All our speakers are drawn from a variety of local and central government departments as well as private and third sectors.
Abigail Bell, Liberal Democrat and the Deputy Leader of Hull City Council Originally from Manchester, Abigail came to Hull in 1997 to study English and History at the University and on graduation worked for an umbrella organisation in the voluntary and community sector. Following this, she worked in HR for an electrical retail company before becoming a fulltime councillor following appointment to the Cabinet. Abigail now how responsibility for Policy Development and Co-ordination and has recently completed an MA at Huddersfield in Public Sector Modernisation.
Alastair McLellan, Editor of Health Service Journal His journalism career began long before the online revolution and includes the editor’s post at four weeklies, including Nursing Times. Within the last decade he has spent over three years working on online-only titles, including the role of development director at NHS Choices, the government’s portal for health information. He is the only journalist to be twice named as writer of the year in the PPA Awards.
Rt Hon Andrew Lansley MP, Secretary of State for Health In 2003, Andrew was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Health, and has now been in the post for more than five years.
Ben Page, Chief Executive of Ipsos MORI From 1987 to 1992 Ben worked in our private sector business on corporate reputation and consumer research, working for companies like Shell, BAe, Sky TVanna and IBM. Since 1992 he has worked closely with both Conservative and Labour ministers and senior policy makers across government, leading on work for Downing Street, the Cabinet Office, the Home Office and the Department of Health, as well as a wide range of local authorities and NHS Trusts. He is absolutely committed to making survey research make a difference for decision makers. He has one son and likes jazz, Italy, and sleep.
Ben Page is Chief Executive of Ipsos MORI and sits on the Global Ipsos Management Council. He joined MORI in 1987 after graduating from Oxford University in 1986, and was one of the leaders of its first management buyout in 2000. A frequent writer and speaker on leadership and performance management, he has directed hundreds of surveys examining service delivery, customer care and communications.
Cllr Colin Barrow, Leader, London Borough of Westminster Colin was appointed CBE in 2004 for services to local government. He is co-founder of Policy Exchange and Localis, a think tank dedicated to strengthening local government. Colin has been Chairman of the National Autistic Society since 2005.
Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Leader, Labour Party Labour’s youngest ever leader upon his election, Ed was born in North London in 1969. Ed graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and obtained a Masters degree from the London School of Economics. Ed lives in his Doncaster constituency and in North London, close to where he grew up, with his partner Justine with their two sons, Daniel and Sam.
Dr. Emma Harrison CBE, Chairman, Founder and majority shareholder of A4e
Emma is Chairman, Founder and majority shareholder of A4e, a global company which works with governments to provide social change and help the unemployed. Emma founded the business in 1991 and was awarded a CBE for services to the unemployed and the voluntary sector in 2010. Her interests include major building and design projects and Scuba diving.
Graham Allen MP, Labour MP for Nottingham North
Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Minister of State for Decentralisation Before entering politics, Greg worked for the Boston Consulting Group, one of the world’s top business strategy firms, and was posted to the USA, Mexico, South America and Iceland, as well as working for clients in the UK. Greg was Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for Trade & Industry – the Rt Hon Ian Lang MP – from 1996 until the General Election in 1997. Subsequently, he was appointed the BBC’s Controller, Commercial Policy. Before becoming an MP, Greg was Director of Policy for the Conservative Party from March 2001 for three successive Leaders – William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard – before being elected to Parliament for Tunbridge Wells in 2005. Greg was appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in October 2008, having previously been Shadow Minister for Charities, Social Enterprises and Volunteering. Greg was responsible for two landmark policy papers in Energy and Climate Change policy: ‘The Low Carbon Economy’ and ‘Rebuilding Security’, which set out how a Conservative Government will make Britain a leading player in the low carbon economy. Greg was Shadow Minister for Teesside from 2006 to 2010. In May 2010, Greg was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Councillor Keith Mitchell CBE He has been an Oxfordshire County Councillor since 1989. He served as Social Services Spokesman in the hung council from 1995 to 1999. He has been Conservative Group Leader since 1999 and was elected Leader of the Council in November 2001. He is also a board member of the South East England Development Agency, Chairman of the Local Government Association Resources Panel, Chairman of the Sustainable Communities Act Selector Panel, a governor of the Oxford & Cherwell Valley College, patron of the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, trustee of the Oxford Preservation Trust and a member of the Brookes University Court. His political philosophy is based on belief in the market, less government, encouraging individual responsibility and ensuring that public services are run for the benefit of their users and not their providers. He says he is proud to be politically incorrect. Being Leader of the Council is more than a full-time job but, when he can find time to relax, he enjoys good food and wine, playing the piano (badly) and reading avidly – particularly histories and biographies. He is active in Freemasonry and a keen supporter of country sports. He was proud to be marching for Liberty and Livelihood on 22 September 2002. He was awarded a CBE in Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2007 for services to Local Government.
Keith qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1967 and enjoyed a successful career in publishing and professional education until selling his business interests in 1990 to enter public service.
Kevin Maguire, The Mirror
Kieron Brennan, Head of Business Development for the Public Sector, Vertex He has an MBA from London Business School and a first class honours degree in engineering degree from Imperial College, London. He lives in Sevenoaks, Kent and is married with two children.
Lynn Faulds Wood, Presenter and Campaigner After nearly a year of medical delay, Lynn was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in 1991 when her son was three years old. Lynne is now an active campaigner for colon cancer awareness helping found the European Cancer Patient Coalition, of which she is now its President. Lynn is currently helping to develop official European colorectal cancer screening guidelines and also runs a UK charity Lynn’s Bowel Cancer Campaign and works very part-time in TV.
