Strategic roundtable discussions
Share your successes, challenges and changes within TA with your fellow strategic leaders
72% of recruitment leaders report feeling under increased pressure to deliver faster, more diverse, and higher-quality hires, all while balancing tighter budgets and growing compliance demands. With evolving expectations from leadership, the pressure to scale recruitment efforts efficiently has never been higher.
At #IHRLeaders25, we’ll tackle the most pressing challenges facing recruitment leaders today head-on with actionable insights, expert speakers, and networking opportunities to help you advance your career and strengthen your leadership presence.
Join us on 2nd April to gain the confidence and knowledge needed to drive success in 2025 and beyond, while networking with like-minded professionals who are facing the same challenges you are.
Premium Members can unlock FREE tickets (worth £295) using their Membership ID (found in My Account) as the promo code at registration.
Speaker Topics
ED&I
Practical approaches to embedding DEI in hiring strategies.
AI
Leveraging AI to enhance candidate experience and decision-making.
Employee referrals
Unlocking the potential of internal networks for high-quality hires.
Hiring at speed
Strategies to streamline recruitment processes while maintaining high standards.
Agenda
02 April 2025
With application volumes soaring, TA teams must refine their strategies to cut through the noise and secure top talent fast. In this panel discussion, Andy Chandler, Chief Customer Officer at Pinpoint, will guide leading TA professionals in sharing proven tactics to streamline processes, enhance candidate experience, and improve overall recruitment outcomes.
What to expect:
- Proven strategies for hiring faster and reducing time-to-fill.
- Smarter sourcing techniques to identify and attract the right talent.
- How to create a standout candidate experience in a competitive market.
- Real-world insights from TA leaders who have driven lasting recruitment success.
Employee referrals are a powerful yet underutilised hiring channel, especially with the rise of AI-driven applications. While top companies achieve 30%+ of hires through referrals, many fall short. Sam Davies from Real Links will share key insights from the 2024 Referral Benchmark Report, based on data from 500+ companies, and offer strategies to enhance referral quality and drive better hiring outcomes.
What to expect:
- Key insights from the 2024 Referral Benchmark Report, covering trends across 500+ companies.
- Drivers of successful referral programs and how to replicate them.
- Strategies to boost referral hires and recruitment efficiency.
- Leveraging referrals to maintain hiring quality amid AI-driven applications.
Discover how British Transport Police is driving DEI through positive action to build a workforce that reflects the communities it serves. Join Hannah Brown and Amit Kanabar from BTP, along with Matt Ingram-Smith of Tribepad, as they share strategies for increasing recruitment from underrepresented backgrounds. This session will explore the journey of women in policing, data-driven insights, and the next steps in fostering a diverse and inclusive force.
What to expect:
- Understanding positive action: What it is and how BTP drives change.
- Women in policing: The evolution of female representation since 1917.
- Strategic DE&I initiatives: Building a diverse force across all demographics.
- Data-driven insights: Key successes, outcomes, and challenges in achieving representation.
AI is transforming the candidate experience, reshaping how job seekers apply and complete assessments. With two-thirds of candidates using AI, TA teams must rethink their approach to maintain fairness, quality, and diversity. This session explores the AI-driven landscape, key selection criteria, and whether recruiters should adapt with AI or take a more strategic approach.
What to expect:
- The industries and roles most impacted by AI-enabled candidates
- A framework for integrating AI responsibly into recruitment while maintaining fairness and quality.
- Real-world examples from TA leaders on balancing automation with human judgment.
A positive candidate experience is built on honesty, clarity, and setting the right expectations. In this panel session, Stuart Elliott (CEO, Elliott Scott), Chloe Seeley (Global Head of Talent Acquisition, Checkout.com), will discuss with Cappfinity’s Chief Skills Officer on how leading companies foster trust through transparency in hiring. Learn how to leverage technology, align expectations, and enhance your employer brand.
What to expect:
- The role of technology in improving transparency and candidate experience.
