Jacob Alahan
CEO, Corporate Event Solutions

Sarah Jo Loveday
Founder & Chief Helper Peoplekind

Nelson Sivalingam,
CEO – Hownow

Beyond Courses and Completions: Building the L&D Strategy 2026 Demands 

L&D is at a turning point. The old playbook of courses, completions, and activity metrics won’t secure the future of learning. The real challenge is building a strategy that drives measurable business impact, shapes workforce skills, and earns lasting influence at the top table.

In this keynote, Nelson Sivalingam, CEO of HowNow and author of Learning at Speed, explores what 2026 demands of L&D leaders. He’ll unpack how to cut through the hype, reframe the role of learning, and design a strategy that connects directly to business outcomes.

What You’ll Hear

● The skills-first shift – How to build a strategy centred on skills that fuel retention, progression, and growth.

● ROI that matters – Practical ways to measure and communicate impact in terms that resonate with the C-Suite.

● Future-ready L&D – Approaches to navigating skills gaps, digital transformation, and organisational change with confidence.

This session will leave you with fresh perspectives, practical frameworks, and the clarity to evolve your strategy beyond courses and completions—and toward the outcomes your business truly needs.

Turning Strategy into Action for 2026

Building the right L&D strategy is one thing—making it real inside your organisation is another. This roundtable brings senior L&D leaders together for a focused, no-fluff discussion on how to move beyond courses and completions and put the principles of a 2026-ready strategy into practice.
Together, we’ll explore:
● AI in action – Where it’s already driving measurable impact in learning, and where it risks being more hype than help.
● Skills-first execution – What it takes to embed skills as the backbone of your strategy in a way that sticks.
● Winning leadership buy-in – How peers are proving retention, performance, andgrowth to their C-Suite.

Expect candid conversation, shared challenges, and peer insights you can take back to your own team to strengthen your 2026 plan.

Key Takeaways
● Practical examples of how L&D leaders are applying AI with impact.
● Real-world approaches to making skills the driver of career progression and performance.
● Proven ways to communicate ROI that resonate with senior leadership.

James King

Unlimit Experience: How AI Creates Smarter, Simpler Ways of Working 

AI dominates the headlines, but the real opportunity lies not in the hype, but in the human experience it enables. In this session, we’ll explore how AI is becoming the ultimate companion for the modern workforce—removing friction, streamlining processes, and empowering people to focus on what matters most. From intuitive HR interactions to predictive insights and seamless self-service, we’ll show how AI can transform everyday tasks into smarter, more efficient, and more rewarding experiences. Join us to see how AI is reshaping work, unlocking agility, and redefining the standard for employee engagement and organisational performance.

Andrew Gawn
Head of Change Management & Strategy, EMEA Stores Talent Acquisition Reimagining Organisational Structure, Talent Allocation and Career Progression 

Reimagining Organisational Structure, Talent Allocation and Career Progression

In this Amazon case study you’ll learn:

• How can workforce analytics and data-driven insights enable people leaders to make informed decisions that align organisational structure with evolving business demands?
• How can workforce planning and analytics help organisations map roles against both organisational health and individual potential to optimise talent allocation?
• How can leaders leverage data insights to design frameworks that provide clear role expectations while maintaining flexibility in talent allocation and employee growth?
• What analytical approaches and tools can organisations use to create more data-driven talent movement processes that go beyond traditional vertical career progression?

Bio: Andrew is an experienced Senior Change and Strategy leader, with over 10 years experience working for one of the worlds largest enterprises, skilled in shaping people and workforce strategies, delivering cultural and organisational transformation, whilst providing trusted counsel to executive stakeholders. Andrew’s value comes in designing people operating models, change management programs, governance and risk management, with hands-on experience developing AI solutions to enhance colleague and customer experience and organisational efficiency.

Jon Randall
Global Culture & Engagement Director Swissport International AG 

The self-aware organisation: Unblocking potential with therapeutic principles (no couch required) 

Abstract: The self-aware organisation: Unblocking potential with therapeutic principles (no couch required)

We dedicate intense scrutiny to budgets and processes, yet ignore the organisational psyche. Organisational self-awareness is the ultimate business strategy; ignoring it is the silent killer of engagement. Learn how to apply therapeutic principles to gain clarity, unblock internal conflicts, and build the intentional culture you need to reach your full potential.

Bio: Jon has spent nearly 20 years helping companies achieve more by uniting brand, culture and story; unlocking meaningful experiences for colleagues and customers alike. A Cambridge graduate, exec coach, and therapist, his multi-award-winning approach is practical and emotionally connected. After 10 years agency-side, working with icons like British Airways and Bank of America, he is now helping to transform the culture and collective mindset for 65,000 people at Swissport.

Rupert Brown, Founder

Lost in Transformation – discover the leadership blind spots derailing change.  

Abstract: Drawing on decades of global HR experience and latest research, Rupert Brown challenges the over-reliance on logic that creates a destructive knowing-doing gap in the leadership of change. The presentation examines critical blind spots, including emotional avoidance and ignoring personal turmoil. To succeed, leaders must move beyond the heroic notion of being all knowing and relate eye to eye, demonstrating trustworthiness and fostering organisational resilience. Attendees will gain insights and tools to help leaders and employees navigate the inevitable anxiety and uncertainty of change.

Rebecca Sewell Fractional People & Leadership Partner, Founder
META-U 

Leading with Courage: The Heartbeat of Modern Leadership

Abstract: In a world defined by disruption, uncertainty, and complexity, courage is no longer a nice-to-have. Instead, it is the defining currency of leadership. This keynote invites HR and business leaders to explore what it truly means to lead courageously. To make bold decisions grounded in values, to hold the mirror up when it’s uncomfortable, and to inspire psychological safety and trust in others through authentic action.

Bilingual in English and German, Rebecca combines strategic HR expertise with ICF-accredited coaching and Hogan certification to deliver practical, high-impact leadership development. Her philosophy is simple: Navigate with clarity. Lead with courage. Transform through action.

Known for her direct, grounded approach, Rebecca helps organisations and leaders cut through complexity, build lasting habits, and deliver meaningful change. As a fractional HR and leadership partner, she provides top-tier expertise and flexibility, ensuring the right support, at the right time.

Draw prizes include:

Prize 1 Apple ipad
Prize 2 Apple watch
Prize 3 Apple Home Pod Mini