09:00 - 09:40

Registration and refreshments

09:40 - 09:50

Welcome address:

Barney Roe, Interim Chief Executive, Chartered ABS

Professor Robert MacIntosh, Faculty Pro Vice Chancellor - Business and Law, Northumbria University; Chair, Chartered ABS

09:50 - 10:50

Panel discussion: Building effective and resilient teams

In this opening session, a high level panel will address the opportunities for business schools to take advantage of new ways of working to rebuild teams and revitalise team spirit. The panel will assess the advantages and challenges of flexible and hybrid working and the 4-day week, and will consider strategies to more effectively engage and empower staff at all levels.

Professor Binna Kandola OBE
Business Psychologist, Senior Partner and co-founder, Pearn Kandola

Gemma Dale
Liverpool Business School, John Moores University

Dr Matthew Davis
Associate Professor, Leeds University Business School

Dr Rita Fontinha
Director of the World of Work Institute; Associate Professor, Strategic Human Resource Management, Henley Business School

Chair: David Meech Mazumdar, Department Manager (Strategic Planning & Development) London School of Economics and Political Science

10: 50 - 11:20

Break

11:20 - 11:30

Introductory comments from the new chair of Chartered ABS' Professional Managers Committee: David Meech Mazumdar, Department Manager (Strategic Planning & Development) LSE; Chair, Chartered ABS Professional Managers Committee

11:30 - 12:40

Panel discussion: Future proofing the business school

In this session, a high-level panel will consider the role that professional services staff play in helping their business schools prepare for the future and deliver meaningful student outcomes, including aspects of: creating strong brand identities; achieving domestic and international student recruitment targets; and identifying and utilising new opportunities in knowledge exchange and commercial activity.

Professor Sankar Sivarajah, Dean of School of Management, University of Bradford

Professor Gurpreet Jagpal, Pro Vice-Chancellor Business and Entrepreneurship, University of Suffolk

Professor Nora Colton, Director, Global Business School for Health (GBSH), UCL

Professor Kiran Trehan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Partnerships and Engagement, University of York

Chair: Professor Julia Bennell, Executive Dean, Leeds University Business School

12:40 - 13:40

Lunch 

13:40 - 14:40

Afternoon Sessions 

In the afternoon we will separate for two rounds of breakout sessions. These will be either panel or roundtable discussions, where delegates will have the opportunity to join in and/or be involved in, an in-depth conversation about an important issue or challenge in an informal setting.

13:40 - 14:40 

Supporting the wellbeing of professional services staff and nurturing resilient teams

In this session we will explore how senior professional services staff can support the mental, physical, emotional and economic wellbeing of their teams; and build the resilience that is needed in high performing and effective teams. It will consider lessons learned from recent challenges, and address building team resilience in implementing student support whilst remaining emotionally detached.

Zoë Allman, Associate Dean (Academic), De Montfort University

Dr. Kendi Guantai, University Co-Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Leeds Business School 

Chair: Dr Loyin Olotu-Umoren, Head of School Operations, Nottingham Business School

13:40 - 14:40

Exploring professional service models in the UK

This session will explore the findings of the Chartered ABS’s recent Report, “Exploring professional services models in UK business schools” and consider how the report’s recommendations can be practically applied by business schools to help them address key issues such as implementing radical changes to service delivery and  arguing for increased or different resource.

David Stannard, Director of Administration, Henley Business School

Keith Portman, Director of Operations, Birmingham Business School

Chair: Merrill Jones, School Manager, University of Sussex Business School

13:40 - 14:40

Driving inclusion and improving diversity in our business schools

This session will explore intersectionality, with a focus on the Athena Swan charter - what is involved, how it is designed to work and how do business schools implement the ethos beyond “ticking the boxes”. It will consider the role of professional services staff in preparing the applications and maintaining the standards. It will consider how the lessons learned can then be applied to other areas of discrimination.

Fiona McClement, Director of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, University of Leeds

Kirsteen Daly, Accreditations, Rankings & Communication Manager, University of Glasgow, Adam Smith Business School

Jan Shearer, Accreditations Officer, University of Glasgow, Adam Smith Business School

Chair: Amy Cowling, Head of Faculty Operations, University of Hull

14:40 - 15:00

Break

15:00 - 16:00

Second round of breakouts

15:00 - 16:00 

How senior professional services staff can drive the sustainability agenda in their business schools

This session provides practical advice on how professional services teams can contribute to improving the sustainability of business schools and work towards carbon-neutrality goals. Particular attention will be paid to operational practices and how the management of buildings can be made more environmentally friendly.

Dr Michelle Stirk, Director, BSc Finance, Accounting and Management, University of Nottingham

Ivo Matser, CEO, ABIS (The Academy of Business in Society)

Jacqui Thomasen, Director of Operations and Business Development, The Co-operative College

Chair: Laura Moten, Faculty Operations Manager, Coventry Business School

15:00 - 16:00 

Leading and managing professional services teams

This session will explore how senior professional services staff can help create supportive, inclusive and efficient business school communities through effective leadership and people-management. We will consider how best to engender a feeling of inclusion and involvement within teams; encourage staff to “use their voices effectively” build resilience and provide a degree of certainty.

Sonia O'Hare, School Manager, Queen's University Management School

Ian Hamley, Director of Faculty Operations, Faculty of Business and Law, De Montfort University

Chair: Dr Andrew Glanfield, School Manager, Cardiff Business School

15:00 - 16:00 

Utilisation of space within business schools

This session will address the challenges of utilising space most effectively in business schools. With increasing pressures on the often-limited space available, we will consider how professional service staff can ensure collaborative spaces are managed effectively, that time in-office is put to best use, and that growth targets can be met with the resources available.

Professor Heather McLaughlin Pro-Vice Chancellor, Research & Academic Staff Development; Dean Faculty of Business & Law, De Montfort University

Michelle Dale
Head of Operations, School of Business, University of Leicester

Caroline Laurie, Faculty Officer (Strategic Projects), Strathclyde Business School

Chair: Sarah Verbickas, Faculty Operations Manager, Leeds University Business School

16:00

Close

Confirmed speakers include:

Zoë Allman
Associate Dean (Academic), De Montfort University

Zoë is an academic leader driving change through inspirational leadership and strategic project management, improving the experience of students and colleagues.  With a philosophy underpinned by embedding mental wellbeing in the curriculum, nationally Zoë has led the QAA Collaborative Enhancement Project ‘Embedding mental wellbeing’, and within De Montfort leads the University-wide project of the same name aligned to Advance HE, which was recognised in 2022 with a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence.  Awarded National Teaching Fellowship (2020) and Principal Fellowship of the HEA (2018), Zoë is passionate about enhancing educational experiences for all.

Professor Julia Bennell
Executive Dean, Leeds University Business School

Julia Bennell is Executive Dean of Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds, UK and Professor of Operational Research.

She has worked as an academic in Business Schools for most of her career. Prior to her appointment as Executive Dean at Leeds, she was the Deputy Head of School at the University of Southampton. In Southampton she previously led the Department for Decision Analytics and Risk, been director of the school’s largest research centre spanning Business, Maths and Health Science and had been the director of the fulltime MBA.

Professor Nora Colton
Director, Global Business School for Health (GBSH), UCL

Gemma Dale
Liverpool Business School, John Moores University

Gemma is an experienced HR professional, a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and Fellow of the HEA. She is a senior lecturer in the Business School at Liverpool John Moores University, as well as running her own business The Work Consultancy where she focuses on policy development, flexible and hybrid working, and wellbeing.  Gemma was one of the 'Most Influential Thinkers in HR' in 2021 and 2022.

Gemma is a qualified mediator and coach, and a regular speaker and writer on a variety of HR topics including employee engagement, flexible and hybrid working, and wellbeing.  Gemma is the author of ‘Flexible Working’ and ‘How to Work Remotely’ published by Kogan Page, as well as a range of e-books about HR and wellbeing.

You can find Gemma on Twitter @HR_Gem and her blog at www.hrgemblog.com

Michelle Dale
Head of Operations, School of Business, University of Leicester

Experienced Operations and Commercial Manager with over 15 years Higher Education experience starting my University career at De Montfort University, 4 years in Further Education before returning to HE at Coventry University and most recently the University of Leicester.  Having worked for a variety of subject areas, in operational roles, including; Health and Life Sciences, Computing and Engineering and Arts, with the last 4 eventful years within the School of Business.

Kirsteen Daly
Accreditations, Rankings & Communication Manager, University of Glasgow, Adam Smith Business School

Kirsteen Daly is a Higher Education professional with extensive Accreditation, Rankings, Communication and Learning and Teaching knowledge and expertise. Managerial experience in the implementation of strategies and policies to ensure business needs are delivered and enhanced. Responsible for project management of accreditation and ranking processes and improvements.  Contributing to the delivery of the strategic aims of the institution in maintaining triple accreditation and supporting the delivery and enhancement of the various rankings.

Dr Matthew Davis
Associate Professor, Leeds University Business School

Dr Matthew Davis is a psychologist, researcher, educator and consultant. As an Associate Professor in Organisational Psychology at Leeds University Business School, Matthew has led a range of applied research projects with corporate partners including Rolls-Royce, Atkins, Leeds City Council and British Gas. He works with both public and private sector organisations to develop insights and strategies to support hybrid working, workplace design and sustainability with a people-focused whole system mind-set. Matthew’s research has been featured by the BBC, the FT, the Atlantic, the New York Times and the Telegraph.

Dr Rita Fontinha
Director, Flexible Working, World of Work Institute; Associate Professor, Strategic Human Resource Management, Henley Business School

Rita Fontinha is an Associate Professor of Strategic Human Resource Management at Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK. She is also the Director of the Flexible Working within the World of Work Institute at Henley Business School.

Rita is a psychologist by training and her research interests include people’s quality of working life and its implications on individual and organisational performance. She has published several research articles related to this subject. She is also the co-author of a book on research methods.

Rita has currently been involved in research concerning flexible working practices, including the Four Day Working Week.

Before joining Henley Business School, Rita was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at Portsmouth Business School. She has a Joint PhD from the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and the University of Leuven (Belgium). Prior to becoming a full-time researcher, she worked in HR management."

Dr. Kendi Guantai
University Co-Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Leeds Business School

Dr. Kendi Guantai is one of the two University Deans for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Leeds, and an Associate Professor of Corporate Communications Practice in the Marketing Department of the Business School.

She holds an MA in Advertising and Marketing and a PhD from the University of Leeds, where she began her career as a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Marketing Department of the Business School in 2011. She currently leads on Decolonisation at the School and is a Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE) Fellow researching racialised and classed experiences of students during their studies at university, and how these relate to authentic self-expression and Sense of Belonging.

Outside the University, she the Chair of the Board for ActionAid UK and Vice-Chair of the Chartered Association for Business School's Race Equality Action Group.

Dr Andrew Glanfield
School Manager, Cardiff Business School

Ian Hamley
Director of Faculty Operations, Faculty of Business and Law, De Montfort University

Ian has worked in professional services since 1995. Ian is presently Director of Operations at DMU (Law and Social Sciences) and previously worked as Director of Operations and MBA Programmes Manager at Warwick Business School. Ian is on his second term on the Professional Managers Committee and is a long standing Fellow of the AUA.

Professor Gurpreet Jagpal
Pro Vice-Chancellor Business and Entrepreneurship, University of Suffolk

Gurpreet is the Pro Vice-Chancellor Business and Entrepreneurship at the University of Suffolk, driving business engagement across the institution and region, and leading the development of enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Gurpreet joined the University of Suffolk from UWE Bristol where he was the Professor and Director of the Institute for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, a pioneer in enterprise education to transform the futures of young people and support the next generation of entrepreneurs thereby creating a more successful economy.

Previously as Director of Research, Enterprise and Innovation at London South Bank University, and CEO of South Bank University Enterprises Ltd he established an award-winning research and enterprise centre – ranked second in the UK, fourth in Europe and fifteenth globally, for innovative business development. And under his leadership LSBU secured the crown as The Times Higher Award for Entrepreneurial University of the Year. Gurpreet has spent the last 19 years working in universities across the UK, in roles predominantly focussing on business engagement, innovation and entrepreneurship. Blurring boundaries between education and business is Gurpreet’s passion.

He joined LSBU in September 2014 from University College, London (UCL) where he served as Deputy Director for UCL Advances with strategic oversight of enterprise and small business engagement activities. Previously he worked at University of Birmingham where he spent two years designing and delivering postgraduate and graduate enterprise programmes and held operational responsibility for the enterprise team. These responsibilities included the management and delivery of the University’s flagship ‘talentpool’, a project for postgraduate students designed to boost understanding of external organisations and industry needs. The programme was so successful it engaged approximately 300 participants across all disciplines at the university. Part of its renowned success and appeal was due to the fact that at the conclusion of the workshops, the programme administrators secured real-world consulting opportunities for those taking part.

Previous to that Gurpreet spent six years at Birmingham City University supporting Staff and Student Enterprise; running a Mentoring Programme for undergraduate students and working closely with Advantage West Midlands on the Birmingham Science City programme in the area of Digital Media and ICT – investing over £2m in flagship Digital Demonstrator projects.

Gurpreet was also the 2016/17 chair for Enterprise Educators UK, a UK national network of 117 universities dedicated to supporting their member institutions in increasing the scale, scope and effectiveness of enterprise and entrepreneurship education and practice.

An inspirational, transformational and visionary Director, with over a 19 years of experience, spanning a number of higher education institutions, Gurpreet has successfully established, executed and fostered the growth of a number of enterprise and business outreach centres strengthening their links with local industry.

Merrill Jones
Head of Professional Services, University of Sussex Business School

Merrill is the Head of Professional Service at the University of Sussex Business School and has oversight of a staff 70 who work in collaboration with academic colleagues to deliver a positive student experience on both taught and research programmes, high quality research and successful grant capture and engagement with a broad range of stakeholders from business, not for profit, as well as advising policy makers, locally, nationally and internationally.

Merrill has worked in the HE sector since 2005 and has experience of working in PGR administration, student experience, curriculum and assessment and as a School Manager.  

During her time at the university she has completed an MBA.

Prior to working in HE, Merrill managed an EU funded research project and worked for a consultancy who delivered conferences and meetings for Pharmaceutical clients worldwide.

Professor Binna Kandola OBE
Business Psychologist, Senior Partner and co-founder, Pearn Kandola

Binna is particularly interested in the study of gender bias and unconscious bias in organisations. He is the author of three critically acclaimed books on these subjects – 'The Invention of Difference: The story of gender bias at work', 'The Value of Difference: Eliminating bias in organisations, and 'Racism at Work: The Danger of Indifference'.

His most recent book, 'Free to Soar: Race & Wellbeing in Organisations', which he edited, explores the relationship between race and wellbeing in the workplace.

He is also the co-author of several other management books. One of which, 'Managing the Mosaic', won a Special Commendation at the 1994 Management Book of the Year Awards.

Binna was the first Chair of the Standing Committee for the Promotion of Equal Opportunities of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a member of Sir Robin Butler's Panel of Enquiry into Equal Opportunities in the Senior Civil Service. He has also been a member of the Board of Trustees of the BPS, and in 2002 was elected as Chair of the Division of Occupational Psychology. Additionally, in January 2004, Binna was invited to join the UK Government's National Employment Panel and appointed Chair of the Minority Ethnic Group.

He is currently a visiting Professor at Leeds University Business School and at Aston University Business School. In 2012 the University of Aston awarded him an Honorary DSc. Binna was awarded an OBE in 2008 for his services to Disadvantaged People and Diversity and he is also on the Asian Power List 2020.

Caroline Laurie
Faculty Officer (Strategic Projects), Strathclyde Business School

Professor Robert MacIntosh
Pro Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Business and Law, Northumbria University; Chair, Chartered ABS

Professor Robert MacIntosh trained as an engineer and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Academy of Social Sciences and the British Academy of Management. He has published over 100 outputs including books on strategy, organisational change and research impact. His background reflects a long-standing interest in multidisciplinary research that makes a difference in the world. He is an advocate of the transformative power of universities both in their learning and teaching and in their research and knowledge exchange.

He has held leadership roles in business schools at Strathclyde, Glasgow and Heriot-Watt and is currently Pro Vice-Chancellor for Business and Law at Northumbria University. He is also Chair of the Chartered Association of Business Schools and sits on the Council of the British Academy of Management.

He has extensive experience working with, facilitating and researching strategy in a range of publicly traded firms, large public organisations and third sector organisations and has supervised a number of senior leaders from the US, Canada, Europe and the UK to doctoral completion.

He is an experienced boardroom practitioner having served on the board of the social care charity Turning Point Scotland (2013 to 2021, and chair from 2019-2021) and the board of Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (2014-2021). He publishes regularly on academic life in the Times Higher Education and on doctoral study through ThePhDBlog.com. His status as a shareholder in Aberdeen Football Club demonstrates his innate optimism.

Dr Ivo Matser
Chief Executive Officer, ABIS (The Academy of Business in Society)

Ivo Matser (Netherlands, 1961) is a specialist in managing and leading organizational change in the professional corporate world and private academic institutions. He continuously pursues to increase the organizational value bringing both the internal and the external perspectives into the process. He executes his profession from three different roles: as a senior executive manager, as board member and as consultant.

Ivo is an economist, a leadership expert and certified Expert Marketing Professional (EMP). He started his career in sports business and managed real estate, publishing and professional services companies. Since 2001, he has been in the position of CEO/President/Dean of private higher education institutions: SWOT Business School (NL), TSM Business School (NL), ISM University of Management and Economics (LT), GISMA Business School (D, UK). Ivo is also assessor for international institutional accreditations in several countries. Regularly he is a speaker at conferences and board room consultant at companies for designing and implementing strategies.

He has represented for more than 10 year academic institutions as member of ABIS and since 2017, he is member of the Board of Directors of ABIS.

Professor Heather McLaughlin
Pro Vice-Chancellor Research & Academic Staff Development; Dean Faculty of Business & Law, De Montfort University; Member, Chartered ABS Council

Heather is Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Academic Staff Development, Dean of Business and Law. Her university-wide portfolio includes the continuing professional education of academic staff, including academic promotions, roles and responsibilities, appraisals and policy development. Previous roles have included Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law at Coventry University, Director of the Business School at Canterbury Christ Church University, Director of the Centre for International Transport Management at London Metropolitan University, Head of Consultancy for the Global Policy Research Institute, and a professional career as a Chartered Accountant.

As a Professor of Management and International Transport, she has published extensively in a range of international academic journals, and maintains excellent contacts with the maritime and wider logistics industry. She served as a Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Select Committee for Transport, and has been a member of a number of international expert panels on maritime transport. She is a currently on the editorial board of ‘Research in Transportation Business and Management’ and ‘Maritime Policy and Management’ and was co-editor for 10 years from 2007-2017. As a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of World Traders’ livery, she remains well connected in the business community.

She is a member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools Council

Fiona McClement
Director of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, University of Leeds

Fiona is the inaugural Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)  at the University of Leeds. She joined from University College London (UCL) where she worked for 11 years and was also Director of EDI. During her time at UCL, the University was recognised as a sector-leader on EDI. Fiona has particular expertise on addressing unacceptable behaviour, and her interventions have been rolled out to a number of other universities in the UK. She was an advisor to the UK Parliament and also partners with CERN in Switzerland, delivering leadership training on addressing unacceptable behaviour.

Previous to this, Fiona was a Senior Research and Policy Officer at the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association in Australia, a community-led organisation that advised the State and Federal Governments. She also worked in research and policy roles at the Centre for Racial Equality and Rights in Scotland and she has also worked in parliamentary research roles at both the Scottish Parliament and Parliament of South Australia.

David Meech Mazumdar
Department Manager (Strategic Planning & Development) London School of Economics and Political Science; Chair, Chartered ABS Professional Managers Committee

David Meech Mazumdar has worked in higher education management for 15 years in a number of roles. He has been working as Department Manager for Strategic Planning and Development at the London School of Economics since 2018 and has served on the Chartered ABS Professional Manager’s Committee since 2020, having recently been appointed as Chair.

David believes that the key ingredients to success across the business school sector are innovation, partnership and collaboration – working with each other and our academics to drive excellence and ensure we remain competitive and relevant in a world of change.

Laura Moten
Faculty Operations Manager, Coventry Business School

Laura has worked in Higher Education for over 15 years. During her career Laura has worked in Academic Registry, Faculty Management and is currently the Operations Manager for the Faculty of Business and Law at Coventry University. Laura provides strategic leadership and management of the non academic operations for the Faculty. As a member of the senior leadership team Laura contributes to the development of strategy, policing and decision making across the Faculty. Laura is responsible for the management of the Faculty estate.

Laura has served on the Chartered Association Professional Managers committee since 2021.

Sonia O'Hare
School Manager, Queen's University Management School

Dr Loyin Olotu-Umoren
Head of School Operations, Nottingham Business School

Loyin is the Head of School Operations at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University. She leads the professional services teams in one of the largest business schools in the country.

Loyin has a great blend of strategic and operational responsibilities. She is passionate about creating a great place where people can thrive and realise their potential. She plays a significant role in creating a culture which drives for excellence in service delivery however, combined with leading people development strategies and plans to support overall service delivery.

Loyin is a member of the Business School Executive Team and sits on a variety of Committees and Boards at University level. Beyond the academic environment, she serves as Non-Executive Director and Trustee for Businesses.

Keith Portman
Director of Operations, Birmingham Business School.

Keith is Director of Operations at Birmingham Business School.

He works closely with the Dean and Senior Management Team to shape and deliver the school’s strategic direction and is effectively the Chief Operating Officer. He is responsible for the school’s non-academic operations, and the effective delivery of services from a range of Professional Services teams.

Prior to joining the University of Birmingham, Keith had a 30-year career as a Police Officer. He retired from Policing in 2015 at the rank of Inspector, where most recently he was responsible for providing policing in the constituency of Meriden. He has been in leadership roles for over 25 years and holds a Master of Arts with distinction in Managing and Leading People, is an accredited coach and currently studying for an Executive MBA.

Barney Roe
Interim Chief Executive, Chartered ABS

Barney oversees the development and delivery of communications across the Chartered ABS and Small Business Charter.

Barney joined the Chartered ABS from Creative & Cultural Skills, the further education membership body and charity that creates jobs and education opportunities in the creative industries for young people. There, as Director of Communications, he launched the Building a Creative Nation campaign to create 6,500 paid internships and apprenticeships. Barney specialises in trade association and policy communications. During eight years working at Haymarket Media Group and Neil Stewart Associates, Barney ran national conferences as part of the marketing and government affairs strategies for leading associations such as the CBI, British Chambers of Commerce, Institute of Economic Development, Social Enterprise UK, World Agricultural Forum plus a number of government departments including BIS, DCMS, DCLG, Cabinet Office, and HM Treasury. Barney started his career as an entrepreneur having launched a promotions business whilst at University.

