This website is part of the Nicholas Associates Group. Click on the group logo to find out more.

Online Events

Thought-provoking topics, expert speakers, and meaningful dialogue, all delivered through an interactive online experience.

Online Events
-->
Back
to top

Bringing the Boardroom Experience to You

Our online HR Director Boardroom events bring the same level of exclusivity and insight directly to you, wherever you are. Hosted on Microsoft Teams, these digital sessions are designed to provide maximum accessibility while maintaining the intimacy and confidentiality our boardrooms are known for.

What to Expect:

  • Expert guest speakers delivering thought-provoking content

  • Intimate group sizes (10–15 participants) for meaningful dialogue

  • Interactive discussion guided by a Chairperson

  • A confidential, Chatham House environment where ideas and challenges can be shared openly

  • Easy access from anywhere, with cameras on to replicate the boardroom experience

Why Attend:
Online sessions make it possible to connect with a diverse group of HR leaders without the need to travel. They’re designed to be efficient, impactful, and highly engaging – a valuable space to exchange insights and stay ahead in an ever-evolving HR landscape.

Upcoming Events

Date: Thursday 19th March 2026
Time: 9:00am – 10:30am
Topic: Leveraging Workplace Mediation to Resolve Conflict and Strengthen Relationships

HRDB March 2026

This session explores the strategic use of workplace mediation to manage conflict, support employees, and protect the organisation from legal exposure. Following the recent changes in UK employment legislation, from 1 December 2025 the maximum period for ACAS Early Conciliation (EC) the mandatory pre-claim step for most tribunal claims, has been extended from 6 weeks to 12 weeks. This change increases employers’ exposure and gives employees additional time to prepare claims. Effective workplace mediation, both during employment and prior to exit, is therefore essential to limit liability and maintain positive working relationships.

Key Takeaways:

  • Legal Risk Management: Understanding the advantages of having a workplace mediation process and policy in place.
  • Practical Guidance: How to explain and prepare employees for entering workplace mediation.
  • Relationship Benefits: Insight into the advantages of post-mediation workplace relationships and fostering a collaborative environment.

Chloe Themistocleous

Chloe is a Principal Associate, specialising in Employment Law. Chloe originally trained as a barrister and was called to the bar in 2012, having graduated in 1st place in her cohort at bar school and having received the Harmsworth Major Scholarship from her Inn of Court, before cross qualifying to become a solicitor in 2016. Chloe therefore has a strong litigation practice and regularly represents businesses in the Employment Tribunal at both Preliminary and Final Hearings all over the United Kingdom. Chloe also has extensive experience negotiating the settlement of tribunal claims and also represents clients at judicial mediation.

Chloe has a wealth of experience acting for both Respondents and previously Claimants in Tribunal litigation, including claims for unfair dismissal, all types of discrimination and whistleblowing. Chloe has significant experience in litigating class actions.

In addition to her litigation work, Chloe provides employment law and human resources advice and training to businesses. She regularly advises on a variety of complex disciplinary, appeal and grievances processes; provides advise and support to businesses in large scale redundancy situations and change projects; provides assistance and support to businesses in receipt of complicated flexible working requests and sensitive disclosures from whistle-blowers; advises on a variety of contract and handbook reviews for various types of engagements; negotiates senior executive terminations and drafts accompanying settlement agreements; and delivers a broad range of training.

Victoria Currey

Victoria is a qualified UK lawyer and accredited workplace mediator, and a results-oriented Human Resources Director and Employee Relations expert. She has a strong track record of resolving complex workplace conflicts through high-quality, outcome-driven negotiations and mediations.  She specialises in transforming HR teams and business units using data-led insights, and brings deep expertise in HR Business Partnering, Talent Management, and HR Operations.

Her experience spans the UK, EMEA, the US, and the Asia Pacific, giving her a strong global perspective on HR best practice.  Victoria partners effectively with senior leaders to achieve strategic objectives, lead transformation and growth programmes, and coordinate global employment relations matters. She consistently delivers high stakeholder satisfaction and measurable business impact.

Highly skilled in leading and developing high-performing teams, Victoria excels in building capability, improving operational performance, and exceeding KPIs. She has extensive experience in TUPE, redundancy, and redeployment programmes, and in managing complex employee relations issues with credibility, fairness, and commercial insight.

Reserve a Place

2026 Event Schedule

Our 2026 HR Director Boardroom schedule is here, featuring an exciting line-up of topics and speakers throughout the year. We’re bringing together leading HR professionals across the UK for another series of impactful discussions and networking opportunities.

