Gemma Waring is a qualified bid writer, trainer, and coach. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, Gemma has worked in the sector for 20 years and her career has been marked by exceptional achievements due to her determination to succeed and her passion for empowering others. A beacon of diligence and reliability, Gemma is recognised for setting and upholding high standards. Her enthusiasm for the procurement sector is infectious, propelling her to stay abreast of industry developments and generously share her knowledge, including being a key played in the roll out of the Procurement Act 2023. Gemma's dedication recently earned her the prestigious title of Runner Up in the APMP UK's annual awards in the Supplier of the Year category and seen her continuously develop her own skills as an advocate of life-long learning. At the helm of G Waring Consulting Ltd since 2019, Gemma orchestrates success in public sector tendering and procurement projects – securing new business and successful outcomes across the board. Notable accomplishments include bid writing endeavours for blue-chip companies, securing multimillion pound contracts, working with Scottish Government on a national training campaign, and securing successful outcomes in complex multi supplier / multi lot frameworks and DPSs. In her role as Lead Trainer and Skills Coach for the Bid Coordinator Apprenticeship, Gemma also runs multiple cohorts, shaping training content, and assessing learners for long term development and supporting new entrants to the sector to grow and flourish. Gemma Waring is not just a consultant and trainer; she is a driving force behind transformative change, infusing every project with unmatched enthusiasm and expertise.

Ian Schollar is the Head of CIPS Business Study Centre at CIPS and has had a progressive career in procurement and commercial roles spanning over 30 years in both public and private sectors. He started his career with Mallory Batteries (Duracell) in 1983, before spending 15 years working within both central and local public sector organisations. He was responsible for procuring a diverse range of categories from breathing apparatus for fire fighters to high tech radar systems for air traffic controllers. In 1998, Ian became a Senior Advisor for Crown Agents, an International Development Agency. He was project lead on numerous capacity building projects working in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe and headed up the procurement and supply chain training at their Training Centre. Ian has worked at CIPS since 2005 and has a particular passion for professional development. Ian is a Fellow of CIPS and holds a Master’s Degree in Management, Learning and Leadership from Lancaster University Management School.

UKUPC is a partnership between eight UK consortia who created a formal entity to support collaborative procurement within Higher and Further Education. All eight consortia work together to share knowledge and best practice, to support each other and our wider procurement community. The UKUPC Board is comprised of heads of the UK regional purchasing consortia (APUC, HEPCW, LUPC, NEUPC, NWUPC, SUPC), the head of TEC and the head of TUCO.

Natasha is a visionary social impact leader, serving as the Director of Member Services at Social Value UK and an Advanced Accredited Social Value Practitioner with Social Value international. She has experience in working with local government to develop outcomes-based funding and delivery models and social impact bonds that maximise social value. She brings decades of experience in building the new social economy in the UK and globally through working across sectors in policy development and planning, impact investment and voluntary and community sector development and growth.

At WRAP, we want to tackle the causes of the climate crisis and give the planet a sustainable future. We want to halt environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity and protect both our lives and the planet. In a thriving world in which climate change is no longer a problem, we will be able to provide for a growing population and raise people out of poverty. WRAP is at the forefront of making the world a more sustainable place. By bringing people together, acting on facts, we will drive change and protect our planet.

Peter has had a varied career with over 40 years working strategically and operationally in the Public Sector. Starting out as a Chartered Civil Engineer and working in various roles, always championing improvement and efficiency. Currently Head of Integrated Commissioning and Procurement at Manchester City Council since 2019 which was preceded by 7 years delivering a collaborative procurement programme for Greater Manchester and 5 years supporting a range of collaborative and transformational projects in the North East of England. As chair of the LGA’s Procurement National Advisory Group and the iNetwork Connected Procurement and Commissioning Workstream, Peter provides a link between national policy makers and the NW region’s procurement practitioners. Currently focussing on using progressive procurement to address inequalities and prioritising the needs local residents, Peter is looking forward to maximising the opportunities provided by the Procurement Act and the National Procurement Policy Statement whilst also devising ways to ensure that the Council’s suppliers match our zero carbon ambitions.