been Chief Executive at CPCA since June 2023 and previously was Chief Executive of North Northamptonshire Council and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council. Rob has overseen the successful implementation of a wide range of projects and initiatives, including the establishment of North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) as a new unitary authority. As a successful strategic leader, Rob has driven positive cultural change. He has an approachable and personable style and believes in creating cultures that allow people to be their very best. Rob has also led on regeneration, external investment and transformation and is passionate about improving public services and the place where people live. Under Rob’s leadership as a local authority Chief Executive, the combined authority and councils have made progress on ambitious modernisation and improvement programmes to deliver better services for local residents, businesses and communities.

Robin Porter has been the Chief Executive for Luton Council since May 2019. In this role Robin is responsible for more than 2,700 staff and the delivery of circa 730 services, as well as a budget of £600m – all focused on supporting Luton’s vibrant and diverse 231,000 population, and working with partners to deliver the collective 2040 ambition to eradicate poverty. Robin is also the Shareholder Representative for all of the Council owned companies who in part manage the Councils £3.5bn of commercial investments. Robin has now been part of the Luton community for 17 years. Before taking up his current appointment he held a number of roles including Deputy Chief Executive; Director of Transformation; and Chief Operations Officer for London Luton Airport Limited. Before joining Luton Robin worked as a senior manager in the private sector in the project finance industry and before this he was a British Army Officer.

Robin Tuddenham, Chief Executive, Calderdale Council and Place Lead, West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board Robin has been Chief Executive at Calderdale Council, in West Yorkshire, since June 2017, and in a joint role for the NHS as Calderdale’s Accountable Place Lead for the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board since June 2022. He leads the Council’s and NHS workforce, supports system leadership across the area with public, private and voluntary sector leaders in support of Calderdale Vision 2024, and oversees a £550m capital programme across the borough’s market towns. He is lead Chief Executive for Migration/Asylum and Workforce for Yorkshire and Humber, and Chair of West Yorkshire Chief Executives Group. Robin led the redevelopment of the multi-award-winning Piece Hall and new Central Library in Halifax, and prior to that worked in senior roles for LB Waltham Forest and LB Barking and Dagenham. Robin was elected lead spokesperson for Solace (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) for Economic Prosperity in October 2020, is a member of Solace Policy Board, and has led been an LGA Peer leading a wide range of reviews over the past decade. Robin is an honorary life member of the Faculty of Public Health, and a Trustee of Belong: Cohesion and Integration Network.

Rose Rouse has been Chief Executive of Pendle Borough Council since 2021. Rose is passionate about improving outcomes for the people and communities she serves. Rose represents the interests of Pendle on a wider stage in her role as Vice-Chair of the District Councils’ Network (DCN) Chief Executives’ Group and as Chair of the Lancashire Chief Executives’ Group. Prior to this, Rose was Chief Executive of Eden District Council in Cumbria. Rose started her local government career in community development, policy and performance, and went on to lead large front-line services and regeneration. She has worked in senior roles for district councils in Yorkshire, the West Midlands and the North-West. In a regional local government role, Rose led on council improvement, social care policy and environmental strategy. Rose has run her own businesses in consultancy/coaching and property development. Early on in her career Rose taught English in Turkey.

Ruth has worked as the Director of Public Health, Education and Inclusion at Solihull Council where her role includes public health & leisure services, emergency planning and resilience, education and special educational needs. Ruth is a member of Birmingham and Solihull’s Integrated Care Board and Partnership. She has worked across a range of sectors, including the European Parliament, Audit Commission and King’s Fund, has held lay and non-executive appointments within the NHS in London and was previously Director of Public Health for Leicester. She trained in public health in the West Midlands and during this time developed the internationally recognised Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Ruth is on the Board of the Association of Directors of Public Health, NHS Prevention Board and has held national advisory roles with NHS Test and Trace during the COVID pandemic and the Ministerial Taskforce on Personalised Prevention.

Sharon Kemp is Chief Executive of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. Being appointed by Government Commissioners and the Council in 2016 to lead improvements which has seen powers return and a ‘Good’ Ofsted rated children and young people’s services since 2018. Since Sharon became Chief Executive, the Council has been on a journey of continuous improvement. Dedicated to serving people and places, Sharon has worked in the public sector for over thirty years across community safety, neighbourhood management, community cohesion, performance, and partnerships. Sharon has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honors list for her services to business and to the community in Rotherham and South Yorkshire and was awarded an OBE in June 2024.

