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Speaker Programme – 2019

Devonshire House Network is a people-focused membership club for Director-level professionals in leadership roles who have an instinctive focus on the human side of enterprise.

January 2019

Tricky Month, January! So many people not back at work until Week 2 or even Week 3 – and then needing to sit and wait to see that sort of year they might be heading towards. So, we are hosting a Drinks Reception for Premium and Corporate Members and those who have hosted us in 2018 and into 2019.

A Revolution called Artificial Intelligence! – 12.2.19

Working closely with Moore Stephens, Areiel Wolanow, CEO of Finserv Experts leads a specialist expert panel which will examine and debate what AI and related technologies might mean for ourselves and for our businesses.

Ann Francke – CEO of the CMI – 27.2.19

We are delighted that Ann Francke, the CEO of the CMI, will be speaking at Devonshire House in February 2019. We originally planned to host Ann in April 2018 but circumstances conspired against us!

Helen Dickinson – CEO of the British Retail Consortium – 27.3.19.

Retail is an exciting, diverse and dynamic industry undergoing transformational change. The BRC is at the forefront – enhancing, assisting, informing, and shaping. Our broad range of stakeholders demonstrates how retailing touches almost every aspect of our culture.

Tim Roache, Gen Sec of GMB Union – 30.4.19

The GMB is a general trade union in the UK with more than 631,000 members who work in nearly all industrial sectors, in retail, security, schools, distribution and the utilities, social care, the NHS, the ambulance service and local government. Devonshire House Members of longer standing than most will recall Tim’s predecessor, Paul Kenny, talking with us in 2012 and, more recently, Len McLuskey in 2015.

Craig Donaldson, CEO of Metro Bank – 22.5.19

Starting from scratch in London in 2010, Metro Bank has been expanding rapidly ever since. Back to basics might be a fair way of describing their story so far.  The language they use to describe their model and their philosophy include – A fresh start to banking – Changing the way Britain banks – Bringing personal service back to banking – Committed to customer service – Committed to the community – Committed to Kids (Please note that dogs are allowed – watered but not fed!).

Devonshire House Summer Panel Debate on Corporate Governance – 12.6.19

 “Should NEDs stop things going wrong?”

This is our provisional working title.  Our last debate internalised the focus on Boardroom processes and behaviours.  This one externalises the focus on what happens outside the business and to the business and as a result of Board action. Whose fault is it when things go wrong.  What do you have to do to ensure that things go right? We are currently putting this Event together.  More info soon.  But pencil the 12.6.19 into your diaries.

Talent Management – New thinking. Details to follow – 3.7.19

September – Currently under discussion

Charles Moore – October 2019

Charles Moore is a journalist.  But, for many, he is a lot more than that.  He is a former editor of The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator. He still writes for these publications.  He also does interviews on TV and radio and elsewhere.  We have been exchanging good-natured emails with Charles Moore since October 2016 about speaking to us at Devonshire House.  He is happy for us to report that we think he is saying YES.  Yes, but not quite yet. It is well known that he’s engaged in continuing/completing his biography of Margaret Thatcher and he does quote this as something he wants to get off his To Do list – as a priority.

Roger Bootle, Chairman, Capital Economics – 29.10.19

We are delighted that Roger Bootle, Chairman of Capital Economics will be joining DHN on 29.10.19 to talk with us. Roger Bootle is a British economist and a weekly columnist for The Daily Telegraph. He is also the chairman of Capital Economics, an independent macroeconomic research consultancy based in London.

Kate Hoey, MP – 26.11.19

We are delighted that Kate Hoey, MP will be joining DHN on 26.11.19 to talk with us. Kate Hoey has been the Labour MP for Vauxhall since 1989. She supports the best of traditional Labour Party policies and the best of Kate Hoey philosophies. This has resulted in a colourful and individualistic career, a personality to match and makes for compulsive listening.