Full event details, including dates and venues, will be shared soon – so keep checking back for the latest updates and announcements.

2026 HRDB Event Schedule

 

Past Events

Date: Thursday 20th March 2025
Time: 8:30am – 10:00am
Topic: Busting Gender Myths and Taking Action to Elevate Women into Senior Leadership Roles

HRDB 20.3.25

 

Key takeaways:

  1. A deep dive into one of the common myths and misconceptions about women in leadership,
  2. Concrete steps for HR leaders to identify and eliminate conscious and unconscious biases in hiring, promotions, and career development.
  3. How to design and implement leadership development initiatives that specifically nurture and support women’s advancement within organisations.
  4. Equip HR leaders with strategies to engage men as allies in the effort to elevate women into senior leadership roles
  5. How to create measurable goals and hold senior leadership accountable for progress toward gender diversity in leadership.
  6. Address how gender intersects with other factors like race, ethnicity, age, and disability, which can create unique barriers to leadership.

Simon Rice-Birchall

Simon is a Partner in Evershed Sutherland’s Employment group. Simon has considerable experience in employment tribunal litigation and has a reputation in the marketplace for his discrimination law knowledge. Simon has been responsible for a number of high-profile discrimination cases over the last 20 years and continues to build this area of his practice. In addition, Simon’s contentious workload includes unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and executive terminations.

Simon qualified in 1992 and has been an employment litigator all his career. In addition to his contentious practice, Simon also gives advice in relation to non-contentious matters such as the implications of the TUPE regulations in many different change situations, issues relating to proposals to change terms and conditions of employment and large scale redundancy exercises.

Iain Lewis

Iain Lewis is an inspiring and accomplished Chief People Officer with over 25 years of experience delivering commercial value and driving transformational change across some of the UK’s most prominent organisations. A Fellow of the CIPD, Iain has established himself as a thought leader in the HR field, with a proven track record of creating inclusive cultures, leading HR transformations, and embedding Diversity & Inclusion strategies that deliver measurable results.

Throughout his career, Iain has held senior HR leadership roles at industry-leading organisations, including Connells Group, Priory Group, Howdens Joinery, and Travis Perkins. Most recently, as Chief People Officer at Connells Group, Iain was instrumental in redesigning the Group Executive, integrating central functions following a major acquisition, and spearheading a Group-wide Diversity & Inclusion strategy. Under his leadership, the organisation implemented proactive talent mapping, succession planning processes, and bespoke leadership models, ensuring its future readiness and commercial success.

Iain’s expertise spans creating value-driven HR strategies, fostering leadership development, and building high-performing People teams. Notably, at Priory Group, he restructured the Learning & Development function, creating a bespoke leadership model and driving compliance and safety during the COVID-19 crisis. His approach to HR transformation has consistently enhanced performance and retention while safeguarding organisational culture during periods of rapid change.

An advocate for progressive leadership, Iain emphasises the importance of engaging male allies, challenging unconscious biases, and designing adaptive work environments to support women and underrepresented groups in their career journeys. He combines strategic insight with operational excellence to inspire HR leaders to drive meaningful change.

Iain shares actionable strategies and real-world insights to empower HR leaders to create sustainable, inclusive workplaces. His commitment to advancing talent development and fostering equity in leadership roles makes him a powerful voice in the HR community.

Access Summary Notes

Date: Thursday 15th May 2025
Time: 8:30am – 10:00am
Topic: Inclusive Recruitment and Employee Engagement

HRDB 15.5.25

Key Takeaways:

  • Establish Inclusive Practices
    Understand how to create recruitment processes that prioritise equity and reduce unconscious bias.
  • Broaden Talent Pools
    Learn methods to attract diverse candidates by improving job advertising, employer branding, and outreach strategies.
  • Standardise Recruitment
    Implement structured interview techniques and diverse hiring panels to ensure fairness and consistency.
  • Strengthen Onboarding and Retention
    Develop onboarding processes and career development opportunities that enhance employee engagement and retention.
  • Evaluate and Improve
    Use feedback and metrics to assess the effectiveness of inclusion initiatives and identify areas for improvement.

Joanne Lockwood

Discover the transformative power of empathy, understanding, and inclusivity with Joanne Lockwood. By connecting with her, you’ll create a thriving, empowering environment where everyone can excel. Expect to be inspired and guided towards fostering a truly inclusive culture within your organisation.

As you embark on this journey, Joanne’s passion and expertise will unlock your organisation’s full potential, making a profound impact on both individuals and the collective success.

Sally Isaacs

Sally is a Partner in Evershed Sutherland’s Employment Group. She has considerable experience of employment tribunal litigation and specialises in discrimination law, with particular emphasis on equal pay. Sally has been responsible for a number of high profile equal pay cases over the last 15 years including defending mass equal pay litigation. Sally’s contentious work also includes unfair dismissal, industrial relations issues and breach of contract claims.

Sally qualified in 2000, and has specialised in employment law her whole career. In addition to her contentious practice, Sally also gives advice in relation to non-contentious matters such as proposals to change terms and conditions of employment, strategic management of industrial relations issues, implementing new pay and grading structures, gender pay gap reporting and equal pay audits.

Sally has particular knowledge of the public sector (particularly local government and education) and has been recognised by the Legal 500.

Access Summary Notes

Date: Tuesday 24th June 2025
Time: 8:30am – 10:00am
Topic: HR Jedi Moves: Ditching Drama & Mastering SLT Conflict Like a Boss

HRDB Simon Rice Birchall Nicola Forbes-Taylor

Objectives:

  • Understand the dynamics of workplace conflict and drama triangles.
  • Identify strategies for diffusing tension and fostering resolution.
  • Equip HRDs with tools to coach employees out of destructive patterns.

Simon Rice-Birchall

Simon is a Partner in Evershed Sutherland’s Employment group. Simon has considerable experience in employment tribunal litigation and has a reputation in the marketplace for his discrimination law knowledge. Simon has been responsible for a number of high-profile discrimination cases over the last 20 years and continues to build this area of his practice. In addition, Simon’s contentious workload includes unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and executive terminations.

Simon qualified in 1992 and has been an employment litigator all his career. In addition to his contentious practice, Simon also gives advice in relation to non-contentious matters such as the implications of the TUPE regulations in many different change situations, issues relating to proposals to change terms and conditions of employment and large scale redundancy exercises.

Nicola Forbes-Taylor

Nicola is a people aficionado; a student of human interactions and dynamics, FCIPD executive leader, founder of The A List: Development for Senior HR Leaders and ILM Qualified Executive Coach.

She brings perspective from her work with leaders in London tech start-ups, and scale-ups and her experience as an executive leader in said start-ups. She also brings insight through her background of working in corporates including O2, Stella McCartney Italia, Utilities and Engineering throughout her 20 year career.

Her work is focused on leadership effectiveness and creating cultures to enable high performance through an engaged team. She has led change and growth in successful startups including Nutmeg, Clausematch and Onfido, as well as coaching leaders across tech, consulting, energy and other sectors.

She specialises in working with leaders driven by growth and a desire to be consciously impactful. She has personally created and facilitated bespoke leadership programmes throughout her career, impacting more than 300 delegates across sectors and industries.

Her coaching and facilitation approach will enable you to reflect, discuss and engage with challenges and topics in a straightforward way.

Here is her LinkedIn profile for ease of reference.

Access Summary Notes

Date: Wednesday 13th August 2025
Time: 8:30am – 10:00am
Topic: The Art of Sense-making: Enabling Valuable Conversations Between Individuals and Across Organisations

HRDB Stephen E Morris Naeema Choudry

Key Takeaways:

  • The breadth of contexts and their criticality across interactions in our lives and organisations
  • How leadership, cultures, change, structures, decisions and more are affected by context
  • How popular terms like ‘VUCA’ and ‘complexity’ and standard responses to them like ‘agility’ and ‘adaptability’ muddy the picture and leave value on the table
  • A foundational knowledge of sense-making, its concepts, practical applications and benefits
  • Practical experience using sense-making frames on a topical challenge

Naeema Choudry

Naeema Choudry helps employers defend and navigate their way through complex and high-profile employment litigation. She also advises clients on discrimination, diversity and pay issues within their workforce. Naeema is a Partner in the Employment, Labour and Pensions Group. She advises on all aspects of employment law, acting primarily on behalf of large-scale employers who are household names. Naeema has particular experience in dealing with clients in the consumer, nuclear and aerospace industries.

She heads up Evershed Sutherland’s Employment Litigation and Discrimination, Diversity, and Pay practices. Naeema is a highly experienced Employment Tribunal litigator who has been appearing regularly in Tribunals throughout the UK. She advises clients on cases in the Employment Appeal Tribunal and in the Court of Appeal.

