Unlock the potential of AI-driven innovation with Generative AI and Art AI!

Join our interactive workshop to explore the cutting-edge capabilities of AI and CoPilot — discover how it can revolutionise your automation of the tasks that are NOT our favourite in the office.

In this AI session, you’ll learn how to harness the power of AI to boost productivity, enhance creativity, and streamline your daily tasks. Understand how AI and Copilot can speed up the innovation process by automating repetitive tasks, allowing you to focus on creative problem-solving. Let’s kick up our superpowers!

Experience Professor Hoisington’s session and our other speakers by buying your tickets here.

Speaking is more than just standing on stage.

Speaking is life, Speaking is business, Speaking is education – it’s YOUR ability to deliver any message to any one with clarity, power & emotion – to truly be heard.

In my years of working in the PA, EA & VA communities, this has proven to be the most impactful, empowering & inspiring topic yet isn’t covered enough to support your community.

So, this is what you will get from me – taken from my flagship, global training programme ‘Find Your Voice!’:

• • Confidence around public speaking
  • Confidence to go networking
  • Confidence to deal with difficult situations and challenging conversations
  • Support with leadership skills
  • Build Better relationships with your manager and perhaps the SMT, Board and Stakeholders
  • Confidence to suggest and perhaps instigate and/or deal with change

These are unique, ego-free insights into the world of Professional Speaking that will help you to thrive in your role, to amplify the support to your executive & give you the platform to truly ‘step up’ in every aspect!

To see Nick as well as all of the other speakers on the day, buy your tickets here.

Rebecca Mander FInstLM, GuruYou

• • Learn the path from victim to victor
  • Know what resilience is and is not
  • Have tools to help you move forward when you feel you don’t have a choice
  • Feel encouraged to move outside of your comfort zone!

To see Rebecca and our line up of fabulous speakers, buy your tickets here.

John Bullock, Solutions Focused

People & Mindset:

• • Understanding how conditioning effects Behaviour and Decision Making

Process:

• • Understanding the big picture
  • Gathering Information
  • Collaborating
  • Rick Assessment and Response
  • Prioritisation Management
  • Technology Integration (AI)
  • Learning & Apply

During this session, delegates will firstly be able to understand how our personal conditioning and self concept either helps or hinders us in effective decision making and more importantly how to change this to maximum success (Personally and organisationally)

Delegates will also understand and be able to apply a clear process or routeway to ensure effective decision making and governance of those decisions.

This session will simply enhance your decision making skills and confidence in make those decisions.

Please come prepared to learn and enjoy!

Buy your tickets for John’s session and more now.

Afshan Baksh, Transformation Space

Join Transformation Space for a stimulating Lego® Serious Play® (LSP) workshop.

Introduction

In a world where AI and automation are redefining the landscape, the Personal Assistant role is poised for transformation.

This workshop is not just about building with bricks but building your future. Your facilitator, Afshan Baksh, will lead you on a journey through the heart of innovation and creative problem-solving. Afshan will guide you through engaging activities, inspiring you to imagine and build solutions that potentially future-proof your role as a PA.

Workshop Highlights:

Explore Your Challenges: Learn how to use Lego® to build models that represent your challenges in the evolving workplace. This powerful method, developed by Lego to save their business, will clarify complex scenarios and enable you to explore your challenges.

Feel the Impact: Through hands-on activities, you’ll share your feelings and perspectives about the upcoming changes in your profession. It’s a safe space to acknowledge and transform concerns into creative energy.

Collaborate for the Moon-shot: Designed to tap into your imagination and creativity, your collaborative mission will be to set up an office on the lunar surface…yes on the Moon. While the scenario is fun, the insights you’ll gain have real-world value, offering innovative approaches to your current role.

Takeaways:

• • Engage with fellow PAs, expand your network, and merge minds to uncover unique solutions to shared challenges.
  • Stimulate your creative thinking and problem-solving skills, which are crucial for staying ahead in the rapidly evolving professional environment.
  • Find inspiration in the collective wisdom of the group and leverage it to redefine the future role of a PA.

Call to Action:

Are you ready to play a part in shaping the future of your profession? Sign up for the Lego® Serious Play® workshop. We look forward to meeting you.

Experience Afshan’s session and our other speakers by buying your tickets here.

Claudine Martin, Senior Executive Assistant to Head of Pershing EMEA

By the end of 45 minutes session, you will:

• • Learn strategies for becoming more adaptable.
  • Understand the connection between adaptability and resilience.
  • Be motivated to overcome personal setbacks.
  • Learn how to overcome fear and resistance to change.
  • Feel encouraged to move outside of your comfort zone!

See Claudine and our line up of speakers by purchasing your tickets here.