- Strategies for bridging the gap between candidate expectations and job realities.
- How honest communication can improve talent attraction, retention, and employer reputation.
AI is reshaping talent acquisition, but true transformation starts with people. In this session, Marisa Williams, People Transformation Lead at KPMG, shares how to lead AI-driven change, measure success, and navigate challenges while keeping the human element at the core. Learn how to embrace Gen AI, avoid common pitfalls, and future-proof your career in an evolving TA landscape.
What to expect:
- Leading the AI transformation: Where to start, what matters and why
- Measuring success, key learnings and avoiding pitfalls
- How to future-proof your career: Embracing Gen AI in talent acquisition
Great leadership isn’t about fitting in, it’s about standing out. In this session, Rassam Yaghmaei, Talent & Culture Director at Free, will explore how embracing authenticity, managing perceptions, and leading with passion can amplify your influence and impact. Discover how to break barriers, challenge the status quo, and reshape workplace culture while staying true to yourself.
What to expect:
- Authenticity as a superpower: How to balance being real with being effective
- Leading with passion: Embracing all facets of who we are to inspire others
- Overcoming barriers: Managing perception without losing yourself
- Driving change: Why great leaders don’t just fit in, they challenge and reshape the culture, even when it means stepping outside their comfort zone
Speakers
Why attend
Strategic roundtable discussions
Best practice sharing
Hear from your peers on their best practices
Unrivalled speaker content
Unrivalled speaker content
Be inspired by success stories from talent professionals from tech, healthcare and retail industries
Expert guidance
Learn from industry-leaders from world-class organisations
Offers, goodies & competitions
Offers, goodies & competitions
Pick up some treats for your team and be in with the chance to win big prizes!
Networking opportunities
Grow your network at our dedicated lounge areas and post-event drinks
Register for the event
Previous attendees
“The event was packed with insightful presentations, roundtable discussions, and networking opportunities. It's always refreshing to step away from the day-to-day and hear about the latest themes and developments in the TA space.”
“It was an excellent conference, with lots of new connections made and follow ups booked. I particularly enjoyed the variety of topics discussed, and the excellent organisation of the whole event.”
“The event was really informative and a great insight into what other companies are doing.”
Platinum Partners
Gold Partners
Silver Partners
Networking Drinks Sponsor
Venue
Congress Centre, London
020 7467 1318
The Congress Conference Centre is in a fantastic location in the heart of London’s West End, just three minutes’ walk from Tottenham Court Road Underground Station and a short walk from Oxford Street, Covent Garden and theatre land.
The conference venue benefits from excellent transport links by tube (direct to Euston, Charing Cross, Waterloo and Liverpool Street mainline stations), and has two public car parks in the immediate vicinity located in Great Russell Street and Museum Street, as well as metered on-street parking. Cycle racks are available for those preferring to arrive on two wheels, and a ‘Boris Bikes’ Docking Station is conveniently located in Great Russell Street.
Marisa is an energised, fearless, tenacious, and honest person. She has nineteen years’ recruitment experience in both consulting and leadership roles. After establishing a market-leading practice placing senior tax executives with multinational businesses across the EMEA region, she went on to join an Executive Search firm where she placed senior commercial and operational roles within the Energy & Utilities sectors. Prior to joining KPMG she led and drove inclusive recruitment (Tax, legal and Pensions) and the flexible careers network for PwC. In addition to partnering with senior stakeholders to drive a talent engagement approach that ensures quality of hire by challenging perceptions, thoughts, and processes.
Marisa is currently is driving a programme of work designed to further enable KPMG’s people strategy of attracting and retaining high performing and diverse talent by offering our people a positive employee experience, rewarding careers and inclusive culture.
Marisa is a Law graduate of Queen Mary’s College, University of London.
When she is not working you will find her winding up in a Zumba or boxercise class and winding down in a yoga class or scuba diving.
