Different Programme Overview
Over 12 transformative months, participants engage in comprehensive group modules, each designed to build the practical skills, approaches, and techniques essential for sustainable leadership in Local Government. Beyond the core programme, participants will also benefit from:
Peer-to-peer support networks
Dedicated coaching and mentoring
Extended support for sustainable skills development
Networking and social events to support your career growth
What Makes Us Different?
Our programme stands out through its authentic, practical approach to leadership development:
Module 1
Leading Complex Systems
Improve stakeholder engagement and confidence to challenge at a system level
Improve influence and negotiation skills across partners
Develop empathy and challenge to help deliver your desired outcomes
Module 2
Leading in Political Environments
How to ensure you align officers’ needs, statutory duties and political outcomes
Set realistic expectations with Members
Understanding the political landscape and perspective
Module 3
Governance and Public Admin
What are the levers that exist to influence change in the organisation and system
How do you use your levers to gain political support and challenge/hold political administrations to account
Developing the appropriate levels of governance and control for your situation
Module 4
Community Engagement and
Partner Engagement
Telling an authentic story and connecting with your audience
Developing authentic relationships with communities and ensuring they have a voice
Accessing hard-to-reach/isolated communities
Module 5
Strive and Thrive - Personal Resilience
Building personal resilience
Supporting resilience
Developing resilience in others/the organisation
Module 6
Transformational leadership
Understanding of projects and transformation
The keys to success
The practical guide to transformation – how it feels personally
Speakers
Deborah Cadman
Deborah has more than 30 years of experience in public services. Prior to her appointment at Birmingham City Council, Deborah was Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority.
She was previously Local Government Advisor to the Ministerial Team at the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, Head of Policy at Redcar and Cleveland Borough and Audit Commission's Best Value Service Lead Inspector for the London region.
Deborah also has extensive Chief Executive experience of all levels of Government (National, Regional, Metropolitan, Borough, District) which includes Chief Executive of St Edmundsbury Borough Council and East Suffolk Council, the East of England Regional Development Agency and Suffolk County Council.
She has ensured that each organisation that she has led, delivers ‘excellent ’ services through focusing on getting the basics right, continuously improving, engaging citizens and working effectively across the public service system of delivery.
Meena Kishinani
Meena is an established LG leader with a vast array of experience at the Director level, leading service and council-wide complex transformation and also leading large operational services.
As Director of Transformation, Meena was responsible for one of the largest and most ambitious local authority transformation programmes within London. Prior to that, Meena was Deputy Director of Children’s and has held various other senior leadership roles. Most recently she spent three years in the West Midlands working alongside the Chief Executive stabilising the authority through a turbulent period of change.
Meena has experience of leading large operational services and can think and plan strategically. She is well networked across the sector with a demonstrable track record of delivery and benefits realisation within schedule and budget, always with a clear focus on improving outcomes for residents.
Well-versed in intricate political environments and conversant in the complexity of the current LG climate, Meena is able to navigate multiple priorities and develop a golden thread that runs through strategy and operating models.
Dr Martin Reeves
Martin has been Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council since March 2023. He was previously Chief Executive of Coventry City Council for over 14 years and was also the Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority from March 2016 to September 2017. He had previously been with Bedfordshire County Council for three and a half years as Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Executive.
Martin has held strategic leadership roles in a District and an outer London Borough and was Programme Director for Work Smart, Westminster City Council’s flagship transformation programme.
Martin spent much of his early career as a lecturer and researcher and has a PhD in applied economics.
He has an Honorary Doctorate from Coventry University in recognition of his service and commitment to the City of Coventry and is the first Honorary President of LARIA (Local Area Research and Intelligence Association).
He is a former President of SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives & Senior Managers) and is the current Local Government Association (LGA) National Procurement Champion.
Becky Shaw
Becky has been Chief Executive at East Sussex County Council since 2010 and, as part of an innovative local improvement partnership, also became Chief Executive of West Sussex County Council in 2020.
Before joining East Sussex, Becky worked for Westminster City Council and two other London Boroughs. Trained as a committee administrator, B Her approach is grounded in good governance, robust business planning disciplines, and building strong partnerships within Councils and at a local, regional and national level across all sectors.
Becky has been the policy lead for SOLACE on leadership and development including the co-creation and delivery of Ignite the development course for system working for CEXs and more recently is helping develop and deliver the new foundation course for Chief Executives. Both programmes are sponsored by MHCLG, LGA and SOLACE. Becky is currently the County Council Network joint officer lead for leadership and transformation and the Regional Chief Executive for the South East.
