Day 1, Oct 15
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Keynote Unily: The future
Get an exclusive look at Unily's vision for the future of employee experience. How will the trends and technology of today evolve to meet the demands of tomorrow? How can modern enterprises achieve faster pivots and drive Organizational Velocity to lead the way?
with Chris Ciauri - Chief Executive Officer at Unily; Leslie Bagala - Head of Product at Unily
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
09:15 AM BST
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Keynote The new rules of engagement
Hear from the multihyphenate mogul behind some of the most disruptive brands of the decade: SKIMS, Good American, and Safely. Emma is the down-to-earth entrepreneur known for smashing through glass ceilings and building some of the world’s most recognizable brands. Her ability to carve out niches in crowded markets has made her one of America’s richest self-made women worth $390m, and the first black female investor to feature on Shark Tank and Dragons' Den. Learn from a certified marketing mastermind who understands what it takes to craft a message that cuts through in the noisiest spaces. Discover how to engage a global audience, activate employees as brand ambassadors, and leverage the power of purpose to rally people behind your vision.
with Emma Grede - CPO & Founding Partner, Skims; CEO & Co-Founder, Good American; Co-Founder, Safely; Investor, Shark Tank & Dragons' Den
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
10:10 AM BST
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PANEL Ask an internal comms expert
Seize the opportunity to get the expert insights you need to supercharge your internal comms strategy. In this highly interactive panel session, our crack team of IC pros field questions from the audience, offering their best advice for solving your biggest challenges.
with Peter Lyons - Head of Internal Communications at British Airways; Joanne Frankel - Head of Internal Communications at Amdocs; Jennifer Sproul - Chief Executive at Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC)
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
DEEP DIVE Designing an EX strategy for the modern world of work
With employee expectations sky high and your competitors doing their best to lure top talent, leaving your EX strategy to chance is a risky play. In this fireside chat, we'll hear how one enterprise is in the midst of redesigning their offering from the inside out with listening, leadership development, and technology at the forefront. Leave with new ideas for evolving your strategy to meet the ever-changing needs of the modern workforce and advice on how to bring leadership in on the journey.
with Hattie Roche - Founder & Strategy Chief at Fauna; Kris Smith - VP Global People Experience at Altice USA
- Breakout 2 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
11:30 AM BST
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KEYNOTE Beyond beauty: Evolving an award-winning intranet
The Estée Lauder Companies’ intranet – MyELC – launched in 2020 and two years later was named among the world’s best intranets by the Nielsen Norman Group. How are they staying ahead of the curve in a complex global business environment? Discover how the team is utilizing Unily to deliver on the communications demands of the global company. With a focus on leveraging gen-AI to power a new wave of employee communications, powerful content governance, and a mindset towards sustainable technology, hear how the global beauty company is shaping up to evolve their best-in-class enterprise intranet.
with Nancy Maloney - Executive Director, Digital Channel Operations at The Estée Lauder Companies; Kerry O'Donnell - Executive Director, Tech for Global Communications at The Estée Lauder Companies
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
02:00 PM BST
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PANEL Building our EX super team
As we enter the Employee Experience era how can you shake up a traditional enterprise organization and reassemble to deliver for employees? This panel session reveals the people behind world-class EX teams to understand how they’re organized for high performance. How are they structured? Who are the key players? How do they split roles and responsibilities? What are the measures of success?
with Kim England-Godber - Vice President, Digital Employee Experience & Community Engagement at Pearson; Ruth Clarke - Strategy Partner at Six Consultancy; Sarah Gregory - People Experience Director & Deputy Chief People Officer at BBC; Caroline Lagden - Head of Colleague Channels & Experience at Lloyds Banking Group
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
SPOTLIGHT Ten years of intranet innovation
This year, dormakaba is celebrating a very special birthday: the intranet turns ten! We take the opportunity to reflect on ten years of iteration, considering how the technology has evolved, how it has adapted to new communications preferences and business needs, and what the team behind the platform has learned along the way. Discover the benefits of an agile approach to digital workplace innovation and get tactics for futureproofing your intranet strategy from a team who are versed in the art of reading the room and responding effectively.
with Adrian Gagala - Global IT, Lead Digital Employee Solutions at dormakaba; Alexander Wood - Deputy Vice President Internal Communications at dormakaba; Christoph Bergs - Communication Specialist at dormakaba
- Breakout 1 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
DEEP DIVE A brief history of work
Imagine a time when work was purely transactional—short-term, seasonal, and often impersonal. This session takes us on an exploration of how the evolution of work has shaped the employee experience and communication strategies we rely on today. From the earliest forms of labor to the digital age, we’ll uncover the origins of employee experience design, highlighting the key moments that have influenced how we engage, collaborate, and communicate today. By understanding these roots, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the forces that continue to impact our ideas about work and the strategies you can use to foster a more connected and engaged workforce that stand the test of time.
