The faculty of speakers and leadership experts contributing to the programme are made up of the very best in the world, including the following:

Adam Kahane from Generon Consulting in Boston has, quite simply, worked on the world’s toughest problems.

Adam has facilitated high-stakes problem-solving efforts in South Africa during the transitional period when the Apartheid system was breaking down, in Columbia during the Civil War, in Argentina during the collapse, in Guatemala after the genocide, in Israel-Palestine, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and the Basque country. He will be helping our cohorts tackle community cohesion.

The former chief adviser to the Prime Minister on delivery, Sir Michael now works at McKinsey’s as the expert partner in its Global Public Sector Practice.

As Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit he was responsible for the oversight of implementation of the Prime Minister’s priority programmes in health, education, transport, policing, the criminal justice system and asylum/immigration. On behalf of the Prime Minister he worked closely with ministers and top officials to ensure the policies, systems and processes put in place would deliver promised outcomes.

The approach he developed is widely seen as constructive and innovative and has been described by the IMF as ‘the frontier’ of performance management in Government.

His book Building Jerusalem was described by A.N. Wilson as ‘history writing at its compulsive best’. He will be leading a session on the history of local government.

He is a lecturer in history at Queen Mary, University of London. Previously he was an associate fellow at the Centre for History and Economics, King’s College Cambridge and research fellow at the Institute for Public policy Research.

Geoff Mulgan is the founder of Demos, which has been described by the Economist as ‘Britain’s most influential think tank’. He has worked at the highest possible level in government, as a former chief adviser to Gordon Brown as well as head of policy in the Prime Minister’s office and director of the Government’s strategy unit. Geoff, who is now the director of the Young Foundation, will be leading a session called Parties for the public good: how to remake political parties as great civic institutions.

A team from RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) will help participants to enhance their leadership impact, particularly when facing tough situations where they are representing the people of their authority.  (Pictured: Geoff Bullen, Associate Director, RADA).

 

Chair of the Leadership Centre, Kate Priestley, said: “Nothing like this has ever been tried in local government before. We hope and expect this experience will be so potent, it will have a seminal effect on the leadership of place; the public deserve to have the highest calibre leaders representing and supporting them.

“The role of local government has never been so exciting or so relevant to the lives of its citizens – the time is ripe for great leaders to flourish.

“And with great leaders come better communities and improved lives for their citizens.”

Director of leadership, in charge of the programme, David Bolger said: “This programme brings together the most eminent and experienced of local government leaders to challenge received wisdom about the nature of the role of local authorities. It is a chance to learn from diverse experiences such as the policing of sectarian tension in Northern Ireland to the building of consensus in post-Apartheid South Africa.”

Steve Reed, leader of Lambeth:

“I valued the chance to reflect, think and learn from others’ experience about leadership. I enjoyed the sessions on approaches to tackling tough problems and will apply this. There was a real focus on the importance of vision, ambition and risk-taking.”

Katherine Kerswell, chief executive of Solihull council:

“I have truly enjoyed and found it very useful. I feel very privileged to be here.”

Sir Simon Milton:

“Very stimulating and enjoyable.”

Chief executive of Lewisham, Barry Quirk:

“Extremely well-delivered programme, well organised and executed.”

Chief executive of St Edmundsbury Council Deborah Cadman:

“Fantastic, great experience, already looking forward to the next elements. Support staff, especially Holly, were fantastic.”