Making change happen across the procurement community
The Procurement Act is about much more than new legislation – it’s an opportunity to re-imagine how buyers and suppliers can work together to deliver outstanding public services. The biggest set of regulatory changes in a generation will create new opportunities – but also challenges as the entire supply chain adjusts to this new landscape.
Taking place in parallel with the commencement of the Act, the Procurement Act Live 2025 event is perfectly timed. What’s changing and how prepared are buyers and suppliers? How can all stakeholders maximise the benefits of the new legislation and the revised National Procurement Policy Statement? What other opportunities exist in this exciting and evolving market?
The Procurement Act going live is just the start – now the focus is on ensuring it delivers on its potential. The Procurement Act Live 2025 is a celebration of a new beginning for everyone with a stake in its success.
Procurement Act Live 2025 Confirmed Speakers
Grahame Steed
Director of Public Policy, Research and Communications
Grahame joined BiP Solutions in 2003 as Production Director with responsibility for the multi-disciplined media and production department, including Content, Research and Distribution. Prior to that, he worked in various senior editorial and publishing roles for the media company EMAP plc. Grahame was appointed Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the BI Division in May 2012 and became Sales & Marketing Director in May 2016 with overall responsibility for driving revenues through private and public sector sales, marketing and events teams. In January 2017, Grahame was appointed Managing Director of the Media and Marketing Solutions division of the BiP Group. In this role he assumed overall responsibility for two of BiP Group’s recent acquisitions – Pro Mark Media and Ingenium – as well as BiP Solutions’ events and training portfolio. Following a restructure of BiP Group in April 2018, Grahame was appointed Sales and Marketing Director for the Business Intelligence and Public Sector business units, before subsequently being appointed Director of Public Policy, Research and Communications in 2023.
Rebecca Rees
Head of Public Procurement
Rebecca Rees – Partner and Head of Public Procurement at the international law firm, Trowers & Hamlins. Rebecca is a leading national expert in public procurement law and has significant experience in advising clients in the public, private and third sectors on public procurement, subsidy control and building safety strategy issues. She advises clients on procurement strategy and structures, how to conduct flexible and compliant procurement procedures and compile objective and transparent evaluation models and guidance. With particular interests in value-led procurement, social value and building safety, Rebecca is a member of the Working Group 11 for Procurement Competency, DLUHC’s Procurement Advisory Group, and HACT’s National Social Value in Housing Taskforce. Rebecca is also a Visiting Fellow at the Centre of Construction Law at Dickson Poon School of Law at Kings College London and is currently undertaking a PhD in public procurement, focusing on price evaluation models at the University of Nottingham.
Lorraine Cox
Director of STAR Procurement
Lorraine leads STAR Procurement which is a very successful, high performing public sector shared service that is leading collaborative change and transformation through procurement and Social Value. STAR supports four Greater Manchester Councils and now two Liverpool City Region Councils that joined STAR in 2023. Lorraine has led STAR for almost seven years and in 22/23 they supported the retention of 78.9% local spend within Greater Manchester for her four partner Councils. STAR have continued to improve the Social Value captured as added value through procurement securing 38.5% accumulatively of the collective contract value since April 2019. The National Social Value Taskforce is a ‘coalition of the willing’ of public, private and voluntary sector representatives who act as advocates and creators of this ‘Social Value Movement’. Lorraine has been part of this since its formation in 2017 as was appointed as Chair in June 2023. Lorraine received a national award ‘Best Council to do Business With’ historically which she received at No.10 Downing St. She personally contributed to the improvement of Public Contract Regulations 2015 and Lord Young’s Reforms as she attended a Select Committee in the House of Commons to respond to a Public Procurement Review. Lorraine was also highly commended in Leadership at the National Social Value Conference 2020 and STAR won an award for embedding Social Value into the procurement processes in 2021.