with Professor Michael Heller - Professor of Business History at Northumbria University
- Breakout 2 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
03:15 PM BST
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PANEL Transforming enterprise culture at scale
Go behind the scenes with three very different enterprises as they share unique approaches to culture transformation. Whether you’re looking for strategies to create a culture of belonging, elevate leadership visibility, or amplify the voice of the employee, this session will be packed with inspiring stories of how other enterprises just like yours are navigating the challenge of transforming enterprise culture at scale.
with Peter Lyons - Head of Internal Communications at British Airways; Steve Schmidt - People Technology Principal at Qurate Retail Group; Deepa Ramesh -Senior Manager, Employee Communications Platforms at Kantar
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
SPOTLIGHT The Ted Lasso approach to intranet governance
When it comes to governing your intranet, take a few pages from the Ted Lasso playbook. Learn how Aflac is approaching intranet governance as a team sport that leads to a winning employee experience. From standing up an inner circle of advisors and decision makers to prioritizing the projects that strike the goal, join us as we explore how to promote your intranet governance to the highest division.
with Monica Miller Rodgers - Senior Manager, Employee Communications at Aflac
- Breakout 1 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
DEEP DIVE Calm Edged Rebels: Live
Join the Calm Edged Rebels as they bring their popular podcast to life on stage. With their trademark, unscripted approach, the trio will be tackling the topic of how to have confidence in your skills and abilities. If you’ve listened to any of the seven seasons you’ll know each episode is honest, funny, and packed full of advice to help you reach your goals and try new things. All three of them have a background in communication, employee experience, and leadership and they set up Calm Edged Rebels in 2020 as a way to bring their WhatsApp conversations to life!
with Advita Patel - Director at Comms Rebel; Trudy Lewis - Director and Founder at Colinear; Jenni Field - Founder and CEO at Redefining Communications
- Breakout 2 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
04:15 PM BST
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PANEL Mergers & Acquisitions: Communicating in times of change
2024 has already been a hot year for M&A with no signs of slowing down and in today’s fast-paced business landscape, the success of these initiatives often hinges not just on financials but on how well organizations manage the human side of change. This panel will explore the critical role EX and IC play in driving successful business transformations, especially during mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Hear from leading brands that have been through the process on how they build employee engagement, align company cultures, and foster a sense of belonging amidst change.
with Rebecca Bainbridge - Head of Internal Communications and Employer Branding at YouGov; Natalie Lord - Head of Internal Communications at WSP UK; Joanna Parsons - CEO at The Curious Route
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
SPOTLIGHT Scaling a social strategy with content that counts
As the sun sets on social platforms like Workplace by Meta, and companies re-evaluate their social strategy, the challenge remains the same: How do you build a meaningful, engaged community across a diverse and global workforce? For companies like Alshaya who operate 70 world-class brands, including Charlotte Tilbury, Disney, Starbucks, H&M, and Chipotle, across 17 countries, the key to better social lies in content. Discover how Alshaya emphasizes transparency, education, and recognition to elevate their best place to work agenda, ensuring every employee, no matter where they are in the company, feels connected to the company’s mission.
with Laura Jamieson - Head of Internal Communications at Alshaya Group; Amy Halls - Product Marketing Manager at Unily
- Breakout 1 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
DEEP DIVE Five common intranet mistakes (and how to avoid then)
A good intranet is the heart and soul of your digital workplace - aiding company culture and employee engagement, facilitating processes, and ultimately delivering a good return on investment. But - there are five common mistakes that can have a disastrous impact and mean you may as well not have an intranet at all. Suzie draws on her years of experience to present the most common mistakes she sees repeated and gives her advice on how you can avoid them.
with Suzie Robinson - Intranet and Comms Consultant at ClearBox
- Breakout 2 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
05:15 PM BST
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KEYNOTE Beyond beauty: Evolving an award-winning intranet
The Estée Lauder Companies’ intranet – MyELC – launched in 2020 and two years later was named among the world’s best intranets by the Nielsen Norman Group. How are they staying ahead of the curve in a complex global business environment? Discover how the team is utilizing Unily to deliver on the communications demands of the global company. With a focus on leveraging gen-AI to power a new wave of employee communications, powerful content governance, and a mindset towards sustainable technology, hear how the global beauty company is shaping up to evolve their best-in-class enterprise intranet.
with Nancy Maloney - Executive Director, Digital Channel Operations at The Estée Lauder Companies; Kerry O'Donnell - Executive Director, Tech for Global Communications at The Estée Lauder Companies
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
02:00 PM BST
-
PANEL Building our EX super team
As we enter the Employee Experience era how can you shake up a traditional enterprise organization and reassemble to deliver for employees? This panel session reveals the people behind world-class EX teams to understand how they’re organized for high performance. How are they structured? Who are the key players? How do they split roles and responsibilities? What are the measures of success?