Rachel Allen, 2010 Local Government Challenge Winner Wanting to continue the intensive learning gained from the LG Challenge process, Rachel recently completed the PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification, the Future Leadership Programme at Ashridge Business School and her Masters degree. Recently made redundant from her post at Merton Council, Rachel is excited about pursuing opportunities to enhance her career and experience.
Stephen Hughes, Chief Executive, Birmingham City Council Stephen is also passionate about economic prosperity for Birmingham. He sees ‘succeeding economically’ as the key priority for the community strategy, and as the only way to fundamentally address inequality in the city and support Community Cohesion. Stephen began his career in the public sector in 1979 working as an economist for Coventry City Council. Since then he has occupied a variety of posts including Deputy Secretary of the Association of London Authorities, Head of Finance and Property Services at London Borough of Islington, a year’s secondment at DETR where he was responsible for Business Rates and Council Tax policy, and Director of Finance at London Borough of Brent. Stephen joined Birmingham City Council in February 2004 as Strategic Director of Resources. Stephen has a BA Honours Degree in Economics from Cambridge University and is also a qualified CIPFA accountant although he always introduces himself as an ‘economist with an accountancy qualification!’
Stephen Hughes has been Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council since May 2006, following a period from July 2005 when he had the role of Interim Chief Executive. He has led the Council’s ambitious Business Transformation programme, aiming to deliver high quality customer focused services, improved efficiency and productivity and increased job satisfaction. He sees cultural change within the organisation as critical to underpin successful change in process and technology.
Councillor Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council Steve launched a major public consultation in May 2010 on proposals to establish Lambeth as Britain’s first cooperative council, aiming to encourage public sector organisations to work more closely with communities and services users to deliver more responsive services that offer better value for money. Steve is Executive Board Member for Children and Young People’s Services at London Councils, Deputy Chairman of the Local Government Association, Labour’s deputy leader in local government nationally, and chairman of Central London Forward. Before entering politics Steve worked in academic and professional publishing for a number of global publishing and information organisations.
Tim Montgomerie Born in 1970 he grew up in Hampshire and Germany – living within an army family. He studied Economics and Geography at Exeter University before joining the Bank of England in 1992 where his responsibilities included the Russian economy and the study of systemic risk in financial systems. With David Burrowes, Tim established the Conservative Christian Fellowship in December 1990. He was its Director for thirteen years – first in his spare time and then full-time. From 1998 to 2003 he ran the Conservative Party’s outreach to faith communities and the voluntary sector. His responsibilities included writing speeches for two Conservative Party leaders, William Hague and then Iain Duncan Smith. Tim was Iain Duncan Smith’s chief of staff for his last two months as Conservative leader and throughout 2004 helped him to establish the Centre for Social Justice. Tim’s political hero is William Wilberforce. He writes: “This devout Christian stood for a great moral cause, the abolition of slavery, and brought the greatest of qualities – perseverance – to ensure he succeeded.” Tim is a regular media pundit. His broadcast experience includes Radio 4′s Today, The Week in Westminster, The World at One, PM, The World Tonight, Any Questions?, BBC1′s Daily Politics and Ten O’clock News, BBC2′s Newsnight, Channel 4 News, Sky News, Fox News and Bill Bennett’s Morning in America radio programme. Tim writes for The Spectator, The National Review, Standpoint and a number of national newspapers including The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Financial Times, Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. In June 2009 he launched Conservative Intelligence, to provide businesses and other interested groups with information about the Conservative Party.
Tim Montgomerie edits ConservativeHome with Paul Goodman and Jonathan Isaby. He launched the website on Easter Monday, 2005, with the aims of championing grassroots party members and advocating a balanced, authentic conservatism.
Lord Victor Adebowale CBE, Chief Executive, Turning Point Victor is a champion for the cause of those affected by poverty, mental ill health, drugs, alcohol addictions, a learning disability and those with cross cutting and complex needs. He is one of the country’s top sector leaders in the policy and delivery of health and social care. In 2000, Victor was awarded the CBE in the New Year Honours’ List for services to the New Deal, the unemployed, and homeless young people and in 2001, he was appointed a cross bench member of the House of Lords.
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown She is also a radio and television broadcaster and author of several books. Her book, ‘No Place Like Home’, well received by critics, was an autobiographical account of a twice removed immigrant. From 1996 to 2001 she was a Research Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research which published ‘True Colours’ on the role of government on racial attitudes. Tony Blair launched the book in March 1999. She is a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre. In 2000 she published, ‘Who Do We Think We Are?’ published in the US too, an acclaimed book on the state of the British nation and another book, ‘After Multiculturalism’ which looks at the globalised future. She advises various key institutions on race matters. She is also a regular international public speaker in Britain, other European countries, North America and Asian nations. She is a diversity adviser to global companies and organisations. She is a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company and is on the board of Metal, an innovative arts organisation headed by Jude Kelley who runs the South Bank Centre in London. In 2001 came the publication of the paperback of ‘Who Do we Think We Are?’ and ‘Mixed Feelings’, a book on mixed race Britons which has been praised by all those who have reviewed it to date. In June 1999, she received an honorary degree from the Open University for her contributions to social justice. She is the President of the Institute of Family Therapy. In 2001 she was appointed an MBE for services to journalism in the new year’s honours list. In 2005, she was voted the tenth most influential black/Asian woman in the country in a poll and in another she was among the most powerful Asian media professionals in the UK. She is currently writing a book titled Exotic England She is married and has a grown up son and teenage daughter.
Yasmin came to the UK in 1972 from Uganda after completing her undergraduate degree at Makerere University where she was awarded an exceptional first class degree in English. She went to Oxford as a post-graduate student and was awarded an M.Phil in literature in 1975. She is a journalist who has written for The Guardian, Observer, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, The Evening Standard, the Mail and other newspapers and is now a regular columnist on The Independent.
