Conference - 1st October 2025, London
Balance the board:
Accelerating Action
The Balance The Board Conference is back for it's fourth year.
Join us to help shape the leadership landscape of tomorrow—one that reflects the world we live in, and leads with purpose, authenticity and impact.
Each ticket includes entry to the Conference and the Drinks Reception for one.
The venue is accessible - please let us know your specific accessibility requirements via [email protected]
Designed for Board and C-level professionals, founders and advocates from across industries to challenge conventional thinking and champion inclusive leadership at the highest levels.
The conference brings together subject matter experts and industry leaders seeking to learn how to accelerate action change in their organisations.
We have curated an exciting agenda with an incredible line-up of speakers, full agenda below.
agenda & speakers
Subject to change.
The Changing World of Work
Rt hon. Chloe Smith, President of the CIPD and Chair of Silencespeaks, in converdsation with:
- Kathryn Britten, Partner and Managing Director, AlixPartners and Co-Chair, Equal Representation for Expert Witnesses
- Sam Sheriff, Chief People & Places Officer, Allwyn Entertainment
Diane Lightfoot, CEO, Business Disability Forum
Scaling up: keeping inclusive leadership alive through periods of growth – Jeannette Linfoot, Entrepreneur, Board Advisor, Mentor
Power in Pairs: Job-Sharing in the C-Suite
- Joy Burnford, Founder and CEO of Encompass Equality (Chair)
- Chloe Fletcher, The Jobshare Revolution
- Laura Walker, The Jobshare Revolution
- Alix Ainsley, Daring Two Consultancy
- Charlotte Cherry, Daring Two Consultancy
Sheroes - Brandie Deignan, CEO in NHS Primary Care, catalyst, mentor, guest lecturer, trustee, non-executive director, Justice of the Peace (JP), advisory board member, published author
Leading with a Growth Mindset: Unlocking the Power of Inclusive Leadership – Kathy Weeks, Co-Founder of Matthew Syed Consulting
From Strategy to Execution - Operators Driving Impact
- Vivienne Artz OBE, CEO FTSE Women Leaders Review (Chair)
- Aisling Kemp, CEO of JDM Food Group
- Suzie Welch, Managing Director UK&I and Chief People Officer, Odeon Cinemas Group
- Ciara Nic Liam, Managing Director, Gaming, Entain
Lessons in Resilience from the World of Sport and the Military
- Vicky Gosling OBE, CEO GB Snowsport, NED British Olympic Association, Chair British Surfing and Chair Invictus Games 2027
- Ollie Thorn, Endurance Athlete, Keynote Speaker and Disability Inclusion Specialist
- Ria Jackson, Founder of Inclusive Minds UK
Practical Magic: How Self-Advocacy Can Unlock Potential – Mariana Saraceni, Founder of The Happiness Consultancy and keynote speaker who has worked with global powerhouses like Google, The Associated Press, and NBC Universal.
To Mentor or To Sponsor
- Annemarie Durbin, Chair of Yorkshire Building Society, FTSE 100/250 SID/Remco Chair and Executive Mentor/Coach
- Micky Swindale, Partner, Global Head of Sales Enablement and Lead for #WeAllWantToPlay Diversity & Inclusion Initiative at KPMG
- Professor Kerensa Jennings, Chair, NED, Strategic Advisor, Executive Coach, Bestselling Author
- Liz Dimmock, Founder & CEO, Moving Ahead, Social Impact Entrepreneur, Sponsorship & Mentor Sepcialist
Inclusive by Design: How AI is Powering a More Equitable Future – Hector Minto, Director Commercial Accessibility, Technology for Fundamental Rights and Technology Evangelist for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Microsoft
Beyond the Backlash: Why DEI Still Matters When Politics Divide – Kate Nicholls OBE, Chair, UKHospitality
Women in Leadership: Strategies from FTSE 350 organisations leading the way – Edward Haigh, Head of Research, Encompass Equality
WITSEND: The Power of a Support Network – Claire Davenport, COO of Multiverse and Co-Founder and Chair of WITSEND Community, in conversation with members of the WITSEND community.
Matching Talent to Opportunity: A Leadership Imperative in Any Weather – Ronan Dunne, Chairman and Strategic Advisor, Chair of Six Nations Rugby, Non-Executive Director at Marks & Spencer, Chair of Kore Labs, Former CEO Verizon and O2
A Conversation in Confidence – The Interview
Emma Woods, Chair - Ancient & Brace, Chair - Tortilla, Non-Executive Director - Great Portland Estates and Non-Executive Director – Abba Voyage, with
Tamara Box, Partner and Head of Structured Finance, Reed Smith LLP, Independent Chair and Non-Exec Director, gender balance and diversity influencer, Global Yahoo Finance HERoes Women Role Model
Thank you to our Conference partners
1st October | London
The 'Accelerating action' Conference
£95
Each ticket includes entry to the Conference and the Drinks Reception for one.
why attend?
- Explore the power of diverse boards and inclusive decision-making. This dynamic, cross-sector gathering explores how equity, innovation and diverse thinking can shape the future of executive leadership.
- Learn from leading voices from industry as well as subject matter experts. Through thought-provoking panels, inspiring keynotes, and interactive sessions, attendees will gain fresh insights, share real-world strategies, and build meaningful connections with those driving change across the UK.
- Engage in honest dialogue about the challenges and opportunities ahead. Brilliant chairs and panellists will highlight the progress that has been made, as well as introducing new perspectives and sharing learnings from different sectors.
- Connect with a growing community committed to accelerating action and driving meaningful change. Our objective is to ignite your imagination and showcase the art of the possible in your organisation. You will walk away armed with practical tips and inspired by true change makers.
Join us to help shape the leadership landscape of tomorrow—one that reflects the world we live in, and leads with purpose, authenticity and impact.
What can you expect?
Mentoring has already proven to be successful as a means of breaking down barriers and supporting progression.
Balance the Board wanted to take a different approach to mentoring; to make it easy, flexible, and informal, while making a significant difference to people’s careers. They wanted to create more impact, increase the reach, and build a scalable platform that could evolve and endure.
Today, Balance the Board runs a number of mentoring programmes, hosts conferences, webinars and networking events, bringing together like-minded people and creating a network that will mentor and support the next generation of inclusive leaders.
We are back on Wednesday October 1st 2025 and the fabulous Odeon Luxe Cinema, Leicester Square.
Last year was a sell out, don't miss out!
Each ticket includes entry for one person.
Conference Feedback
What a brilliant conference you organised yesterday. The speakers and sessions were inspiring and thought provoking - I think you pitched it just right.
— Andrea Wareham
Former Chief People Officer, Pret a Manger
I am completely inspired and “zapped” after today's conference. Myself and my Inclusion Manager had the most wonderful day, listening and learning from so many incredible people. Loved, loved, loved it.
— Jacqui McManus
People Director, TRG PLC
The day was amazing, so thought provoking and inspiring. I made some wonderful new contacts and have been thinking about the content for days - Thank you!
—
Wyboston Lakes Resort
What an impactful afternoon. There was a fantastic range of important discussions from some key industry professionals. An afternoon that not only encompassed fresh perspectives, but was challenging and thought provoking. All this, as well of a room of brilliant women and men resulting in some great additions to my network.
— Nicola Grant
Founder, SHe2 Leadership
If you are interesting in supporting the conference this year, please get in touch at [email protected].
Lunch & Registration: from 12noon Conference agenda: 1pm-6pm, followed by a lively networking drinks reception from 6-8pm
Each ticket includes entry for one person.