The Future of Work

Disruptive thinking, artificial intelligence, automation, agile workplace structures, new and accelerating technology… there are many concepts that arise when exploring what ‘The Future of Work’ looks like and how we need to prepare for it. As generations collide, workforces diversify, and new technologies and social networks are developed, our current leadership pathways may soon become a thing of the past. But how do we adapt to a future that we cannot predict? This panel session will explore the ways in which we can embrace these transitions and maximise potential benefits.

11:20 - 12:50

Panel Discussion

17:00 - 18:00 Networking drinks

16:50 - 17:00 Review and closing comments

The Authenticity Paradox 

Why feeling like a fake can be a sign of growth by Herminia Ibarra

Authenticity has become the 'gold standard’ and the go-to descriptor for leadership. The reality is, it can also hinder growth and decrease impact. Career transitions and progress require breaking out of comfort zones, but this can be risky and challenge authenticity. This panel session will provide practical examples and opportunities to consider the space that authenticity is holding for us.

11:10 - 12:40

Panel Discussion

14:20 - 15:00

Keynote Address

Hilary Devey CBE

Former Dragon's Den host; Entrepreneur; Businesswoman 

British businesswoman, investor and expert business speaker Hilary Devey CBE made her fortune following the launch of one of the UK’s first pallet distribution companies, Pall-Ex. Launched in 1996 Pall-Ex was only the third company of its kind in the UK and quickly became a multi-million-pound business success.

Many will know Hilary from her time spent on the BBC 2 series Dragon’s Den where she appeared alongside other notable business speakers and investors including Duncan Bannatyne and Deborah Meaden.

Hilary Devey CBE has appeared as an expert advisor on the Channel 4 series The Intern and also appeared on a number of other Channel 4 productions including Hotel GB.

13:40 - 14:20

Keynote Address

Martine Wright MBE

Paralympian and 7/7 Survivor 

With 40 GB caps in sitting volleyball, Martine Wright now is a well-established motivational speaker with a phenomenal story to share. From despair to determination to succeed, Martine was the last rescued survivor of the 7/7 bombings and had sat only 3 feet away from the suicide bomber. Trapped for over an hour and consequently losing 80% of her blood supply as well as both legs above the knee, Martine had to learn to walk again and then went on to exceed in sit down volleyball.

Since competing at the London 2012 Paralympics, Martine has gone on to become a highly recognised television personality and has presented many high-profile sporting events, from covering the Paralympics and Invictus Games for BBC and Channel 4 to roving reporter at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.

TBA

Liz Sayce OBE

Visiting Senior Fellow, London School of Economics; Non-executive Director and Disability Rights Advocate   

Liz Sayce is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics. She was Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK (and its legacy charity Radar) from 2007-2017, where she led work for equal participation for all, through programmes on independent living, career opportunities and shifts in cultural attitudes and behaviour.

Liz is Chair of the Commission for Equality in Mental Health, hosted by the Centre for Mental Health, and Interim Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee. She recently completed a report at the London School of Economics on policy levers to influence employers to improve disabled people’s employment and pay. She is a Non-Executive Director of the Care Quality Commission and a member of the Disability Advisory Committee of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Committee of Healthwatch England. 

Oluchi Ikechi

Head of Business Restructuring and Innovation, Accenture 

Oluchi has built and now leads Accenture’s business restructuring unit in the UK and Ireland. Through her work, she creates innovative solutions for global banks plus asset and wealth management firms, leading multi-billion-pound restructuring deals (including divestments, M&A, business transfers and Brexit). An advocate for entrepreneurship, Oluchi mentors entrepreneurs and FinTechs and sponsors Accenture’s African and Caribbean Financial Services Community, actively supporting those from diverse backgrounds and encouraging leadership development.

Oluchi was the ‘Management Today 35 Women Under 35’ 2019 winner, the country's longest-running, most prestigious annual listing of young, female business talent. Oluchi has also been selected as 2019 winner for the outstanding achievement award from the Black Women in Business Awards (BWBA) organisation. 