Naeema advises on executive terminations, whistleblowing, large-scale redundancies, TUPE, contractual disputes and discrimination issues. She regularly works in a cross-border environment.

Stephen E Morris

Stephen is an author, speaker and accomplished and award-winning leader with over twenty years of experience in complex, uncertain and high-scale technical organisations. Across diverse sectors, including information technology, healthcare, banking, insurance, manufacturing, and government, Stephen has a track record of driving real success, backed by hands-on achievements and industry recognition.

Leadership highlights

  • C-Suite leader during a period of extraordinary growth, achieving 400% YoY
  • Leadership coach for a 300-million-dollar international software rollout
  • Mentor and consultant for an international leadership team managing over 750 professionals through an organisational transformation
  • Strategist for the successful launch of 50+ commercial cloud-based products and services, shaping the future of business technology

Awards

  • Most Influential Business Leader, 2016 Agile Awards
  • Most Improved Agile Team, 2016 Agile Awards
  • Best Leadership and Agile Coaching Provider, 2020 UK Enterprise Awards
Access Summary Notes

Date: Tuesday 7th October 2025
Time: 8:30am – 10:00am
Topic: Clean up your language: The power of clean language for HR leaders and teams

HR Director Boardroom - 7.10.25

Key Takeaways:

  • Leveraging metaphors to shape communication and drive effective decision-making.
  • Creating spaciousness through intentional questioning to enhance team thinking and collaboration.
  • Implementing practical strategies to improve communication clarity and effectiveness in HR leadership.

Simon Rice-Birchall

Simon is a Partner in Evershed Sutherland’s Employment group. Simon has considerable experience in employment tribunal litigation and has a reputation in the marketplace for his discrimination law knowledge. Simon has been responsible for a number of high-profile discrimination cases over the last 20 years and continues to build this area of his practice. In addition, Simon’s contentious workload includes unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and executive terminations.

Simon qualified in 1992 and has been an employment litigator all his career. In addition to his contentious practice, Simon also gives advice in relation to non-contentious matters such as the implications of the TUPE regulations in many different change situations, issues relating to proposals to change terms and conditions of employment and large scale redundancy exercises.

Juliet Morris

Juliet is an award-winning leader and coach with a unique breadth of scale-up p/e, to global experience spanning IT, tech, professional services, health and retail, including Reed Elsevier, Akzo Nobel, and Endava – both outside of HR and within HR. With over two decades of experience in people leadership, Juliet has been instrumental in shaping high-performing teams and fostering inclusive cultures.

Currently Chief People and Culture Officer at the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI).

Juliet has a proven track record of change, scaling up, and creating and executing award-winning people solutions, career journeys, and employer brands, to deliver measurable growth and positive business results. An accredited executive coach, Juliet’s approach is deeply rooted in intentional leadership, emphasising mental fitness, clean language, happiness, and personal connection.

Juliet is the creator and host of the podcast “What Kind of Future?” and “Conversations with Quiet Leaders”, where she engages in thought-provoking conversations about leadership, transformation and the future being created. Juliet also writes a free weekly Intentional Future newsletter.

Outside work, Juliet is a lifelong student of purposeful, integrated living; currently exploring five element acupuncture, and loves going on Mini Morris Adventures.

Access Summary Notes

Date: Tuesday 25th November 2025
Time: 8:30am – 10:00am
Topic: Why Authentic Intelligence is the Leadership Skill AI Can’t Replace

HRDB 25.11.15

Key Takeaways:

  • Where has the rise of AI come from?
  • What does the rise of AI mean for the world of work in 2025 and beyond?
  • What are some of the impacts that AI can have on our ability to connect as humans who need to work together?
  • What does Authentic Intelligence look like, and why is it increasingly becoming a critical skill?
  • What can leaders / HR teams do to stay human and connect with their teams?

Hannah Mahon

Hannah is a Partner in our Employment, Labor and Pensions Practice Group.  She is also the AI workstream lead and Legal Technology Partner for our Employment group working alongside the team’s specialist legal technologists to integrate tailored solutions, promote efficient processes and ensure overall client service excellence in the delivery of legal advice.  She regularly provides training, speaks at public events, and hosts thought-leadership dinners on the employment aspects of AI in the workplace.

