Association of Chief Executives
2026-27 member programme
Connected Leadership: Working Better Together
Your 2026/27 programme of events will focus on cross‑system collaboration as a broad and intricate practice that fosters efficiency and productivity, as well as facilitate delivery of public services.
The programme will highlight and share positive case studies demonstrating how public body leaders are successfully applying these principles. These examples will illustrate how facilitative leadership and organisational learning contribute to improved mission delivery, strengthen system‑wide collaboration, and build public trust.
In the year ahead, members will have the opportunity to take part in a variety of member‑led activities, including in‑person seminars, online peer learning sessions, and research-focused discussions. We greatly value your ongoing support and participation, and we encourage you to help us broaden and diversify the ACE and PCF communities.
This past year, has brought our community of public body leaders even closer with the the officialisation of the next step in its evolution together with the Public Chair’s Forum.
With an expanded membership offer, we aim to continue to offer a collective voice for our members and a safe space to share experiences, challenge constructively and shape the future of public leadership.
Across the breadth of the public sector, our members remain central to the delivery of government policy, fostering public trust and the long-term resilience of public services.
I encourage all members of the executive team to get involved, whether from the comfort of home, your office or at the Institute for Government. I look forward to our insightful conversations.
Adrian Smith OBE
ACE Chair
Programme explained
Hybrid
ACE-PCF Leadership Seminars
An exclusive opportunity to join some of the most prominent contributors to UK public life, to consider the defining strategic issues of public service today.
In 2026-27, the Association of Chief Executives (ACE) and Public Chairs’ Forum (PCF)
will host joint seminars and roundtables exploring the safe and fair use of new technologies in the delivery of public services and the public appointments process. Moreover, we will be continuing our Belonging in Public Life series, which aims to assess the definition of diversity in public service through the lenses of performance, efficiency and improved outcomes and to inspire actionable insight for public bodies that wish to embed inclusivity into leadership pipelines and organisational culture.
These seminars will provide an exclusive opportunity for PCF and ACE members to join in discussions with some of the most prominent contributors to UK public service, including Ministers of State, Permanent Secretaries, and chairs of public and select committees.
Members can expect to join high profile guest speakers from across Westminster and Whitehall, culminating with the joint Annual Conference.
An exclusive opportunity to join some of the most prominent contributors to UK public life, to consider the defining strategic issues of public service today.
In-person
Masterclasses for Public Body CEOs
A tailored masterclass series for public body CEOs, designed and delivered by highly experienced public leaders and experts.
ACE and Nous will be running two tailored programmes for CEOs at different stages of their leadership journey, including a new Established CEO Masterclass. Supporting CEOs to gain insights, build confidence, and connect with peers to thrive in today’s complex environment.
Research by Nous Group and ACE, ‘CEO in Government, Leading Well’ 2020, describes the role of the public body CEO as highly unusual, with post-holders benefiting from peer support. Learn more about the programmes here.
Tea at the IfG
Informal member networking, occurring quarterly at ACE's home, the Institute for Government.
Tea at the IfG provides an informal opportunity for ACE members to meet with other public body leaders in a safe, private setting.
Hosted by a member of the ACE Board, sessions are held quarterly at the Institute for Government, London.
As a chief executive, attending ACE events has broadened my network considerably. ACE membership gave me a head start to meet colleagues facing similar pressures and share how we approach some of the more challenging aspects of leading a public body.
Alex Rothwell
Chief Executive, NHS Counter Fraud Authority
Online
CEO challenge
Quarterly peer support sessions, available exclusively for CEOs to discuss pressing leadership challenges in a private setting.
CEO Challenge is a quarterly online event series available exclusively to chief executives, providing a space for leaders to discuss pressing leadership challenges, in a safe and private setting.
Conversations are shaped according to member interest, typically on the topical issues of the day. In 2025, members discussed public body reviews, organisational resilience, and strategies to increase productivity.
Peer networks
Community conversations for Equality, diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Human Resources (HR), board governance experts and finance & corporate services directors.
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) forum
Our EDI forum meets online quarterly. Richard Bond, Innovation and Services Director at The Mining Remediation Authority and Dionne Spence, Chief Enforcement Officer and Deputy Registrar at the General Pharmaceutical Council chair this group committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in the public sector.
Conversations are member-led, covering topics ranging from supporting staff with caring responsibilities, to delivering on your public sector equality duty.
Public body chief executives, chairs, executives, and EDI experts are invited to join this group.
HR directors forum
Steve O’Donoghue, Director of Corporate Services at the Trade Remedies Authority and Bal Kaur, Director of Human Resources at the Government Actuary’s Department, co-chair this lively community of public body HR Directors, meeting quarterly online to provide peer support and expert exchange.
This group is open to senior leaders in public body human resources and people management.
Board Secretaries forum
Martin Skeats, Board Secretary of the Disclosure and Barring Service, chairs this popular forum for governance experts, enabling members to exchange ideas and practice.