Lindsay Taylor, Your Excellency Limited

At this high energy and interactive Session, you will

• • Learn to make your goals SMARTER
  • Recognise the value of applying Towards Thinking and language to motivate yourself and others when objective setting
  • Harness the power of creative visualisation
  • Use a proven technique to ensure successful achievement of personal and professional goals
  • Attendees will take away a Template to use for future goal setting

See Lindsay now by buying your tickets here.

PANEL DISCUSSION: IS THERE TRULY A CAREER PATHWAY FOR PAs, EAs & BUSINESS SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS?

Wendy Bullard, Business Support Manager, EY

Sarah Maddox, Associate Director, WSP

Sarah Maddox began her professional journey as a receptionist at Arup, where she honed her organisational and communication skills. Despite having just one GCSE in Typewriting Skills, she quickly demonstrated her dedication and adaptability.

Driven by a passion for safety and quality, Sarah pursued further education and obtained a Nebosh Certificate in health and safety. Her commitment to excellence led her to achieve a degree in Quality Management, equipping her with the knowledge and expertise to uphold rigorous standards.

Sarah’s career trajectory took her to HS2 Ltd, where she served as a Quality Manager for Phase 2b (Crewe to Manchester). Her meticulous approach ensured that projects met the highest quality benchmarks. Her contributions were invaluable to the organisation’s success.

Currently, Sarah holds the esteemed position of Associate Director at WSP. Her leadership skills and strategic vision have elevated her to this role, where she oversees critical projects. Notably, she is currently serving as a Project Director on a significant £4 million rail project.

Sarah Maddox exemplifies dedication, expertise, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in her professional journey. Her impact on the field of quality management and project leadership is commendable.

Amy Malin, Project Facilitator, DPD UK

I started my career as a PA Apprentice back in September 2018, straight from college with no experience or qualifications as a PA. I worked closely with the Senior Leadership Team PAs and within 6 months of working in the business, I worked for the Director of International Operations, proving my ability to keep up with the fast-paced environment. I was then asked to take on the role as PA to the CEO of the company as maternity cover. I stepped out of my comfort zone, took on the responsibility and took it in my stride. I continued my education during this time and completed a Level 3 and Level 4 NVQ in Business Administration. During this time, I was nominated and a finalist for Newcomer of the Year in the West Midlands PA Awards. I then started a new role as PA to the Director of UK Operations which meant I had a new insight into the operational side of the company. In this role, I was nominated and a finalist for PA of the Year in the West Midlands PA Awards. The role also gave me insight into the company’s operational projects, which then sparked my interest. I was keen to get involved in helping manage and facilitate these projects. This leads me to my current position as a Project Facilitator in the IT Department focusing on the operational projects of the business, which I started at the beginning of this year.

As a PA, I gained invaluable organisation, communication and administrative skills that are transferable in so many different career paths. This, alongside being positioned with a birds-eye view of the company enabled me to see how different departments work and hone in on what my interests were, which led me to my new role as a Project Facilitator. My journey champions the idea that there truly is a career path for PAs and EAs.

Rhiannon Hopcroft, Executive PA to CEO, Windsor Academy Trust

Rhiannon embarked on her administrative career in 2007, fresh out of university, unsure of her next steps. Drawn to the diverse opportunities within administration despite limited office experience, she embraced various roles over the course of her 18-year journey. From finance administration and HR to office management and executive support, each position contributed to her professional growth and versatility, moulding her into the professional she is today.

For the past 4 and a half years, Rhiannon has served as the Executive PA to the CEO at Windsor Academy Trust, a role she describes as the highlight of her career. Empowered to enact change and entrusted with strategic oversight of the administration function, she finds immense joy and privilege in her responsibilities. Working within the educational sector provides Rhiannon with daily opportunities to inspire and be inspired, collaborating strategically with an exceptional executive team.

Passionate about championing the administrative profession in all its facets, Rhiannon is dedicated to leading and empowering through continuous professional development, coaching, mentoring, and leadership. She thrives on overcoming challenges and barriers to career progression, both personally and professionally, and believes in leveraging resources and talent for collective growth.

Within Windsor Academy Trust, Rhiannon has spearheaded the development and implementation of a comprehensive career pathway for administrative professionals. This initiative encompasses a variety of inspirational and empowering resources, including recommended reading, skills audits, training days, and professional qualifications, designed to support individuals in realising their full potential.

Committed to inspiring future generations to consider administration as a rewarding career choice, Rhiannon is working with Daniel,  Sarah James and the PA forum to develop a schools programme aimed at igniting interest in the field. 

She is thrilled to join this panel of professionals to share insights on administrative pathways and celebrate the endless possibilities of this career choice.