News Icon

Events

IIAG XXX Anniversary Conference - To Excellence and Beyond

25 - 26 June 2026

9.00 am Thursday 25 June - 1pm Friday 26 June

Internal auditors and risk assurance professionals are constantly needing to revise their skills to keep pace with the challenges that organisations are facing. Join us to look at new changes and to debate how we can prepare to meet and embrace them.

Prices

Standard £695.00

Non-Standard £665.00

XXX Anniversary Conference - To Excellence and Beyond 

25 and 26 June at The Grand Brighton   

Please note: due to the high demand for places we are currently running a waiting list for Conference bookings. If you wish to be added to the waiting list you can register here

      A lobby of a hotel

AI-generated content may be incorrect.                     

Join us for this special 30 anniversary event to hear engaging presentations, participate in thought provoking discussions on current topics and trends in Insurance and Internal Audit, and to exchange ideas with colleagues, industry peers, and experts from within our industry.

Ester Stanhope, the 'Impact Guru', international speaker, award-winning author and former BBC producer will Chair the Conference which will include presentations from:

· John Tiner, Group Chair, The Ardonagh Group

· Robert Worrell, Chief Executive Officer, Everywhen

· Matthew Smity, Associate Director, BDO and Craig Stapley, Manager, FCA

· Carolyn Clarke, Vice President, CIIA 

· Sandro Boeri, Past President, CIIA / Managing Director, Risk Audit Professional Development 

· Caroline Pankhurst, Founder, Be Braver 

· Santosh Pandit, Senior Regulator and Manager, PRA

· David Sooby, Partner FS Consulting, and Oliver Riches, Director, EY

· Marc McNulty, Partner, and Farsha Amran, Senior Manager, Deloitte

Delegates will also be able to attend a number of interactive breakout sessions led by:

·Jessica Wills, Partner, and Sam Shaikh, Director, PKF

· Glenn Bluff, Partner, Simbix LLP and Kevin Lally, Principal, 3LOD Consulting

· Mark Stock, Group Head of Audit & Risk Management, Reckitt, Sam Jones, Senior Manager, BDO

  and Ben Blackwell, Partner, Lutine Bell 

Attendees will be eligible to claim up to 10 hours CPD.

Details of Conference speakers, the topics they will cover and the contents of the of breakout sessions will be updated on the Booking Site as they are confirmed.

The great value delegate fees include attendance at the Conference, overnight accommodation on 25 June with breakfast on 26 June and lunch and refreshments on both days.

In addition, on the evening of 25 June there will be celebratory drinks at the Royal Pavilion (including transfers by bus and small group private tours), followed by a black-tie dinner at the Hotel.

All reservations made by 27 February will qualify for the Early Bird booking rate of £595, or £565 for group bookings of 5 or more.

Bookings made from 1 March will be at the standard registration rate of £695, £660 for group bookings of 5 or more.

If you have any questions, please email administrator@iiag.org.uk

Please note, as it isn't currently possible to download your invoice from the website, it will be emailed to you once your booking has been received. 

With thanks to our sponsors

                           

                                                                                     

                                                                                         

                                                

                                         

Brighton Grand Hotel

97-99 King's Road

East Sussex

BN1 2FW

The presentations for this event are available to download for IIAG members only.

Breakout Session Summary

202 kb

Speakers Icon

Speakers Profiles

Farsha Amran

Senior Manager

Deloitte

 

 

 

Farsha is a Senior Manager in Deloitte, specialising in Internal Audit assurance across Insurance and Investment Management sectors, with over a decade of experience working with global insurers, asset manager and large financial institutions.

Her experience reflects a strong blend of experience having led internal audit functions in both industry and professional practice. In recent years, she has delivered integrated assurance solutions to financial services clients and is working with functions on the future of assurance.

Tom Anderson

Manager

Wolters Kluwer TeamMate

 

 

 

Tom is a Manager in the Solution Consulting team at Wolters Kluwer TeamMate, where he works closely with internal audit and assurance functions across EMEA to enhance their processes and efficiencies through the effective use of technology. He brings over a decade of experience in implementing enterprise software solutions, supporting organisations in modernising their audit approaches and improving the way they manage risk and controls.

Prior to joining the Solution Consulting team, Tom was part of the TeamMate Professional Services team, where he supported clients with the onboarding of TeamMate and the optimisation of their internal audit processes.

Before joining Wolters Kluwer, Tom also gained experience as an SAP consultant, further strengthening his expertise in delivering technology-driven transformation initiatives.

Ben Blackwell

Partner – GRC & Internal Audit

Lutine Bell

 

 

 

Ben is a Partner at Lutine Bell, bringing extensive recruitment expertise across the Financial Services sector. He has partnered with FTSE 100 institutions and Big Four consulting firms on critical hiring mandates and has built a strong reputation within the Internal Audit market.

