Date: Wednesday 3rd June 2026
Time: 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Topic: The Squeezed Middle: Understanding the Emotional, Political, and Operational Pressures on Middle Managers – and How Supporting Them Transforms Culture and Performance.
Gary Cookson
Leading thinker & practitioner on the modern world of work.
Gary combines deep real-world experience as a senior leader, and as an HR, OD and L&D professional with contemporary research, insight and humour to help organisations build workplaces that genuinely work for their people and their performance.
He has led people functions and major transformation across multiple sectors and now runs EPIC – partnering with organisations to improve leadership, culture, capability and organisational health.
Gary is a multi-published author, including HR for Hybrid Working (2022), Making Hybrid Working Work (2025) and The Squeezed Middle (2026). He is a recognised voice in the HR/L&D/OD communities, frequently speaking at national and international conferences, contributing to industry publications and being part of the ongoing conversation about leadership, organisational effectiveness and the future of work.
Clients value his authenticity, warmth, humour, challenge and depth of expertise. He brings clarity to complexity, balances humanity with practicality, and inspires confidence that meaningful improvement is possible. He’s also a father of four and husband of one, so he understands the very human reality behind modern work.
