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TheCityUK National Conference 2025

Conference

Our National Conference 2025 took place at The Queens Hotel in Leeds on Thursday 27 November 2025.

This year’s conference, sponsored by Guernsey Finance and Yorkshire Buildings Society, brought together policymakers, regulators and senior industry leaders from across the UK’s regions and nations to discuss the financial and related professional services industry’s role in driving growth across the UK. Topics explored on the day include:

  • How new initiatives, including the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, can tangibly impact investment across the UK’s regions and nations.
  • What government – from ministers to mayors – can do to support industry-led action to drive greater growth and prosperity.
  • The role of industry hubs outside London in changing organisational cultures and the evolving partnership between the industry and government bodies.

Our National Conference 2026 will take place in Bristol at the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel on Thursday 19 November 2026. If you would like to register your interest to join us then, please contact our events team. 

 

Conference
Related

Enabling growth across the UK 2025

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Sponsors:

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Agenda
Time Session
09:30 - 09:40

Welcome address
Miles Celic OBE, Chief Executive Officer, TheCityUK
09:40 - 10:25

Panel session
One Year and counting: Unpacking the government’s growth agenda

  • Susan Allen OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Yorkshire Building Society (Chair)
  • Antony Manchester, Co-Head of EMEA Government Affairs and Public Policy, BlackRock
  • Andrew Myhill, Director of Public Affairs, UK & EMEA, Aon
  • Mandy Ridyard, Mayor’s Business Adviser, West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  • Raoul Ruparel OBE, Senior Director, Centre for Growth, Boston Consulting Group
10:25 - 10:40 Keynote speech
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
10:40 - 11:10

Investment sprint
Engage with key partners to help identify the barriers to investment and how the public and private sector can work together to alleviate these.

  • Cat Smith, Senior Manager, Yorkshire and the Humber, British Business Bank
  • Tim Newns, Director, Business Development, Office for Investment
  • Nicola Watkinson, Managing Director, International, TheCityUK (Chair)
11:10 - 11:35 Coffee break
11:35 - 12:15

Trust and reputation
Presentation by Thinks on the industry’s position, followed by Q&A

  • Dr Carol McNaughton Nicholls, Managing Partner, Thinks Insight & Strategy
  • John Godfrey, Managing Director, Public Affairs, Policy and Research, TheCityUK
12:15 - 13:00

Panel session
Innovation revolution: How the industry is maintaining its cutting edge to drive growth and investment

  • Kuangyi Wei, Strategy Principal Director, Accenture UK & Ireland and member, TheCityUK Next Generation Leadership Council (Chair)
  • Jane Galvin, Head, Corporate Clients, Santander UK
  • Olga Ponomarenko, Partner, Latham & Watkins
  • Nick Quin, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, LINK
  • Julian Wells, Director, FinTech North
13:00 - 13:45 Lunch break
13:45 - 14:30

Panel session
Local Powerhouses: How new bases for public bodies are changing their culture and relationship with the industry

  • Rachel Taylor, Government and Health Industries Leader, PwC (Chair)
  • Patricia Galloway, Chief People Officer, National Wealth Fund
  • William Hague, Director, Leeds Office, Financial Conduct Authority
  • Tanveer Hussain, Head of Risk & Assurance Division, PRA, Bank of England
  • Ellie Moir, Deputy Director, Darlington Leadership Team, HM Treasury
14:30 - 14:35 Closing remarks
Miles Celic OBE, Chief Executive Officer, TheCityUK

Keynote speeches:

Tracy Brabin

Mayor of West Yorkshire

Dr Carol McNaughton Nicholls

Managing Partner, Thinks Insight & Strategy

Presentation and Q&A with John Godfrey, Managing Director, Public Affairs, Policy and Research, TheCityUK

Miles Celic OBE

Chief Executive Officer, TheCityUK

Panel sessions:

Investment sprint

This session engaged with key partners to help identify the barriers to investment and how the public and private sector can work together to alleviate these.

  • Cat Smith, Senior Manager, Yorkshire and the Humber, British Business Bank
  • Tim Newns, Director, Business Development, Office for Investment
  • Nicola Watkinson, Managing Director, International, TheCityUK (Chair)

One Year and counting: Unpacking the government’s growth agenda

  • Susan Allen OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Yorkshire Building Society (Chair)
  • Antony Manchester, Co-Head of EMEA Government Affairs and Public Policy, BlackRock
  • Andrew Myhill, Director of Public Affairs, UK & EMEA, Aon
  • Mandy Ridyard, Mayor’s Business Adviser, West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  • Raoul Ruparel OBE, Senior Director, Centre for Growth, Boston Consulting Group

Innovation revolution: How the industry is maintaining its cutting edge to drive growth and investment

  • Kuangyi Wei, Strategy Principal Director, Accenture UK & Ireland and member, TheCityUK Next Generation Leadership Council (Chair)
  • Jane Galvin, Head, Corporate Clients, Santander UK
  • Olga Ponomarenko, Partner, Latham & Watkins
  • Nick Quin, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, LINK
  • Julian Wells, Director, FinTech North

Local Powerhouses: How new bases for public bodies are changing their culture and relationship with the industry

  • Rachel Taylor, Government and Health Industries Leader, PwC (Chair)
  • Patricia Galloway, Chief People Officer, National Wealth Fund
  • William Hague, Director, Leeds Office, Financial Conduct Authority
  • Tanveer Hussain, Head of Risk & Assurance Division, PRA, Bank of England
  • Ellie Moir, Deputy Director, Darlington Leadership Team, HM Treasury
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