Live Debate Arena
Step into the heart of the conversation in the Live Debate Arena—a dynamic, interactive space where key voices from across the public procurement landscape will come together to explore the most pressing questions facing the sector. Through moderated debates and live audience Q&A’s, this zone will tackle the big themes emerging since the Procurement Act came into force.
From centralisation and transparency to innovation and risk, expect lively exchanges, multiple perspectives, and plenty of food for thought. Whether you’re looking to challenge assumptions or validate your thinking, the Arena invites you to engage directly with decision-makers, disruptors, and policy experts shaping the future of public procurement.
Live Debate Arena Speakers
Bahar Shahin
Director of Procurement

Bahar is a transformational procurement leader, and the Go Awards 2025 winner in both the Team and Individual categories—recognising his outstanding contributions to public procurement. As Director of Procurement at Queen Mary University of London, Bahar has defined the role of procurement as a strategic enabler of value, innovation, and impact. With early career experience in finance, Bahar entered the procurement field in 2007.
Since joining Queen Mary in 2012, he has delivered significant savings and recognised multi million in social value, while embedding ethical, sustainable, and social priorities into procurement practices. Bahar also contributes as an Executive Committee member of the London Universities Purchasing Consortium and a leader in several sector-wide working groups.
Emilia Hogarth
Head of Communities - Transforming Public Procurement

Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister, and ensures the effective running of government. As the corporate headquarters for government, in partnership with HM Treasury, Cabinet Office take the lead in certain critical policy areas.
They are responsible for:
• supporting collective government, helping to ensure the effective development, coordination and implementation of policy
• supporting the National Security Council and the Joint Intelligence Organisation, coordinating the government’s response to crises and managing the UK’s cyber security
• promoting efficiency and reform across government through innovation, better procurement and project management, and by transforming the delivery of services
• promoting the release of government data, and making the way government works more transparent
• creating an exceptional civil service, improving its capability and effectiveness
• promoting social action and National Citizen Service, and growing the social investment market
• political and constitutional reform
Emma Briggs
Director of Procurement & Sustainability

Having spent 15 years in global buying roles in industrial distribution, Emma moved to the Housing sector 4 years ago to work for MTVH. Her experience means she has led multi-disciplinary, customer-focussed teams across multiple geographies, where her strengths have been establishing common goals and joint aspirations together with a strong team ethos and sense of purpose.
Emma is also vice-chair of the G15 Procurement Leadership Group, where they come together to share best-practice and explore opportunities for collaboration across London’s biggest Housing Associations.
Esther Beaumont
Head of Category Management

Esther Beaumont – Head of Category Management & SRM at 7F Commercial Services
MCIPS qualified, with over 25 year’s commercial experience & 17 years working in Public Sector Procurement, within Local Authorities and the Emergency services sector.
In my current role, I am responsible for a team of 28 people, directing & leading commercial activities, tendering & supplier relationship management activity across 7 Police Forces in the Eastern region. Key category areas include ICT, Construction & FM, Frontline Operational requirements, Corporate Services & Community Based services.
I have a particular passion for embedding Sustainability and Social Value into the procurement process, continually expanding upon this in contract and am currently focusing on the contribution our supply chain makes to supporting our Net Zero Carbon targets.
Joanna Dahlgren
Head of Social Value & SROI

Joanna has been a driving force behind the creation and management of the social value function in London Borough of Waltham Forest, since its inception in Dec 2020.
With over 20 years’ experience leading on various investment and regeneration initiatives that promote inclusive growth and community wealth building, under Joanna leadership the Council has transformed the way it maximises social impact through its contracts for services, regeneration, and construction works.
Over the past four years, the collaborative efforts of the Council and its supply chain have yielded over £50 million in delivered social value, laying the foundation for a substantial pipeline of future benefits.
Kieran McGaughey
Commercial Solicitor

Kieran is a consultant solicitor and legal trainer, specialising in public procurement law. He advises clients on public procurement, commercial contracts, grant funding, and subsidy control (previously State aid). For most of the past decade he has worked in-house within local government legal teams. Since June 2023 he has been operating as a consultant solicitor.
Kieran also sits on the executive committee of the Procurement Lawyers' Association (PLA), a membership body for procurement lawyers across the UK. He was previously the National Lead for Procurement Law within a membership body for local government lawyers.
Lindsay Maguire
Deputy Director for Procurement Reform

Lindsay is the Head of Engagement for Procurement Team at the Cabinet Office. She joined the Government Commercial Organisation in 2016, initially working as senior category leader for employment and labour market in DWP and subsequently as Head of Small Business Policy at Cabinet Office, working with all central government departments and SMEs to break down barriers to entry.
Prior to joining the civil service, she gained 10+ commercial experience from the private sector, working in the Aerospace, property management and FMCG sectors for both large multinationals and SMEs, including spending 5 years abroad in Germany, Netherlands and Canada working on complex projects.
Tiia Sammallahti
CEO & Founder

Tiia Sammallahti is the CEO & founder of whatimpact.com, the UK’s leading social value matchmaking & management platform. whatimpact.com increases efficiency in social value partnerships between VCSEs and companies by reducing the cost and time spent on administrating locally relevant, tangible and contract specific social value. whatimpact offers also public sector social value brokerage and reporting solutions for procurement related social value. Addition running whatimpact tech startup, she is an active content writer and collaboration initiator in social value industry.
Zuzanna Briant
Director & Practice Lead - Contract & Commercial Management

Zuzanna Briant is the Director and Practice Lead for Contract and Commercial Management (CCM) at World Commerce & Contracting. In her role, she serves as an ambassador and advocate for efficient, effective contracting, focused on building high-performing, trusted business relationships. She joined WorldCC from Virgin Media, bringing extensive experience in procurement and leadership of commercial and contract management teams.
Her innovative thinking and strategic approach have delivered multi-million-dollar cost savings and revenue gains. Her earlier career spans the financial services and aviation sectors, and she holds a Master’s degree in Finance.
Live Debate Arena Agenda
Agendas are subject to change
Opening Address - 10:00 - 10:15

Deputy Director for Procurement Reform
Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office Address - Procurement Act Update - 8 Months on - 10:15 - 10:40

Deputy Director for Procurement Reform
Cabinet Office

Director of Procurement & Sustainability
Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH)

Head of Category Management
7 Forces Collaboration
Panel Session - Navigating the New Procurement Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities - 10:45 - 11:25

Director of Procurement & Sustainability
Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH)

Head of Category Management
7 Forces Collaboration

Co-Founder & CEO
Social Value Exchange

CEO & Founder
whatimpact

Head of Social Value & SROI
London Borough of Waltham Forest
Panel Session - Social Value and Supplier Diversity: Are We Making Progress? - 11:30 - 12:10

Co-Founder & CEO
Social Value Exchange

CEO & Founder
whatimpact

Head of Social Value & SROI
London Borough of Waltham Forest

Director & Practice Lead - Contract & Commercial Management
World Commerce & Contracting

Director of Procurement
Queen Mary University of London

Head of Communities - Transforming Public Procurement
Cabinet Office
Panel Session - From Compliance to Strategy: The Evolving Role of Procurement Professionals - 12:15 - 12:55

Director & Practice Lead - Contract & Commercial Management
World Commerce & Contracting

Director of Procurement
Queen Mary University of London

Head of Communities - Transforming Public Procurement
Cabinet Office