Live Events
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Overview
Delivered in partnership with the Cabinet Office, our Procurement Reform Exhibitions feature presenters and subject matter experts from the very heart of Procurement Reform; providing actionable insight and practical guidance for public sector buyers
confirmed speakers
Clare Willmitt
Transforming Public Procurement Workstream Lead

Clare Willmitt joined Crown Commercial Service (CCS) in May 2016. Clare’s current role as Workstream Lead within the Transforming Public Procurement project team is to coordinate the implementation of guidance and information across CCS as a result of the procurement reform. Clare is based in the North West and has over 15 years experience of working in the public and third sectors, with a background predominantly in finance, she has a passion for building effective working relationships and supporting her colleagues and customers. This has led her into Commercial Lead and Senior Account Manager roles in more recent years. Clare is excited to be working as part of the Transforming Public Procurement project team and is confident that the team can successfully support the changes the new regime will bring.
Eleanor Green
Senior Policy Advisor and Infrastructure Lead
Nicola Eckersley-Waites
Head of Innovation
Emilia Hogarth
Head of Communities and Implementation

Stephen Cowburn
Project Manager Transparency Systems

Stephen is the Project Manager Transparency Systems, supporting the delivery of the digital platform project as part of the Transforming Public Procurement reform programme. He joined the Cabinet Office in October 2022, having spent a significant portion of his career at Historic England & English Heritage. Stephen has over 20 years experience of programme and project management, delivering business change and improvement, especially with a digital focus.
Phil Williams
Procurement Director

Phil Williams is Procurement Director for The Procurement Partnership Limited (TPPL). TPPL are leading providers of compliant framework agreements and procurement consultancy services to Local Authorities, Registered Providers of Social Housing, NHS Trusts, Fire Authorities, Universities, Schools, and Charities across the UK. TPPL’s free to join buying club consists of over 900 public sector organisations, including over 85% of all Local Authorities. Over the last four years we’ve helped our members tender and award over £1billion of contract value. TPPL manage a range of frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems compliant with Public Contracts Regulations. Our solutions cover the purchase, rental, and contract hire of vehicles, from cars and vans, through to HGVs, and including electric and hydrogen options. TPPL also provide solutions for a range of fleet ancillary products, the supply of building materials, grounds maintenance equipment, and plant and handheld tools.
Lindsay Maguire
Deputy Director, Procurement Reform

Lindsay is the Head of Engagement for Procurement Team at the Cabinet Office. She joined the Government Commercial Organisation in 2016, initially working as senior category leader for employment and labour market in DWP and subsequently as Head of Small Business Policy at Cabinet Office, working with all central government departments and SMEs to break down barriers to entry. Prior to joining the civil service, she gained 10+ commercial experience from the private sector, working in the Aerospace, property management and FMCG sectors for both large multinationals and SMEs, including spending 5 years abroad in Germany, Netherlands and Canada working on complex projects.
Lucy Sydney
Head of Strategic Relationships, Procurement Reform

Lucy is responsible for developing and implementing partnerships and stakeholder management strategy covering a wide range of organisations in Education, Local Government, Health, Third Sector and Devolved Administrations. She has delivered mutually rewarding commercial agreements and joint delivery plans with buying organisations operating as competitors to CCS.
Ellie Wilkinson
Commercial Lead (Transforming Public Procurement)

The Cabinet Office support the Prime Minister and ensure the effective running of government. They are also the corporate headquarters for government, in partnership with HM Treasury, and take the lead in certain critical policy areas such as the proposed reforms within the Procurement Bill.
Kimberley Rice
Commercial Lead (Transforming Public Procurement)

The Cabinet Office support the Prime Minister and ensure the effective running of government. They are also the corporate headquarters for government, in partnership with HM Treasury, and take the lead in certain critical policy areas such as the proposed reforms within the Procurement Bill
Joshua Pritchard
Deputy Director

Dr Joshua Pritchard is the Deputy Director of the CBI’s Policy Unit, and the CBI’s public sector markets lead. Josh helps lead the CBI’s team covering infrastructure, transport, manufacturing, retail, and construction, and personally heads up policy around public procurement, major projects, defence, and social value. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, and previously worked on policy issues for Reform think tank, the Solidarity Peace Trust in South Africa, and the De Beers Group.
Darren Knowd
Head of Procurement, Durham County Council

Darren leads a team of twenty-three procurement staff responsible for all procurement activity at Durham County Council. In 2016 Darren was awarded the Cabinet Office’s first ever award for Social Value Leadership for an Organisation. He is Chair of the Local Government Association’s National Advisory Group for Local Government Procurement and is the Chair of the National Social Value Taskforce.
Rebecca Rees
Head of Public Procurement, Trowers & Hamlins

Rebecca is a partner and Head of Public Procurement. She also leads the cross-firm Building a Safer Future team at Trowers & Hamlins. Rebecca is a leading national expert in public procurement law, consistently ranked as among the world's leading government contracts lawyers (Who's Who Legal and Chambers and Partners). Rebecca has significant experience in advising clients in the public, private and third sectors on public procurement, subsidy control and building safety strategy issues. She advises clients on procurement strategy and structures, how to conduct flexible and compliant procurement procedures and compile objective and transparent evaluation models and guidance. With particular interests in value-led procurement, social value and building safety, Rebecca is a member of the Working Group 11 for Procurement Competency, part of the Competency Steering Group (CSG), set up by the Industry Response Group (IRG) to tackle competency failings identified in the Hackitt Review, Building a Safer Future and sits on DLUHC's Procurement Advisory Group. Rebecca also represents Trowers & Hamlins on the Social Value in Housing Taskforce, led by HACT, which focuses on the further development of robust measurement and management of social value outcomes. Rebecca also sits on the Advisory Council of Radioactive Waste Management, the public sector organisation established by government responsible for planning and delivering geological disposal of higher activity radioactive waste in the UK. Rebecca is ranked in Band 1 and named as a 'Top Ranked and Leader in the Field for Public Procurement (UK-wide)' by the Chambers and Partners' Guide to the Legal Profession 2022. She is also recognised as a Global Leader in the "Who's Who Legal Guide to Government Contracts 2021".
Gavin Hayman
Executive Director

Carl Thomas
Procurement Reform Stakeholder & Policy Lead

Alex Holden
Stakeholder Engagement Lead
