Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing and Sarah Williams, editor, Social Housing

Housing needs to argue its case as the foundation stone for levelling up. That requires a reframing of the public debate shaped around four challenges, which move housing professionals out of ‘professional expertise’ and into leadership in complex adaptive systems and places.

• Place (and community) making through the post-Covid lens
• Local flexibility – engaging with people on their terms in places they recognise
• Co-designing services with tenants and residents
• Housing centre stage in any meaningful green agenda

The Leadership Centre aims to give leaders from across different sectors the opportunity to shift their thinking on leadership so they can fundamentally transform their communities for the better, together. With a focus on leadership of people and places, rather than organisational structures, through systems thinking approaches, the Leadership Centre's work supports managerial and political leaders from across the public sector learn to work together in different ways and continually improve their communities for the better.

Repeatedly in the public eye, the scale and complexity of demands across the public sector continues to grow. Investing in leadership is an important part of improving delivery and supporting people to overcome a sense of isolation that often comes with becoming the most senior person in a team or organisation.

Speaker:

• Joe Simpson, director, Leadership Centre

Exploring, developing, and building resilience is vital for any professional in any industry. As leaders, we are seen as role models by others and need to demonstrate resilience (now more so than ever) to deal with the vast array of challenges currently facing us. But resilient leaders must also develop resilient staff and create an environment of wellbeing for all.

Moderator:

• Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing

Speakers:

• Dr Fiona Underwood, chief executive, Altair
• Julie Layton, chief executive, Advance
• Brendan Sarsfield, chair, Sustainability Board for Housing

Almost one year on from its publication, and three years in the planning, we come together to discuss what has already changed and what we can still do. Have we realigned our relationship with tenants to drive a more consumer-focused regulatory regime? We hear from four panelists who will have a frank and honest debate on their progress so far and the barriers they have had to overcome.

Moderator:

• Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing

Speakers:

• Nick Burkitt, director of local government strategy, DLUHC
• Doug Bacon, director of asset management, Home Group

Boards have a critical role to play in responding effectively to the new environment focusing on the longer-term strategy whilst having confidence in the day-to-day delivery. It is vital that the vision of the board members’ is aligned with their leadership teams and both groups understand the pressures each other face. We bring together a panel of experts to discuss how to achieve this, whilst acknowledging there are sometimes difficult conversations that need to be had.

Moderator:

• Sarah Williams, editor, Social Housing

Speakers:

• Patrick Dunne, author of 'Boards – a practical perspective'
• Alison Inman, board member, Saffron Housing Trust
• Lesley Burrows, executive director, Regenda Group and winner of board member of the year at the Women in Housing Awards
• Julian Ashby, chair, Paradigm Housing Association

The continuing economic challenges of Brexit, a potential recession, falling rental income, our financial priorities for building safety and sustainability needs and the slow exit out of the global COVID-19 pandemic have all placed huge pressures on housing providers. This is alongside a continuing housing crisis and more pressure than ever to build high quality new homes. However, there is also huge potential to innovate and collaborate to firmly establish housing as a true economic driver for growth across the UK. As leaders, how can we ensure strong financial and risk management strategies to rise to these challenges and deliver success? And, ahead of the Spending Review, what should we be fighting for?

Moderator:

• Sarah Williams, editor, Social Housing

Speakers:

• Sue Harvey, partner, Campbell Tickell
• Becky Utuka, director of development and sales, Gateway Housing
• Sarah Daly, associate director, sustainability, Turner and Townsend
• Will Perry, director of strategy, Regulator of Social Housing
• Richard Petty, head of UK living, JLL

Clive Lewis OBE, chief executive, Globis Mediation Group is the author of 14 books, including the best-selling Difficult Conversations - 10 Steps to Becoming a Tackler Not a Dodger. In his latest book Toxic, Clive Lewis draws upon his decades of experience in HR and mediation to distill the problems and underlying causes of toxic workplaces. He will draw on first-hand case studies from an eclectic array of workplaces to demonstrate how toxicity can be both prevented and resolved, giving you ideas and tools to take away to tackle such issues head-on.

Identifying the new normal post-COVID is inevitably set to bring significant changes to registered providers. Increased regulation, financial pressures and mergers, scrutiny from central government and a return to the office are just some of the challenges facing us over the coming months. As leaders we must work through the changes needed to transform our organisations to ensure that we are fit for the future and ultimately deliver for our communities.

Moderator:

• Sarah Williams, editor, Social Housing

Speakers:

• Darra Singh OBE, senior partner, government & infrastructure, Ersnt & Young LLP and ex-Housing Association and Local Authority chief executive
• Amanda Garrard, chief executive, Berneslai Homes
• Matthew Skinner, chief executive, FutureGov
• Sasha Deepwell, chief executive, Irwell Valley Homes

We end the summit hearing from some of the people who have continually taken people with them on their journey whilst always putting diversity at the heart of their work. The world that we are living, and working, in is changing and our organisations need strong leaders who can develop a culture of innovation and fostering an inclusive environment. An organisation’s culture is often ‘felt’ as much as ‘measured’ and whilst your culture and values should be delivered, and engaged in, by all, they must be driven by you. And how could fostering a sense of co-production lead to great outcomes.

Moderator:

• Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing

Speakers:

• Professor Geoff Thompson MBE, founder and chair, Youth Charter and deputy chair, Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022
• Paul Bridge, chief executive, social housing, Civitas
• Barbara Brownlee, chief executive, Soho Housing

In conversation with Nick Walkley, principal and president, UK strategic advisory, Avison Young

Facilitated by Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing

Hear from Nick Walkley as he shares over 20 years’ public sector experience of delivering capital projects and the town centre regeneration needed to support our communities. Nick has now moved into the private sector at a pivotal time for the UK economy and has an unrivalled record in leading transformational change and delivering on targets.