Kené Umeasiegbu
Kené Umeasiegbu is the recipient of the 2022 Black British Business Person of the Year award. He is the Responsible Sourcing Director at Tesco, leading the company’s human rights, sustainable packaging and food waste reduction agenda. He was previously Head of Environment, in which role he delivered Tesco’s switch to 100% renewable electricity and roll-out of UK’s largest retail network of electric vehicles charging points. He later led the company’s public advocacy and stakeholder engagement on environment, health and food waste. Prior to Tesco, Kené’s career spanned various sustainability and human rights roles at Cadbury and at consultancies, Carbon Trust and Carnstone Partners. He is currently a pro-bono trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Leaders Quest Foundation.
Kené studied geology at the University of Nigeria, and Corporate Responsibility at the University of Bath. His 25-year career has focused on the interface between business and society.
Karen Ellis
Karen is an independent consultant and executive coach with 30 years experience of consulting to leaders, teams and organisations in the professional and financial service industries, Government and the public sector, especially the NHS and Local Government. She specialises in the use of adult developmental approaches to help executives, professionals and high potentials to expand their mental capacities, emotional intelligence and relationship skills, working with live business issues and strategic change.
She also brings her knowledge of cognitive and developmental psychology and organisational and group change strategies to her work. Her approach has always been intensely pragmatic – bringing practical tools, ideas and processes from the theory into direct work on real organisational and personal leadership challenges.
Anj Popat
Anj Popat is an Associate Director in Tile Hill’s Interim Management team covering roles within the resources service area.
Anj began her career in executive recruitment more than 10 years ago and has been instrumental in providing executive interim resourcing solutions, particularly within the local government sector and developing a robust candidate network. Her wealth of experience extends internationally, having spent time working with a global executive search and interim firm in Australia where she provided end to end executive search and interim recruitment solutions to public sector clients and with high levels of engagement with candidates. Anj is motivated by her desire to help give back to society and working with local government and the wider public sector allows her to see the tangible impact that good recruitment can have on people’s lives.. She is passionate about the Different leadership programme and is committed to increasing diversity at the highest levels in local government, ensuring that leadership reflects the communities they serve.
Chantelle Wooldridge
Chantelle Wooldridge is a Senior Consultant in the Executive Search team at Tile Hill. Chantelle brings with her two decades of invaluable experience in public-sector recruitment. With a rich history of working closely with local authorities and public sector organisations, Chantelle is passionate about supporting clients and candidates in some of the most challenging yet fulfilling roles the sector has to offer. In public sector recruitment, Chantelle finds motivation in working with talented candidates who make a direct and powerful impact on the communities they serve. Chantelle is deeply committed to supporting candidates in navigating their career paths and assisting clients in finding the right talent to drive positive change.
Having worked in local government for 20 years Chantelle’s passion lies in supporting candidates to achieve their professional aspirations, and she views the Different Leadership Development programme as a critical mechanism for creating meaningful pathways that enable diverse leaders to excel in public service.
Yetunde Dania
Yetunde qualified as a solicitor in 1996, became a partner in 2005 and joined Trowers & Hamlins in 2011 to help open their Birmingham office. In January 2020 Yetunde was appointed to the role of Head of Office, Birmingham.
Yetunde is a litigator and represents registered providers of social housing and private landlords in relation to any issues or disputes they may have with their tenants and is ranked in Band 1 in Chambers & Partners in respect of Social Housing.
Yetunde is passionate about advancing the diversity and inclusion agenda. At Trowers & Hamlins Yetunde is a member of the Diversity Committee and chairs their Race Action Plan Committee. Yetunde is regularly invited to speak at diversity and inclusion events. During and since lockdown she has spoken at a significant number of webinars and roundtables in response to the Black Lives Matters movement.
Despite being a partner since 2005, Yetunde's leadership journey took off in earnest in 2011, when she became the head of her team. Having experienced poor leadership during her career, Yetunde knows the value of being the best leader she can be in order to inspire, develop and get the most from others around her as well as for her own wellbeing.
Yetunde has years of experience of leading diverse teams in the widest sense, leading beyond authority, dealing with tough leadership issues, as well as the power of developing your network as well as the value of mentoring and sponsorship.
Yetunde is committed to creating and promoting inclusive environments so that everyone feels comfortable to perform at their highest level.