Chief Executive of London Legacy Development Corporation

Sheila has been a Chief Executive for over 10 years, firstly at North Norfolk District Council and for the last 7 years at Great Yarmouth Borough Council. A qualified accountant and experienced leader, Sheila’s passion is for place-based regeneration and growth, equalising the life chances of all. In her role Sheila works with elected members and a wide range of partners to maximise opportunities for Great Yarmouth residents and businesses to drive economic growth in the area, broaden the tourism offer, promote Yarmouth’s cultural heritage, and find sustainable ways to address complex challenges to meet the needs of local communities. Health and wellbeing is high up her agenda both in her public role and private life, having completed five Ironman triathlons and a keen marathon runner and actively promotes healthy lifestyles and sport tourism.

Steve James is an Executive Director at Breckland Council, which spans over 500 square miles in the heart of Norfolk and is one of the largest district councils in the country. Prior to joining the Public Sector, Steve worked for over 10 years in a customer service environment in the Private Sector, undertaking a variety of management roles. Since joining Breckland Council he has taken opportunities from being a Performance Manager, Project Manager, and a variety of Service Management roles. He has now developed into a confident Executive Director giving strategic direction to a wide range of front-line services including Planning & Building Control, Housing, Environmental Health and Licensing. More specifically, amongst his current duties, Steve is responsible for the delivery of the council’s Inspiring Communities corporate priority, which focuses on helping some of Norfolk’s most vulnerable residents.

Stuart has been Chief Executive at Westminster City Council since 2018. His previous role was Executive Director for City Management and Communities. He is the co-chair of the Chief Executive’s London Committee’s Tackling Racial Inequality Group London and a Business In The Community mentor. Under his leadership the following initiatives have been launched in Westminster City Council: • Diverse shortlisted candidates • Inclusive recruitment • Reverse mentoring • The Black on Board governance training programme designed to mentor junior council officers Stuart has ensured that the council publishes all of its pay gaps, not just the gender pay gap and has used this to address the gender and ethnicity pay gaps that exist in the organisation. During Stuart’s time as chief executive the demographics of the council have changed significantly to represent the communities it serves and representation at senior levels in the organisation has improved significantly. Stuart’s focus as chief executive is on people and culture, with equity, diversity and inclusion being at the core.

Tim's background is an unusual mix of blue-chip consulting, Local Authority operational experience, combined with many years of hands-on digital delivery in both the private and public sectors. Now focussed on bringing this experience to the sector through fast tracked approaches to value creation.

Tina led the Energy Superhub Oxford project for Oxford City Council, creating the most powerful EV charging hub in Europe, as well as supporting Taxi and Oxford City Council fleet electrification. She now leads the wider team, delivering on Oxford's Sustainability targets (NZ City by 2040, NZ Council by 2030 & Environmental Quality Actions including those under Flooding, Ecology & Biodiversity, Air Quality & Land Quality).

Tom joined Norfolk County Council in 2013 becoming Head of Paid Service in 2018 before being appointed as Chief Executive in June 2023. Tom was Corporate Director at Shropshire Council and Director of Environment at Cheshire County Council. He has also worked other councils including Kent, Lancashire and Liverpool. He has overseen the delivery of a number of significant infrastructure projects in Norfolk including expanding superfast broadband, the Broadland Northway and the Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing. He was a Non-Executive Chairman of the Norse Group and Chair of the Strategic Co-ordination Group for Norfolk during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Tracey Lee took up the post as Chief Executive for Plymouth City Council in October 2012, and has worked in a variety of local government roles across London, Ipswich and Wales. Tracey is currently the Chair of the ALACE trade union, which represents chief executives and senior managers. Tracey sits on numerous boards both regionally and nationally, these include; Chair of Plymouth’s Local Care Partnership, and the representative South West Chief Executive for the Strategic Migration Partnership. The City Council was named as MJ Local Authority of the Year in 2021.

Victoria is the Chief Executive of Islington Council and has been in the role since January 2024. Islington is focused on creating a more equal future through five missions. Before joining Islington Council, Victoria was Executive Director of Environment, Culture and Customer Services at Hounslow Council, and was an Executive Director there since July 2019.

Will Tuckley Will has been the Chief Executive of Slough Borough Council since March 2024. Prior to this he spent a year as the interim Chief Executive of the City of Brighton and Hove. He was the Chief Executive of Tower Hamlets Council from October 2015 until March 2023. He became Chief Executive in the London Borough of Bexley in 2008 and was previously Deputy Chief Executive in Croydon. Will has been the Chair of a large housing association, served on the Board of London Marathon Events, led the London Serious Youth Violence Board and, having Chaired the London local authority Chief Executives Group, was for many years the London lead chief executive on health. He is currently a non-executive director on the Board of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. 

William has been Chief Executive of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council since 2009. Prior to that he was Deputy Chief Executive and has held a number of senior manager roles in local government. His background is in international development, and he spent three years with the International Development Select Committee in the House of Commons and a period of time working within the voluntary sector. William is a spokesperson for the sector on finance issues and chairs the Kent-wide grouping of chief executives and is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA).