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ICAEW event

Public Sector Conference

5 December 2025, virtual event

Our conference returns with a focus on crisis management, recovery, and resilience in the public sector. Join us to gain valuable insights from public sector leaders with experience of turning adversity into opportunity.

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Highlights

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Turn adversity into opportunity

Discover how to deal with a crisis and how to embrace the opportunities that can arise

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Be inspired

Hear from public sector leaders about their experiences in leading in challenging times

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Valuable CPD

Gain up to 3 hours of verifiable CPD

Programme

Welcome and opening remarks
Caroline Smale, Risk and Compliance Partner at Bishop Fleming, ICAEW Deputy-President
09:30
Public service in unprecedented times
We are delighted to welcome the former Permanent Secretary at the Department of Education, Jonathan Slater. Following a 35 year career working across the public sector, Jonathan will share his perspective as to what it means to be a public servant in difficult times.
09:45
Break
10:30
Panel discussion: Turning adversity into opportunity: Lessons from responding to crisis
In this interactive panel session, panellists will share their experience of how their organisations adapted to times of crisis and will share their insights into the importance of change management when adapting to changing circumstances and to maintain organisational stability. | Panel chair: Kathryn Cearns, Non-executive Director | Panellist: Theresa Grant, ICEO, Advisor, Consultant
10:45
Break
11:45
From fire-fighting to future-proofing: the future of public services
Public services have been described as in a spiral of short-term firefighting, with budgetary and demand pressures testing their long-term sustainability. But how can we escape this cycle? Approaching the final year of his tenure as the Auditor General for Wales, Adrian Crompton provides his insight into how the public sector can be future-proofed for generations to come.
12:00
Closing remarks
Caroline Smale, Risk and Compliance Partner at Bishop Fleming, ICAEW Deputy-President
12:45
Close
13:00

Our speakers

Profile image of Kathryn Cearns
Kathryn Cearns OBE Non-executive Director

A chartered accountant with extensive senior level experience in both the public and private sectors, Kathryn is currently Chair of the Press Recognition Panel and Vice-Chair of The Property Ombudsman. She is also Chair of the Audit Risk and Assurance Committee at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, a Member of the Group Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee of the Department for Transport and a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and Remuneration Committee of DfT Operator Ltd.

Headshot of Adrian Crompton
Adrian Crompton Auditor General, Audit Wales

As head of the Wales Audit Office, Adrian oversees the annual audit of some £20 billion of taxpayers’ money and is appointed on an eight-year term. Most of Adrian’s career has been spent supporting parliamentary democracy at a Welsh, UK and international level. Prior to his current appointment, he held various senior roles within the National Assembly for Wales and, before then, in the House of Commons.

Headshot of Theresa Grant OBE
Theresa Grant OBE CEO, Advisor, Consultant

Theresa has a Local Government career spanning over four decades, with experience across the UK and Ireland in both the public and private sectors. She has held senior roles including CEO of Trafford Council and Accountable Officer for the NHS, led the financial turnaround of Northamptonshire County Council and creation of two new Unitary Authorities, and was interim CEO at Liverpool City Council, stabilising its recovery through intervention and delivery of the Eurovision Song Contest. Theresa is now an independent consultant, Trustee of a Housing CIC, Advisor to DLUHC and was awarded an OBE in 2021 for services to the public sector.

Simon Linthwaite
Simon Linthwaite Deputy Director of Finance, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Having originally graduated through the NHS National Financial Management training programme, Simon now has over 30 years of senior NHS Finance experience serving both secondary and primary care organisations in the East Midlands. Simon spent most of his career operating at senior level in the Nottinghamshire health economy, most notably at Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, where he helped the Finance Team win the National HFMA Team of the Year in 2015. He is currently one of the Deputy Directors of Finance, at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, where his work in transforming financial reporting at the Trust earned him an Outstanding Contribution award from HFMA in 2024.

Headshot of Jonathan Slater
Jonathan Slater Non-Executive; Advisor; Ex UK Government Permanent Secretary

Jonathan Slater is a Visiting Professor at King’s College London and Queen Mary’s University London. He chairs the board of the Charter Schools Educational Trust and is a non-executive member of the Boards of the Post Office and the PTI. Jonathan was Permanent Secretary of the Department for Education until 2020, at the conclusion of a 20 year civil service career that included Justice, Defence, the Cabinet Office and No.10. Before that Jonathan worked in local government for over 10 years, ending up as Director of Education and Deputy Chief Executive at Islington Council, though his career actually started as a mathematical modeller for British Rail.

Caroline Smale
Caroline Smale Risk and Compliance Partner at Bishop Fleming, ICAEW Deputy-President

Caroline joined the profession as a graduate trainee in 1988 with a medium size practice – Bishop Fleming. For some years she was an audit manager for the firm and now heads up the Risk and compliance department. She is a Past-President of ICAEW South West and sits on the South West Local Network Board as the Diversity representative. Wherever possible she supports female and younger members and has a mentoring role within the firm. Caroline will become ICAEW President in 2026-27.

Testimonials

Relevant, topical, and well presented sessions that were informative and met CPD requirements.

ICAEW Public Sector Conference 2024 delegate

Excellent, informative event.

ICAEW Public Sector Conference 2024 delegate

A really informative conference.

ICAEW Public Sector Conference 2024 delegate

As a Finance leader I feel inspired and excited about the future of Finance and have greater knowledge I can use to input into the future Finance strategy of my own organisation

ICAEW Public Sector Conference 2024 delegate

Very interesting. Time well spent.

ICAEW Public Sector Conference 2024 delegate

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