Barney is currently acting as the Interim Chief Executive of the Chartered ABS

Jan Shearer
Accreditations Officer, University of Glasgow, Adam Smith Business School

Professor Sankar Sivarajah
Dean of School of Management, University of Bradford

Sankar Sivarajah is a Professor of Technology Management and Circular Economy and the Dean of School of Management at University of Bradford.

His research and teaching is interdisciplinary in nature focusing on the use of emerging digital technology for the betterment of society, be it in a business or government context. He is the Deputy Editor of Journal of Enterprise Information Management and has published over 70 scientific articles in leading peer-reviewed journals and conferences. His research tackling societal challenges such as energy efficient digital currencies, consumer behaviour and reduction of waste has featured in reputable media publications such as The World Economic Forum, BBC Yorkshire and The Conversation.

To date, he has a successful track record as Principal and Co-investigator in over £3 million worth of Research and Innovation and consultancy projects funded by reputable funding bodies and commercial organisations. Some of the notable funders have been the European Commission (FP7, H2020, Marie Curie), Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), Innovate UK/DEFRA and British Council focusing on projects addressing business and societal challenges surrounding themes such as AI Innovation Strategy Development, Smart Cities and Sustainable Societies.

He is an elected governing Council Member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) in the UK, Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and a member of the British Academy of Management (BAM).

David Stannard
Director of Administration, Henley Business School

David is Director of Administration at Henley Business School, leading a team of around 100 professional services staff who manage and support Henley’s students, programmes (both degree and non-degree executive education) and operations.  He is a member of Henley’s senior leadership team and a key part of his role is responsibility for Henley’s ongoing Triple Accreditation by AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS.  David has been a member of the Chartered ABS Professional Managers’ Committee since 2020 and is part of the Committee’s working group undertaking research on professional service resourcing models in UK business schools.

Dr Michelle Stirk
Director, BSc Finance, Accounting and Management, University of Nottingham

Dr Michelle Stirk is an Associate Professor in Accounting at the University of Nottingham's Business School.  Her research focuses on how sustainability and business organisations intersect, this has included research projects in the area of management control, performance management, modern slavery and renewable energy.  She is a chartered management accountant and previously held a number of senior accountant posts in both the public and private sectors. Her research is interdisciplinary and draws upon her wealth of practical and academic experience gained over 25 years.

Jacqui Thomasen
Director of Operations and Business Development, The Co-operative College

Jacqui has worked for over fifteen years in triple-accredited business schools, specialising in external engagement in all its forms; from reputation enhancement, advisory board management, international alumni and student engagement, industry partnerships and income diversification, as well as being the go-to person for a range of ‘special projects’ that required scoping, piloting and evaluating ahead of implementation.

Working most recently for the Open University Business School, Jacqui has expertise in online business education and engagement, spanning qualifications, executive education and informal learning.

Currently working as Director of Operations for the Co-operative College, a provider of specialist business education supporting the UK and international co-operative movement, Jacqui is continuing her passion for social justice through international collaboration which places learning at the heart of communities and workplaces.

In addition, Jacqui continues to help business schools develop their external engagement strategies as an Associate at Hardcastle & Associates.

Professor Kiran Trehan
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Partnership and Engagement, University of York

Sarah Verbickas
Faculty Operations Manager, Leeds University Business School (LUBS)

Sarah has 25 years of experience working in Higher Education across various institutions in project, student-focused and operations roles.

Most recent roles have been Student Finance Manager at the University of Bradford and Faculty Planning Manager at LUBS, where she initially worked on a multi-million pound capital and transformation programme which has involved, amongst other projects, the delivery of two new buildings.