with Kim England-Godber - Vice President, Digital Employee Experience & Community Engagement at Pearson; Ruth Clarke - Strategy Partner at Six Consultancy; Sarah Gregory - People Experience Director & Deputy Chief People Officer at BBC; Caroline Lagden - Head of Colleague Channels & Experience at Lloyds Banking Group
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
SPOTLIGHT Ten years of intranet innovation
This year, dormakaba is celebrating a very special birthday: the intranet turns ten! We take the opportunity to reflect on ten years of iteration, considering how the technology has evolved, how it has adapted to new communications preferences and business needs, and what the team behind the platform has learned along the way. Discover the benefits of an agile approach to digital workplace innovation and get tactics for futureproofing your intranet strategy from a team who are versed in the art of reading the room and responding effectively.
with Adrian Gagala - Global IT, Lead Digital Employee Solutions at dormakaba; Alexander Wood - Deputy Vice President Internal Communications at dormakaba; Christoph Bergs - Communication Specialist at dormakaba
- Breakout 1 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
DEEP DIVE A brief history of work
Imagine a time when work was purely transactional—short-term, seasonal, and often impersonal. This session takes us on an exploration of how the evolution of work has shaped the employee experience and communication strategies we rely on today. From the earliest forms of labor to the digital age, we’ll uncover the origins of employee experience design, highlighting the key moments that have influenced how we engage, collaborate, and communicate today. By understanding these roots, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the forces that continue to impact our ideas about work and the strategies you can use to foster a more connected and engaged workforce that stand the test of time.
with Professor Michael Heller - Professor of Business History at Northumbria University
- Breakout 2 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
03:15 PM BST
-
PANEL Transforming enterprise culture at scale
Go behind the scenes with three very different enterprises as they share unique approaches to culture transformation. Whether you’re looking for strategies to create a culture of belonging, elevate leadership visibility, or amplify the voice of the employee, this session will be packed with inspiring stories of how other enterprises just like yours are navigating the challenge of transforming enterprise culture at scale.
with Peter Lyons - Head of Internal Communications at British Airways; Steve Schmidt - People Technology Principal at Qurate Retail Group; Deepa Ramesh -Senior Manager, Employee Communications Platforms at Kantar
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
SPOTLIGHT The Ted Lasso approach to intranet governance
When it comes to governing your intranet, take a few pages from the Ted Lasso playbook. Learn how Aflac is approaching intranet governance as a team sport that leads to a winning employee experience. From standing up an inner circle of advisors and decision makers to prioritizing the projects that strike the goal, join us as we explore how to promote your intranet governance to the highest division.
with Monica Miller Rodgers - Senior Manager, Employee Communications at Aflac
- Breakout 1 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
DEEP DIVE Calm Edged Rebels: Live
Join the Calm Edged Rebels as they bring their popular podcast to life on stage. With their trademark, unscripted approach, the trio will be tackling the topic of how to have confidence in your skills and abilities. If you’ve listened to any of the seven seasons you’ll know each episode is honest, funny, and packed full of advice to help you reach your goals and try new things. All three of them have a background in communication, employee experience, and leadership and they set up Calm Edged Rebels in 2020 as a way to bring their WhatsApp conversations to life!
with Advita Patel - Director at Comms Rebel; Trudy Lewis - Director and Founder at Colinear; Jenni Field - Founder and CEO at Redefining Communications
- Breakout 2 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
04:15 PM BST
-
PANEL Mergers & Acquisitions: Communicating in times of change
2024 has already been a hot year for M&A with no signs of slowing down and in today’s fast-paced business landscape, the success of these initiatives often hinges not just on financials but on how well organizations manage the human side of change. This panel will explore the critical role EX and IC play in driving successful business transformations, especially during mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Hear from leading brands that have been through the process on how they build employee engagement, align company cultures, and foster a sense of belonging amidst change.
with Rebecca Bainbridge - Head of Internal Communications and Employer Branding at YouGov; Natalie Lord - Head of Internal Communications at WSP UK; Joanna Parsons - CEO at The Curious Route
- Main Stage - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
SPOTLIGHT Scaling a social strategy with content that counts
As the sun sets on social platforms like Workplace by Meta, and companies re-evaluate their social strategy, the challenge remains the same: How do you build a meaningful, engaged community across a diverse and global workforce? For companies like Alshaya who operate 70 world-class brands, including Charlotte Tilbury, Disney, Starbucks, H&M, and Chipotle, across 17 countries, the key to better social lies in content. Discover how Alshaya emphasizes transparency, education, and recognition to elevate their best place to work agenda, ensuring every employee, no matter where they are in the company, feels connected to the company’s mission.
with Laura Jamieson - Head of Internal Communications at Alshaya Group; Amy Halls - Product Marketing Manager at Unily
- Breakout 1 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
DEEP DIVE Five common intranet mistakes (and how to avoid then)
A good intranet is the heart and soul of your digital workplace - aiding company culture and employee engagement, facilitating processes, and ultimately delivering a good return on investment. But - there are five common mistakes that can have a disastrous impact and mean you may as well not have an intranet at all. Suzie draws on her years of experience to present the most common mistakes she sees repeated and gives her advice on how you can avoid them.
with Suzie Robinson - Intranet and Comms Consultant at ClearBox
- Breakout 2 - Convene, 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
05:15 PM BST