Overview
The annual Governance North conference, sponsored by Equiniti, will be held in Manchester on 6 October 2026.
Join fellow company secretaries and governance professionals at The Midland for a day packed with keynote speeches, insights, panel discussions, coupled with networking opportunities.
Member and Student rates available.
Watch the highlights of our 2025 conference below.
For any related enquiries please contact us at events@cgi.org.uk, or call us at +44 (0)20 7580 4741
TICKET PRICES
Early bird until 19 June 2026 (ex VAT)
Full price from 20 June 2026 (ex VAT)
LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO STAY?
The Midland Hotel have a promotional rate available. Book directly on their website using CONFERENCE262.
You can choose room only or bed and breakfast and have free cancellation up to 2pm on the day of arrival – should you need to cancel or amend your booking only the person who booked the room can do this via the confirmation.
This promotional code can also not be used in conjunction with any other promotions or Advantage Club member’s discount.
PAYMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Full payment must be made upon booking
- A request to pay by invoice is not available.
- All cancellation or transfer requests must be submitted via email to: events@cgi.org.uk
- Full booking terms and conditions can be found on our website
Agenda
08:30 Registration and exhibition hall open
09:30 Welcome and opening remarks
09:35 Opening Keynote: Embedding cyber resilience into organisational strategy, governance, and decision making
Speaker: Cub Llewelyn-Davies, Deputy Head of Economy and Society Resilience, National Cyber Security Centre
10:10 Governing Under Pressure: Accountability, Resilience and Trust in a Low‑Margin, High‑Risk World
In an era defined by heightened scrutiny, geopolitical uncertainty, cyber threats, financial pressures and rapidly evolving stakeholder expectations, governance leaders are being asked to navigate an increasingly complex risk landscape while maintaining organisational performance and public trust. With margins tighter and consequences greater, boards and executives must balance resilience, accountability and agility in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.
This panel brings together senior governance, risk and leadership experts to explore how organisations can strengthen oversight, improve decision-making and build enduring trust in a world where disruption is constant and stakeholder confidence can be quickly won or lost. Panellists will examine the evolving responsibilities of boards and governance professionals, discuss lessons from recent crises, and share practical strategies for embedding resilience across people, processes and culture.
10:55 Regulatory Update from the CGIUKI: Modernising Corporate Reporting
11:20 Refreshment Break
12:00 When everything matters: Mindful exclusion and the new rules of boardroom prioritisation
Geopolitics, AI, climate change and shifting stakeholder expectations are changing what boards need to discuss – and how they need to decide. For company secretaries, boardroom prioritisation is no longer just about agenda management. It is a strategic lever for decision-making capability.
Drawing on the latest Mindful Exclusion survey data, this session will explore how effective boards invest time differently in issues, stakeholders and the process of decision making to engage beyond the boardroom bubble. Attendees will leave with practical insights to strengthen board agendas, board packs, discussions and evaluation in uncertain times.
Speaker: Justine Lutterodt, Founder and Managing Director of the Centre for Synchronous Leadership (CSL)
12:30 From Crisis to Composure
This panel session explores how organisations can transform crisis experiences into opportunities for learning, resilience, and long-term improvement. Drawing on real-world examples, panellists will examine how significant incidents, reputational challenges, and major emergency responses can provide valuable insights for developing more robust risk assessment frameworks and effective mitigation strategies.
The discussion will also focus on the critical issue of maintaining public trust during and after a crisis. In an era of heightened scrutiny and rapid information sharing, organisations must demonstrate credibility, openness, and consistency in their communications. Panellists will share practical approaches to stakeholder engagement, crisis communications, governance, and organisational learning that help preserve trust even in the most challenging circumstances.
Moderator: Peter Swabey FCG, Director of Policy and Research, CGIUKI
Speakers:
Angela Whetton, North West Ambulance Services
Emma Shiner, North West Ambulance Services
13:05 Lunch Break
14:05 A Choice of Breakout Sessions
1) Session Title TBC
2) Session Title TBC
14:40 Movement Break
14:45 A Choice of Breakout Sessions
1) Session Title TBC
2) Session Title TBC