15:30 - 16:10

Keynote Address

Harnaam Kaur

Model and Social Activist 

Harnaam Kaur is a British model who has spent the majority of her life overcoming adversity. Aged 12, Kaur was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) which is a condition that gives an imbalance of hormones in the body and can often cause excessive growth of facial and body hair. Throughout school, Kaur was bullied for her condition and attempted to remove her facial regularly. Since then, Kaur has started to embrace her condition and doesn’t allow it to stop her from succeeding.

Initially starting out as a school teacher, Kaur soon became a popular figure within the media and became a full-time public figure and model. Kaur has also spent a lot of time as an anti-bullying activist and has been a part of discussions in the Houses of Parliament in regards to mental health, LGBTQIA, body image and cyber bullying. 

13:40 - 14:40

Development Session

Melanie Richards CBE

Deputy Chair and Board Member, KPMG UK

As Deputy Chair of KPMG, Melanie Richards works with her fellow board members to drive the Big Four firm’s strategic direction as well as policy positions around the big topics. She leads KPMG’s Vice-Chairs who represent KPMG’s external voice in the market and works alongside their highest-profile clients and key stakeholders, including regulators, industry bodies and the public sector.

Melanie has personally driven a wide range of programmes designed to advance inclusion in the workplace. She has campaigned for the progression of women and underrepresented minority groups to senior positions for over a decade. She is a founding member of the 30% Club Steering Committee, which is focused on increasing female representation in FTSE Boards and Leadership, and in September 2017 she was named #1 in the Financial Times’ Female Champions of Women in Business list. 

Sandra Wallace

Partner and Joint Managing Director, UK and Europe, DLA Piper

Sandra Wallace is a member of the Executive board and acts as joint Managing Director, UK & Europe for the global business law firm, DLA Piper. She also sits on the firm’s D&I Council. She remains an active employment law partner, providing business critical support to Company Boards, General Counsel and HR Directors on the full remit of employment law matters. For two years she was also the Head of Diversity within the international employment team and advised many companies on improving diversity and inclusion. Sandra has been the recipient of the Law Society Leadership Award, Legal 500 Leading Women Award, the Lawyer Hot 100 and she is also listed in the Powerlist 100 for people of African or African Caribbean heritage who have risen to the top of their profession.

Nicola Brentnall MVO

Chief Executive, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust 

Nicola Brentnall is Chief Executive of The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and has been with the organisation from inception. She has been responsible for the development of QCT’s proposition, governance, values, brand and fundraising.

Nicola has over twenty years’ senior leadership experience in the voluntary sector, working across youth, the arts and mental health. She has seen the extraordinary talent, tenacity and generosity of young people throughout her career and it is their example that has inspired all that is The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust today.

Nicola has no doubt the vision of the Trust, a world where young people are equal partners in driving change, is achievable. Why? Because in the words of David Hogg, activist and Parkland survivor, the young people will win.

10:20 - 10:50

Keynote Address

Catherine Fox

Award-Winning Journalist and Author 

Catherine Fox is a leading commentator on women and the workforce, and an award-winning journalist, author and presenter. During a long career with daily publication Financial Review, she edited several sections of the newspaper, and wrote the Corporate Woman column. Her freelance career has included reporting and speaking on management and workplace gender issues in London, Hong Kong, Auckland and around Australia. Catherine has published five books, including "Stop Fixing Women” which examines how organisational norms and bias in many parts of the international business world continue to hamper gender equity. Her most recent book “Women Kind” (with co-author Dr Kirstin Ferguson) was launched in 2018 and examines how female solidarity and support is rebooting the global women’s movement. 