Carl Thomas
Procurement Reform Stakeholder & Policy Lead
Carl has a wealth of public procurement experience, having previously led the award-winning procurement team at one of Wales’ largest housing associations. Before joining Welsh Government, Carl worked for the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), where he taught procurement and contract management best practice to public and private sector organisations across the globe. Carl also played an important role in CIPS’ work post-Grenfell, and supported the work of Working Group 11 to agree specific procurement competence levels for people involved in the construction of new higher risk residential buildings. In his current role, Carl is responsible for developing Welsh Government’s wider Procurement Reform engagement activity, working closely with stakeholders across the Welsh public sector to ensure that they are ready to maximise the opportunities arising from procurement reform.
Alex Holden
Comms, Engagement and Implementation Lead
The Ministry of Defence are one of the biggest public procurement organisations in Europe, and the single largest customer for UK industry. Over the next decade, they are committed to spending over £190Bn on equipment and support. The MOD has a diverse range of requirements, including everything from military fighting vehicles to education services, nuclear submarines to facilities management. Its customers include our Armed Forces and national security agencies. The MOD's aim is to ensure that our customers are provided with the best capabilities to enable them to protect the UK’s security and to advance the UK’s interests, both now and in the long term.
Ben English
Head of Procurement Reform
As Head of Procurement Reform, Ben is responsible for leading the MOD’s defence and security elements of the Cabinet Office led Procurement Bill. Working closely with the Cabinet Office, Ben leads a multi-functional team, bringing together commercial, legal and change delivery expertise ensuring the provisions within the Procurement Bill meet the requirements of Defence and that these provisions are fully scrutinised via the Parliamentary Process. An equal priority for Ben focuses on preparation for implementation of the new rules. Working alongside colleagues within the MOD and CO, but also with colleagues from industry, Ben recognises the success of the new rules is dependent on sufficient training, understand and preparation ahead of the go live date. Ben is a career civil servant, working in the MOD for the past three years programme managing the development of the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy before joining Defence Commercial. Prior to the MOD Ben spent 10 years in the Ministry of Justice working in a variety of fields, including policy, strategy, operations, Private Office and estates. Ben has a proven track record of working in high-profile and pressured environments, bringing his enthusiasm and positivity to those challenges and always delivering on time.
Kevin Lewis
Senior Business Development Manager
John Coyne
Procurement Director
John Wallace
Procurement Director
Ian Schollar
Head of CIPS Business Centre
Gavin Freeguard
Freelance Consultant
Faye Dolan
Framework Director
Philip Orumwense
Commercial Director and Chief Technology Procurement Officer
What's happening at Procurement Act Live 2025
Procurement Act to Action Zone
- This Insight Zone provides an opportunity to refresh your understanding of what the Act sets out to achieve and what the changes mean in practice.
Future of Public Procurement Zone
- This Insight Zone looks at the themes and developments which, along with the Procurement Act, are shaping the future landscape for buyers and suppliers.
Live Debate Arena
- The Live Debate Arena brings discussion around key public procurement issues to life.
Supplier Insights Zone
- This Insight Zone will look at how suppliers can adapt to the changes enforced by the Procurement Act, the support available to them, and where the future opportunities lie as spending priorities change.
PASS Commercial Skills Zone
- The Procurement Act Expo is partnering with the renowned PASS Procurement Service to deliver exclusive, free to attend training sessions for buyers and suppliers
Cabinet Office Engagement Zone
- The Cabinet Office Engagement Zone is at the heart of the Procurement Act Live 2025 – a space dedicated to answering questions and providing guidance on the implementation of the Procurement Act.
In partnership with
The Transforming Public Procurement programme aims to improve the way public procurement is regulated in order to:
– Create a simpler and more flexible, commercial system that better meets our country’s needs while remaining compliant with our international obligations
– Open up public procurement to new entrants such as small businesses and social enterprises so that they can compete for and win more public contracts
– Embed transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle so that the spending of taxpayers’ money can be properly scrutinised.
Thank You to Our Event Sponsor
YPO
Stand Number: 23
YPO have 50 years of experience in helping the public sector achieve the best possible value when buying products and services. We’re dedicated to providing great support and added value, as well as meeting the public sectors changing needs for greater flexibility, innovation, and sustainability.