Manchester Agenda
Thursday 17th September 2026
venue to be announced shortly - Central Manchester
08:30 – 09:30
Registration, Networking, Meeting and Connections
09:30 – 09:40
Welcome and Setting the Scene from your Summit Co-chairs
09:30 – 09:40
Mark Rix
CEO, Sonas Group, (Wellbeing at Work)
09:30 – 09:40
Cat Douglas
Director of Partnerships, Global, Wellbeing at Work
09:40 – 10:30
Leadership Panel – Driving Performance in a Changing World: From Wellbeing to Workforce Advantage
What leadership behaviours and cultural signals sustain wellbeing and performance in hybrid, AI-enabled workplaces? How can wellbeing be embedded as a seamless, data-informed experience across the entire employee lifecycle? How do organisations shift from wellbeing provision to building workforce capability, adaptability, and growth? How can wellbeing be leveraged as a strategic driver of resilience, retention, and innovation in times of rapid change?
Wendy Doherty
Chief People Officer, Talk Talk
Claus Madsen
Chief People Officer, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation
Ann-Marie Coulthurst
Head of Health & Wellbeing, J Murphy & Sons Ltd
Louise Rogerson
Chief People Officer, DWF
Moderated by Kim Kerr
Head of People, Hilti (GB) Ltd
10:30 – 11:00
The Power of Early Engagement
What does the research reveal that shows the earlier we engage people, the bigger impact it has on things like health insurance premiums, the cost of GP visits and premiums?
Dr. Katie Green PhD, BA, MA
Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Centre for Decent Work and Productivity, Manchester Metropolitan University
11:00 – 11:30
Morning Networking Break
11:30 – 11:55
The Role of Wellbeing as the Power Behind Organisational Performance
What is the association between workplace wellbeing and company performance Beyond ROI – what are the true measures of wellbeing on performance? Where does emotional insight fit when building positive workplace cultures for business impact? What is the value of designing wellbeing programs as integrated experiences that are embedded throughout the employee journey? How can employers truly help people thrive and grow?
Saif Al Abri
General Manager – People Experience, Omantel
11:55 – 12:25
Fireside Chat – Colleague Happiness and Leading the Wellbeing Charge
• How do organisations create a culture of happiness that ensures workplaces are awesome, healthy, and equitable places where wellbeing is a strategic priority?
Janet Leighton
Director of Happiness, Timpson
12:25 – 13:25
Hosted Leadership Workshops
1. MentallyPro
2. Vitality
additional weorkshops to be announced shortly
13:25 – 14:15
Networking Lunch
14:15 – 14:30
Music in Offices Choir
Music in Offices works with organisations to harness the proven power of music to improve wellbeing, performance and connection at work. Founded in 2007, the company operates across four core pillars, choirs, lessons, workshops and events. These actively engage office workers and embed music into everyday working life. Sitting at the intersection of arts, science and business, MIO’s music activities have a positive impact on stress reduction, mental health, focus and social cohesion. Through structured frameworks rather than one-off experiences, Music in Offices helps organisations build resilient, creative and human-centred workplace cultures for long-term growth and engagement.
14:30 - 15:15
Leadership Panel: Music In Offices
Tessa Marchington
CEO, Music in Offices
Additional speakers to be announced shortly
15:15 - 16:00
Leadership Panel: Designing Wellbeing with Inclusion in Mind
How do you deliver wellbeing that truly works across hybrid, multi-generational and neurodiverse workforces? What does inclusivity mean for women’s wellbeing in the workplace? What means are available to better accommodate those with disabilities at organizations today? What can employers do to ensure true inclusion combines belongingness and the valuing of individual uniqueness? What should be done about culture from the perspective of inter-generational workers? How can organizations create non-discriminatory work processes and policies? How do communities in organizations help create a culture of inclusion and thriving together?
Beverley Markland
People Director, Constellia
Neelam Yousaf
Director of People, Endeavour Learning Trust
Simone Robinson
Global, Diversity, Equity & Belonging Manager, GKN Aerospace
Viki Bryant
Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Cundall
16:00 - 16:15
Networking Break
16:15 - 16:40
Session to be announced shortly
16:40 – 16:50
Closing Remarks
Mark Rix
CEO, Sonas Group, Wellbeing at Work
16:50 – 18:00