Sarah is now the Faculty Operations Manager with responsibility for the professional staff within the School and the relationship with University aligned services. As a member of the senior leadership team Sarah contributes to the development of strategy, policing and decision making across the Faculty.

Sarah has served on the Chartered ABS Professional Managers Committee since 2021 and is part of the Committee’s working group undertaking research on professional service resourcing models in UK business schools.

PMAC 2023 takes place at The Studio - Leeds

Riverside West
Whitehall Rd
Leeds
LS1 4AW

The Studio is a 9min walk from Leeds Station and easily accessed by car and other public transport.

Click here for directions to the venue

The evening before the conference we will host a Dinner in the War Room of the Royal Armouries Museum. It will be a great opportunity to connect with fellow attendees for informal networking ahead of the main event.

Armouries Drive
Leeds
LS10 1LT

The evening will commence with a Drinks Reception from 19:00. Dinner will be served at 20:00. Dress code: smart casual

Participants are responsible for their own accommodation arrangements.

Here are some options of nearby hotels.

Premier Inn Leeds City Centre (Whitehall Road) Hotel 

1 Whitehall Quay, Riverside, Lower Wortley, Leeds LS1 4EQ. This hotel is a 4-minute walk from the conference venue.

Hotel Novotel Leeds Centre

4 Whitehall Quay, Leeds LS1 4HR. This hotel is a 6-minute walk from the conference venue.

Crowne Plaza Leeds, an IHG Hotel 

Wellington St, Leeds LS1 4DL. This Hotel is a 6-minute walk from the conference venue.

Premier Inn Leeds City Centre (Wellington Street) Hotel

Wellington St, Leeds LS3 1LW. This hotel is a 10-minute walk from the conference venue.

25% Group Booking Discounts available

Members

Not sure whether your institution is a member? Full list available here.

• Full conference with Dinner - £350
• Full conference without Dinner - £300
• Two participants for full conference with Dinner - £610 (save 25% on the second place)
• Two participants for full conference without Dinner - £525 (save 25% on the second place)

If you are registering more than 2 people please contact enquiries@charteredabs.org for a Special Booking Code.

Non-Members 

Universities, public sector, commercial

• Full conference with Dinner - £420
• Full conference without Dinner - £370
• Two participants for full conference with Dinner - £735 (save 25% on the second place)
• Two participants for full conference without Dinner - £645 (save 25% on the second place)

Non-member organisations are are allowed a maximum of two tickets. If you wish to bring more people to the conference please contact Oliver Lowe to discuss sponsorship opportunities oliver.lowe@charteredabs.org

Hardcastle & Associates

Hardcastle & Associates exists simply to support business schools to do better.

Our team offers a strategic mix of those who have worked in the corporate world, NHS and within business schools and universities.

We draw from our associates, strategic partners and our wider networks to create project teams that will help you successfully:

• develop your school strategy, vision and mission
• create your brand and articulate school distinctiveness
• build your reputation
• identify and take advantage of market opportunities
• engage and reshape your advisory boards to deliver greater impact
• create marketing strategies
• improve candidate journeys
• simplify accreditation and review rankings strategy
• achieve better communication and deeper engagement with key stakeholders including faculty and professional staff, students, alumni, corporate partners and employers

Drawing from our network of global business schools, we have authored free Sharing the Experience reports on Business School Advisory Boards and The MBA and the Value of Practitioner Engagement - available to download now.

Our approach is straightforward: understanding that every business school is different we spend time getting to know you.  We work collaboratively on projects to share our experience, provide in-depth insights and focus on what’s right for you, delivering creative and practical solutions.

Website: hardcastleassociates.com

Email: info@hardcastleassociates.com

What if I register and then want to cancel?

If you register and decide that you cannot attend you can transfer your pass to a colleague free of charge. If you decide to cancel there may be a cancellation fee. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for full details.

Transfers, Cancellations and full Terms & Conditions - click here