Sessions take place online quarterly, with agendas set by members covering topics from board effectiveness reviews to non-executive director inductions.
Public body governance leads – such as heads of governance and board secretaries – are invited to join this group.
Finance & Corporate Services directors’ forum
Sessions take place online quarterly, with agendas set by members covering topics from spending reviews to financial resilience.
Directors of finance, and/or corporate services, or similar roles are invited to join this group.
Technology and Innovation Forum
Our newest peer network, the joint ACE-PCF Technology and Innovation Forum aims to enable and empower public body leaders and their teams in driving meaningful change, ensuring that ALBs remain efficient and capable of meeting the demands of the digital age.
This forum aims to provide a collaborative space to explore opportunities, share challenges and exchange insight on the digital transformation of the public services.
All ACE and PCF members are invited to join this group.
The EDI Forum represents a most necessary safe space to explore how to achieve greater inclusivity, ensuring that equity and belonging are a fundamental part of public bodies’ approach to all employees and the public in ways that remain relevant to the work of each organisation. The breadth of perspectives and the depth of expertise shared have sparked meaningful dialogue, inspired fresh ideas and strengthened our collective vision. We are proud to have worked together for yet another year, engaging with, supporting and challenging the forum members.
Dionne Spence and Richard Bond
Co-chairs, EDI Forum
The HR Directors Forum is a friendly community of experts committed to building great talent, culture and engagement in our public bodies. I would like to thank my former co-chair, Charlie Henning, for his dedication and enthusiasm for the forum. Equally, I look forward to continuing to work with colleagues, building the safe space where insightful and challenging conversations take place in the context of our complex operating environments.
Steve O’Donoghue
Co-chair, HR Directors’ Forum
Research
The changing nature of public leadership
Research published by the Association of Chief Executives, Public Chairs’ Forum, and Windsor Leadership to envision public leadership in the future.
Throughout 2023, ACE explored the changing nature of public body leadership through consultation with over 60 public service leaders. The 2024-25 Member Programme takes its steer from the insights gathered through this research, released in the November 2023 insight report: ‘Public leadership: navigating uncharted waters.’
The research identifies common barriers to leadership success, key attributes of leadership today, and the role that organisations can play in enabling leaders to succeed in a changing landscape. Leaders are invited to build on this research, together with ongoing consideration of public body reform, to shape a vision of the future for public body leadership.
2025-26 calendar dates
| Month | In-person | Online |
| April |
ACE-PCF Joint Roundtable with Bloomberg on AI Through a Public-Purpose Lens 9 April 2026, 10:30-12:30 |
|
| May |
Joint EDI and HR Directors Forum 13 May 2026, 13:15-14:45 ACE-PCF Annual Conference on Shared strength – Working together differently
|
City CV webinar: The NED CV Masterclass: Stand Out, Get Appointed 19 May 2026, 12:00-13:00 |
|
Joint Technology and Innovation Forum and Finance Directors and Corporate Services Directors Forum 9 June 2026, 12:00-13:30
City CV webinar: Your LinkedIn, Your Legacy: Get Noticed by the Right Boards 16 June 2026, 12:00-13:30
CEO Challenge |
| Month | In-person | Online |
| July |
EDI Forum 14 July 2026, 13:00-14:00
City CV webinar: Create an effective supporting statement 21 July 2026, 12:00 – 13:00 |
|
| August | Summer break | Summer break |
| September |
HR Directors Forum 2 September 2026, 12:00 – 13:30
Finance Directors and Corporate Services Directors Forum 15 September 2026, 09:30 – 11:00
City CV webinar: From Doubt to Influence: Harnessing Imposter Syndrome for Strategic Success 15 September 2026, 12:00 – 13:00 |
| Month | In-person | Online |
| October |
ACE – PCF Roundtable with Fieldfisher8 October 2026, 12:00 – 14:00 (tbc) |
Finance Directors and Corporate EDI Forum |
| November |
ACE-PCF Leadership Seminar 25 November 2026, 09:30 – 14:00 (tbc) |
Technology and Innovation Forum 5 November 2026, 13:00 – 14:30
EDI Forum 10 November 2026, 13:00 – 14:30
HR Directors Forum 11 November 2026, 12:00 – 13:30 |
| December |
|
Board Secretaries Forum
CEO Challenge
Forum and Finance Directors and Corporate Services Directors Forum |
| Month | In-person | Online |
| January |
|
EDI forum
HR Directors Forum 20 January 2027, 12:00 – 13:30
|
| February |
|
Technology and Innovation Forum 18 February 2027, 13:00 – 14:30 |
| March |
ACE-PCF Annual Conference 24 March 2027 |
Board Secretaries Forum 5 March 2027,10:00-11:30
CEO Challenge
Forum and Finance Directors and Corporate Services Directors Forum |
