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TheCityUK National Conference 2024 Highlights

Conference

Our National Conference 2024 took place at the Library of Birmingham on Tuesday 26 November.

We were pleased to be joined by Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Tulip Siddiq MP, former Conservative minister Baroness Penn and Emily Shepperd, Chief Operating Officer of the FCA, and our Leadership Council Chair, Bruce Carnegie-Brown, for engaging keynote sessions.

Our expert led panels delved into some of the key drivers of the growth agenda, from planning and skills, to devolution and infrastructure. Attendees also received a presentation from Dr Carol McNaughton Nicholls, Associate Partner, Thinks, featuring the latest polling on the image of the financial and related professional services industry, as well as a roundup of the policy landscape and its implications for the industry.

Our National Conference 2025 will take place at The Queens Hotel in Leeds on Thursday 27 November 2025. Registration for this event is not yet open, to register your interest to attend please email our Events team.

Conference
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Keynote speeches:

Tulip Siddiq MP

Economic Secretary to the Treasury

Baroness Penn

Conservative Peer, and former Treasury and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Minister

Emily Shepperd

Chief Operating Officer, Financial Conduct Authority

Keynote speech followed by a Q&A session

Dr Carol McNaughton Nicholls

Associate Partner, Thinks

Industry reputation in 2024: presentation and Q&A

Bruce Carnegie-Brown

TheCityUK Leadership Council Chair

Panel sessions:

Devolution as a driver of growth – what more metro mayors means for business

  • Anastasia Nishnianidze, Trade and Investment Director, City of London Corporation (Chair)
  • Alex Bishop, Partner & Head of Birmingham Office, Shoosmiths
  • Gurjit Jagpal, Head of Goldman Sachs, Birmingham
  • Laura Shoaf CBE, Chief Executive, West Midlands Combined Authority
  • Rachel Taylor, UK Government and Health Industries Leader, PwC

Growth on the ground – creating inclusive prosperity and investment across the UK

  • Sandra Wallace CBE, Deputy Managing Partner/Managing Director- Practice Groups, DLA Piper and TheCityUK Chair in the Midlands (Chair)
  • Cuan Coulter, Executive Vice President, Head of UK and Ireland, State Street
  • Rupert Pleasant, Chief Executive Officer, Guernsey Finance
  • Carl Sizer, UK Chief Markets Officer, PwC
  • Claire Tunley, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Services Skills Commission

Politically speaking – what the new government’s first months mean for business

  • Professor Rebecca Riley, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Regional Engagement, University of Birmingham (Chair)
  • Gary Cook, Group Head of Public Policy, Lloyds Banking Group
  • Tim Fassam, Director of Public Affairs, Phoenix Group
  • Alex Guerin, Head of Office, London Commercial and Corporate, Marsh, and TheCityUK Next Generation Leadership Council Member
  • Katy Hyams, UK Public Policy Director, Vanguard Asset Management

Sponsors:

Platinum sponsor:

Pwc Colour 400X304

Gold sponsors:

Guernsey Finance Logo 300X100 State Street New Logo 300X100

Agenda:

09:30 - 09:35 Chief Executive Officer’s welcome
Miles Celic, Chief Executive Officer, TheCityUK
09:35 – 09:45 Chair’s welcome
Bruce Carnegie-Brown, TheCityUK Leadership Council Chair
09:45 - 10:30

Panel session: Devolution as a driver of growth – what more metro mayors means for business

  • Anastasia Nishnianidze, Trade and Investment Director, City of London Corporation (Chair)
  • Alex Bishop, Partner & Head of Birmingham Office, Shoosmiths
  • Gurjit Jagpal, Head of Goldman Sachs, Birmingham
  • Laura Shoaf CBE, Chief Executive, West Midlands Combined Authority
  • Rachel Taylor, UK Government and Health Industries Leader, PwC
10:30 - 10:45

Keynote speech
Baroness Penn, Conservative Peer, and former Treasury and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Minister
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee break
11:15 – 11:30 Keynote speech
Tulip Siddiq MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury
11:30 - 12:15

Industry reputation in 2024: presentation and Q&A
Dr Carol McNaughton Nicholls, Associate Partner, Thinks

John Godfrey, Managing Director, Public Affairs, Policy and Research, TheCityUK (Chair)
12:15 - 13:00

Panel session: Growth on the ground – creating inclusive prosperity and investment across the UK

  • Sandra Wallace CBE, Deputy Managing Partner/Managing Director- Practice Groups, DLA Piper and TheCityUK Chair in the Midlands (Chair)
  • Cuan Coulter, Executive Vice President, Head of UK and Ireland, State Street
  • Rupert Pleasant, Chief Executive Officer, Guernsey Finance
  • Carl Sizer, UK Chief Markets Officer, PwC
  • Claire Tunley, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Services Skills Commission
13:00 - 13:55 Lunch break
13:55 - 14:40

Panel session: Politically speaking – what the new government’s first months mean for business

  • Professor Rebecca Riley, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Regional Engagement, University of Birmingham (Chair)
  • Gary Cook, Group Head of Public Policy, Lloyds Banking Group
  • Tim Fassam, Director of Public Affairs, Phoenix Group
  • Alex Guerin, Head of Office, London Commercial and Corporate, Marsh, and TheCityUK Next Generation Leadership Council Member
  • Katy Hyams, UK Public Policy Director, Vanguard Asset Management
14:40 - 15:05

Keynote speech followed by Q&A

Emily Shepperd, Chief Operating Officer, Financial Conduct Authority
15:05 - 15:10 Closing remarks
Miles Celic, Chief Executive Officer, TheCityUK
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