Amit is an experienced HR and recruitment leader with 16 years at British Transport Police, spanning roles in HR business partnering, transformation, and operations. Currently leading recruitment, payroll, and HR systems, he combines strategic insight with a sharp analytical approach to drive efficiency, collaboration and innovation. Passionate about continuous improvement, Amit is committed to enhancing processes that support a diverse, inclusive, and high-performing workforce.
Stuart founded Elliott Scott HR in 2011, growing it from Hong Kong to global locations like London, New York, and São Paulo. Starting as a financial broker, he transitioned into recruitment and became Asia’s top HR recruiter. Now overseeing global operations, Stuart continues to drive the company’s success, known for his energy, competitive nature, and positive mindset.
Becky is an experienced HR professional with expertise in people agendas, change management, and transformation across sectors like real estate, manufacturing, retail, and charity. She currently leads HR transformation, diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing. Previously, Becky has worked at St. Modwen Properties, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and in various HR and talent development roles. She is FCIPD qualified with a BSc in Business.
Charlotte leads Talent Acquisition at Good Energy, focusing on attracting top talent and delivering an exceptional candidate experience. With six years at the company, she has refined their EVP, marketing, and recruitment process to align talent acquisition with business goals through a people-centered approach.
Faye is a talent acquisition leader at Moore Kingston Smith, using data analytics to improve recruitment processes, brand awareness, and senior leadership buy-in. She focuses on continuous change, efficiency, and creating an inclusive environment through her commitment to ED&I. Outside of work, she enjoys the gym, spending time with her cats, and attending music festivals.
Louise (Lou) Fraser has been leading People & Culture at Instant Impact for the past four years, driving talent acquisition, learning & development, and broader people strategy. With a background rooted in talent management, she has spent over a decade in leadership roles across the UK and APAC, specialising in RPO and financial services. Instant Impact are Talent Specialists for mid-sized businesses. We help you innovate, grow faster, and attract top talent—now and for the future. We make the complex simple and help you stay ahead with a unique combination of team, technology, and expertise.
Hannah is an experienced recruitment leader, with a strong background in both talent acquisition and talent management across private and public sector. As the Resourcing Manager for a UK-wide police force, she drives innovation, most recently leading the launch of a new applicant tracking system. Passionate about building diverse and resilient teams, she is a strong advocate for inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring fair and accessible hiring processes that attract top talent from all backgrounds.
Sam is the CEO and co-founder of Real Links, the employee referral, advocacy and internal mobility platform. They set themselves apart from competitors with their matching technology which is used to match employees and their social networks (e.g. LinkedIn) to jobs. They also support development by matching employees to internal projects and mentors.
Robert Newry, Co-Founder of Arctic Shores, is a passionate advocate for social mobility and skills-based hiring. He has spoken on psychometrics, HR tech, and AI, appearing on BBC and being quoted in outlets like The Times and The Guardian. As host of the TA Disruptors Podcast, he writes for leading HR media and campaigns for CV-less hiring to promote social mobility and inclusion.
Celine, Chief Skills Officer at Cappfinity and Chartered Occupational Psychologist, is a featured author in Wired, Readers Digest, HR.com, and more. With 20+ years in consultancy, she advises CEOs, CPOs, and CHROs of global corporations.
Leading Cappfinity’s Skills Agenda, she drives innovative, skills-based solutions for enterprise clients. Known for her pragmatic approach, she cuts through complexity to deliver results. Passionate about the skills movement, she champions authenticity, agility, inclusion, technology, and social mobility.
After 10 years working within recruitment and software sales, Matt managed to combine both worlds when joining Tribepad. He's passionate about helping recruiters hire fairer, faster and better, and is our resident expert on all things public sector, leading the charge on helping Tribepad's growing customer base in local government to transform their hiring processes. Tribepad is used by more than 25 million people across the globe in 16 languages. Clients include The BBC, Tesco, Subway, NHS Professionals, Grant Thornton and The Church of England.