President's Conference 2023

A warm welcome will greet you at the Socitm registration desk where you can sign in and receive your delegate pass. You’re then free to start networking as well as helping yourself to refreshments – including breakfast pastries.

Huw McKee, Head of IT and Digital Transformation, Conwy County Borough Council

Huw will make us all welcome, run through the practical housekeeping, set the scene, share his thoughts and reflect upon his last 12 months as Socitm President. Huw will then kick the conference off by introducing our first keynote speaker.

Matt Prosser, Chief Executive, Dorset Council

A brilliant key note to start our conference. Matt Prosser, President of Solace and former National Policy Spokesperson for Digital Leadership, will take us through his journey as a digital leader bringing multiple councils services into one. Matt will reveal key insights through the creation of a new unitary council with digital aspirations built at the heart of it. How investment in digital leadership, transformation and service design can and does deliver for the people he and his colleagues at Dorset Council serve.

Glen Robinson , Microsoft National Technology Officer, Microsoft

With recent announcements about AI-infused technologies, from Chat GPT to Open AI, to Copilot, Microsoft will spend time exploring how they can transform the way local authorities think about productivity, app development, and resident services.

iBoss
Quest/One Identity

Learn from our partners on problem solving for the public sector. Always a great way to hear different perspectives to help your organisations.

It’s time to gather our thoughts from the morning sessions over refreshments and snacks. This is an opportunity to connect with fellow colleagues both from the public and private sector.

Choose a topic of most relevance to you. Then in smaller, dedicated groups listen, learn and talk together to get details and confidence to try something yourself, when you’re back at your desk.

More information about what each workshop entails will be provided closer to the time.

Technology One
Veeam
Fignum

Hear from industry best practice to support the evolution of your organisation’s technology journey. Don’t leave anyone behind!

We know how important these section of a conference are. It’s time to make new connections, say hello to colleagues across the sector you’ve not seeen for some time and reflect on the morning’s programme over lunch. Keep the conversation going and enjoy further food for thought.

Mark Lumley, Director Digital & IT, London Borough of Hounslow

Join Mark as he recaps on the morning session and leads us through a few exercises to make sure we’re fit, energised and ready for the afternoon session. Not to be missed and a firm favourite at our conferences!

Will Costello, Head of Service, Data, Technology & Architecture, Socitm Advisory

Service design doesn’t have to be difficult, but to do it well requires a holistic mindset that considers context, strategy, people, process and technology – as well as a whole lot of empathy and understanding. Join our talented service design team to see them showcase how we have taken Socitm members’ own challenges together with their team/s input to ideate options to solve a service problem. You’ll leave the session with pragmatic and actionable ideas that you can take forwards to help solve your service design challenges.

Erica Thornton, Chief Operating Officer, MindOut

Another chance to network and compare notes from the afternoon sessions over refreshments and snacks.

Meet April’s Top Talent cohort. The final training sessions of their programme have been in Brighton. The last challenge is to share with the whole conference the details of their projects. The cohort has been split into smaller teams so they can collaborate, apply the theory and produce solutions. Be a supportive audience to these talented delegates.

Huw McKee, Head of Information Technology and Digital Transformation, Conwy County Borough Council

On behalf of us all Huw will reflect on a significant conference for Socitm and bring proceedings to a close.

Huw McKee, Head of IT and Digital Transformation, Conwy County Borough Council | Nadira Hussain, CEO, Socitm | David Bryant, Finance & Commercial Director, Socitm | Mark Lumley, Director Digital & IT, London Borough of Hounslow

Our current president, Huw McKee, will lead us through what Socitm has acheived for its members over the last year, before handing over to incoming president Mark Lumley.

After an inspiring and thought-provoking day, it’s time to absorb all that information and unwind at our President’s Conference drinks reception – generously sponsored by our partner AWS.

Whether you choose to carry on existing conversations or start fresh ones with new contacts, this is an opportunity to reflect and relax in a welcoming and friendly environment where catching up and connecting in comfort is key.

Our President’s dinner isn’t just about good food and great company. It’s also the time where we acknowledge and celebrate the hard-work, vision, delivery, best practise and personal achievements of digital leaders in the public sector.

In these most challenging times , peer appreciation and support are more important than ever. The President’s dinner is an opportunity to demonstrate how much our community, as a whole, values, recognises and appreciates the triumphs of individual members. This is why our President, President’s team and our partners have such pleasure in welcoming you to the evening.

The President’s Awards take place between courses and allow us to congratulate our latest Leadership Academy graduates and share in our award-winners’ achievements.