Shropshire’s first leadership conference hailed a success
A first-of-its-kind business event, The Leadership Conference, took place on Thursday 19 September 2019 at Shrewsbury Town Football Club.
The conference, organised by Shropshire HR – part of Shropshire Council, with support from the Marches Growth Hub, saw 170 delegates from across the region come together for a day of inspiring talks and workshops, delivered by several internationally-renowned figures.
The Leadership Conference 2019
Adventurer David Cornthwaite, described by Sir Ranulph Fiennes as “the greatest modern adventurer”, kicked off proceedings with a series of anecdotes about his expeditions, taking him to six continents and making and breaking a plethora of world records. Dave held the audience captivated for the duration of his talk, their silence only broken by belly laughs at his self-deprecating humour.
David Cornthwaite
Speaking about his time at the event, David said:
“Gathering the county’s business leaders together for an event filled with inspiration and ideas will create lasting ripples throughout the region. There wasn’t an empty seat and I could feel the energy in the room, just magic.”
The second keynote speech of the day came from Kate Philip, a former army major and expedition leader. Kate gave a powerful presentation combining practical leadership techniques learned in the military, with her experience of dealing with adversity, having picked up a life-changing injury whilst serving in the army. Ending with an account of her biggest physical, mental and emotional challenge she has undertaken to date, an Antarctic trek to the South Pole, Kate left the crowd awestruck at her grit and determination.
The packed conference
Sam Williams, Shropshire Council’s head of workforce and organisational development, said:
“We’re thrilled to have hosted The Leadership Conference 2019. It has been an ambition of Shropshire HR’s for several years and we feel incredibly proud to offer such an event to organisations in Shropshire and surrounding areas. It is our intention to make The Leadership Conference an annual feature for Shropshire.”
Celebrating leadership
Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for organisational transformation and digital infrastructure, said:
“We are extremely fortunate to have had an incredible line-up of speakers coming to Shrewsbury, each of whom brought something unique to this exciting event. This conference and the wider work of Shropshire HR is an example of how Shropshire Council is innovating and transforming the way we do business. One of our key priorities is to ensure Shropshire is a good place to do business, and having an event of this calibre in the county supports that aim.”
Event sponsors
The Leadership Conference 2019 is proud to be sponsored by:
Hireserve recruitment software
Further information
About Shropshire HR
Shropshire HR are part of Shropshire Council, providing not-for-profit HR support to councils, charities and businesses in Shropshire, the West Midlands and Wales. Services include HR advice and development, recruitment and payroll support, occupational health and health and safety guidance.