09:50 - 10:20

Keynote Address

Air Marshal Sue Gray CB OBE

Director General, Defence Safety Authority, Ministry of Defence; Most senior ranking female within the British Armed Forces

Born in 1963 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, AM Gray commissioned into the Engineer Branch of the Royal Air Force in August 1985 after gaining a degree in Electronics from Newcastle Upon Tyne Polytechnic. Her career has encompassed service on VC10 Transport aircraft, taking her all over the world, followed by an extensive period with the Support Helicopter Force, during which time she deployed on Gulf War 1 and 2.

In June 2016, she was appointed Air Officer Commanding Number 38 Group and Chief of Staff Support for HQ Air Command with responsibility for c. 3,000 personnel engaged in supporting world wide operations. 

In April 2019 on promotion to Air Marshal, she assumed the appointment of Director General Defence Safety Authority, becoming the RAF’s first female three-star officer and the most senior female military officer in the British Armed Forces.

Hilary Devey CBE

Former Dragon's Den host; Entrepreneur; Businesswoman

Samira Ahmed

Journalist, Writer and Broadcaster, BBC

Melanie Dawes CB

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; Diversity & Inclusion Champion, UK Civil Service

Professor Rosie Campbell​

Director, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, King's College London

Catherine Fox

Award-Winning Journalist and Author

Harnaam Kaur

Model and Social Activist

Martine Wright​ MBE

Paralympian and 7/7 Survivor

Melanie Richards CBE

Deputy Chair and Board Member, KPMG UK

Oluchi Ikechi​

Head of Business Restructuring and Innovation, Accenture

Air Marshal Sue Gray CB OBE

Director General, Defence Safety Authority, Ministry of Defence; Most senior ranking female within the British Armed Forces

Sandra Wallace

Partner and Joint Managing Director, UK and Europe, DLA Piper

Nicola Brentnall MVO

Chief Executive, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust

Liz Sayce OBE 

Visiting Senior Fellow, London School of Economics; Non-executive Director and Disability Rights Advocate

Gisela Abbam FRSA

Chair, British Science Association; Business Person of the Year, 2019 Black British Business Awards

14:40 - 15:10

Keynote Address

Gisela Abbam FRSA

Chair, British Science Association; Business Person of the Year, 2019 Black British Business Awards 

Gisela is a Global Goodwill Ambassador, the winner of the 2019 Black British Business Person of the Year award, Chair of the British Science Association, a global senior executive, thought leader and author who is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives through the prioritisation of health.She was the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Company Officer for Abt Associates, one of the top 20 global research firms and top 40 international development innovators. Prior to joining Abt, Gisela was the inaugural Global Executive Director for General Electric (GE) Healthcare Government Affairs & Policy.Gisela has worked in collaboration with governments, the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN, World Bank and others to improve health outcomes globally. She has published more than 45 white papers on various public policy issues. 

16:10 - 16:50

Keynote Address

Samira Ahmed

Journalist, Writer and Broadcaster, BBC 

Samira Ahmed is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster, and a visiting professor of Journalism at Kingston University with a special focus on culture, politics and social change. Samira presents the weekly programme Newswatch on BBC One and is one of the main presenters of the BBC Radio 4 Arts programme Front Row.

She also makes regular documentaries and writes on culture and politics in newspapers and magazine including The Guardian, Radio Times, The New Statesman, The Mail on Sunday and The New Humanist.

Born and brought up in London, where she lives, Samira is a trustee of several charities: Action for Stammering Children which funds the Michael Palin centre for Stammering Children, the Centre for Women’s Justice, UK Feminista and is on the associate board of the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford.

10:20 - 11:00

Development Session

09:00 - 09:20

WELCOME AND OPENING COMMENTS

SUZI FINKELSTEIN

Global Executive Director, Women & Leadership International

Joanne McCartney AM

Statutory Deputy Mayor of London; Deputy Mayor of London for Education and Childcare

Susan Duffy 

Group Head of Committees and Outreach and Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Board, The Scottish Parliament