Hannah is a long standing member of the ELA Training Committee, having previously held the role of Deputy Chair and currently co-leads the City HR AI Specialist Interest Group. She has written articles on the impact of AI in the workplace, litigation and discrimination in the Financial Services sector and has been quoted in national newspapers.

She is also well known for her employment tribunal litigation experience. She is an experienced tactical litigator specialising in high value and/or complex and strategically challenging employment tribunal litigation and confidential information and restrictive covenant matters. Hannah’s clients are mainly drawn from the financial services and technology sectors.

She is a trusted adviser on the full range of people issues wherever in the world they arise dedicated to focusing on client priorities and risk appetite. She understands legal risk is only one element of holistic risk management – the psychology of the relationship with the employee and other risks such as cultural, PR and regulatory risk are often more important which is why clients love her very commercial approach.

Hannah is also very experienced in co-ordinating advice and strategy for globally distributed workforces.

Steph Evans-Hill

Steph is an experienced senior HR leader with a pragmatic, optimistic and long-term mindset. She is passionate about delivering business results through progressive people strategies that enable teams to reach their full potential, and enjoys challenging the status quo! Her strengths lie in her commercial acumen and ability to influence through clear, actionable business activity.

With an HR career spanning almost 20 years across multiple industries, including manufacturing and FMCG, Steph has worked for household names such as Nestle and PPG, the home of Johnstone’s Paints. She has significant senior HR experience across the UK and international markets and has led a number of large-scale, complex transformations. Steph is an ICF-qualified coach and acts as a non-employed Director of a family-founded design business in the UK.

Access Summary Notes

Date: Thursday 22nd January 2026
Time: 9:00am – 10:30am
Topic: Strategic Leadership and Influence – Positioning HR as a Key Driver of Success.

HR Director Boardroom 22.1.26

Key Takeaways:

  • Influence perception: employees are a valuable asset, not just a resource.
  • Elevate HR from transactional support to People and Culture.
  • Develop and lead on People strategies to drive business goals and success.
  • Your mindset change: from manager to business leader and strategic thinker
  • Building trust, influence and strategise –  why your leadership style matters.

Mark Hammerton

Mark is an employment law partner in Eversheds Sutherland’s Employment, Labour and Pensions Group. He has specialised in employment law since 1994 and became a partner in 2005.

He advises on the full range of employment and labour matters worldwide, including the people aspects of transactions. He has worked on hundreds of outsourcing and corporate deals and has extensive experience guiding clients through TUPE, both in UK only and cross border contexts.

Mark also advises on engagement and worker status issues, supporting clients with IR35, the Agency Workers Regulations and the Conduct Regulations that apply to staffing companies and their customers.

He helps employers manage complex workplace matters such as executive exits, National Minimum Wage compliance, disciplinary and grievance issues, whistleblowing, and relationship breakdowns. He has also led major restructuring and reorganisation projects, including those linked to insolvency.

Mark works across a range of sectors, with particular experience in diversified industrials including construction, rail and infrastructure. He has also advised local authorities and central government on complex cases and transactions.

He has contributed to government consultations and supported industry bodies on issues such as the Covid 19 response and reforms affecting contingent workers.

Angie Sadler

Angie Sadler, Director of Client Services – People at Factotum, is an accomplished global HR/People Team Leader, Coach, and Mediator with over a decade of experience in organisational development. She’s successfully navigated change management, business scaling, and team building and demonstrated her strategic leadership in senior roles like Chief Talent Officer and Group General Counsel at a global FinTech company.

Equally, she’s a UK-qualified solicitor with a strong background in corporate law, litigation, and intellectual property. She has extensive experience supporting start-ups and scale-ups, especially within SaaS and professional services. Beyond this, Angie has contributed as a Non-Executive Director, a qualified mediator, and a visiting lecturer in legal education. She continues to be a mentor and trainer for SMEs, showcasing her dedication to both professional and individual development.

Your Boardroom Journey Starts Here

From online sessions to in-person gatherings, the HR Director Boardroom brings leaders together to inspire change and share solutions. Head back to the main page to explore everything on offer.

Back to HR Director Boardroom

This site uses cookies. You can see our full cookie policy below, as well as agree to our use of cookies, or manage your individual settings.

Cookie Policy
Accept All Manage

Search

NA Group

The UK’s market leading partner of choice for talent management solutions, from Apprentice to Boardroom.

Our teams are specialists in their field, supporting apprentice and graduate placements, flexible workers, quality permanent recruitment, executive search and innovative L&D and software consultancy. Click below to visit our company websites.