Ben specialises in executive and senior-level Internal Audit appointments, engaging closely with executive committees and board-level stakeholders on strategically important hires. He facilities quarterly senior leadership roundtables, bringing together market leaders to discuss emerging challenges, regulatory themes and networking opportunities across the profession.

He also leads Lutine Bell’s delivery function across Internal Audit, Risk Management and Compliance with expertise spanning across executive search, interim consultancy, contingent and team-level hiring.

Glenn Bluff

Partner

Simbix LLP

 

 

 

Glenn is a cyber security expert and audit partner working in the financial services industry. He has been a member of many industry forums for cyber security and cloud technology including parliamentary and party forums.

Previously he has been a Head of Information Security and Head of IT Audit for FTSE 35 / Blue Chip Organisations.

Glenn has also worked as a Dot Com entrepreneur and board member turned Professional Risk and Audit Director. He has extensive experience in IT Security and Cloud technologies within multinational Financial Services, investment and private banking, pharmaceuticals and military organisations.

 

Sandro Boeri

Managing Director

Risk Audit Professional Development

 

 

 

Sandro Boeri is a governance, culture and behavioural risk specialist, currently serving as Immediate Past President of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors in the UK and founder of Risk Audit Professional Development.

He works internationally with boards, regulators and audit leaders on how organisational culture, incentives and human behaviour shape real-world outcomes, helping institutions move beyond box-ticking toward more thoughtful, value-adding governance.

As a speaker, advisor and co-author of thought leadership on organisational behaviour, his focus is on practical change — influencing how leaders think about culture, accountability and sustainable performance across complex organisations.

Carolyn Clarke

Vice President

CIIA

 

 

 

A former external and internal audit Partner with PwC, Carolyn combines more than 25 years of experience as an auditor and advisor to a wide range of organisations, with in-house experience as a FTSE 30 Head of Audit, Risk and Control and as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. 

Carolyn founded BRAVE, a consultancy focused on: Changing Governance. From Within. For Good. Together with her co-founders she advocates for integrated governance, risk and control systems to underpin authentic and responsible business that deliver for people, planet and profit.   

Carolyn is Vice-President of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors and a member of the Steering Group revising the Code of Practice for Internal Audit. She is currently an Audit Committee Chair for two corporates in the green technology sectors.  

Carolyn firmly believes that all organisations are strongest with a clear purpose, and that purpose needs to be delivered on for the benefit of all stakeholders. This requires clarity, transparency, trust and confidence.   

Sam Jones

Senior Manager

BDO

 

 

 

Sam is a Senior Manager in BDO’s Financial Services team, specialising in internal audit within the insurance sector. He has nine years’ experience working with insurers across both internal and external audit, delivering internal audit services on an outsource and co‑source basis.

Sam works closely with Heads of Internal Audit and internal audit leadership teams, providing flexible co‑source support across core insurance risk areas, and has acted as Consumer Duty Champion and Solvency II Champion for insurance clients.

Kevin Lally

Principal Consultant

3LOD Consulting

 

 

 

A former financial services global chief audit officer, Kevin has a long track record of operational and technology assurance across internal audit, risk and compliance in the Financial Services sector, focusing in Insurance.

Kevin has an excellent insight into the insurance industry, with experience across the General Insurance, Life, Broker and Carrier sectors, supporting Audit Committees and Heads of Internal Audit in bringing challenge and insight, deep technical knowledge of regulatory, finance, technology and data as well as many years of conduct and customer processes.

Marc McNulty

Partner

Deloitte

 

 

 

Marc is a Partner leading Insurance and Investment Management Internal Audit and Transformation Assurance practice, with over 17 years of experience leading process, risk and regulatory compliance engagements in both industry and professional practice.

He brings deep experience of assessing risk management and control effectiveness over complex processes and programmes across the transformation lifecycle from initiation, approval and implementation through to post implementation.

Marc also leads the UK FS Internal Audit QA Centre of Excellence together with leading External Quality Assessments (EQAs) and independent QA reviews.

Santosh Pandit

Senior Regulator and Manager

Prudential Regulation Authority, Bank of England

 

 

 

Santosh is a Senior Regulator and Manager at the Prudential Regulation Authority, Bank of England, where he oversees Cyber and Operational Resilience across the insurance firms supervised by the PRA.

Prior to joining the Financial Services Authority, he held senior roles in insurance and banking, including serving as a Board Director within subsidiaries of the BNP Paribas Group.

Caroline Pankhurst

Founder

Be Braver

 

 

 

Caroline Pankhurst is a business psychologist, researcher, and former board-level communications leader with a unique background spanning, brand strategy, leadership, and start-up building. 

She brings expertise in positive psychology, and leadership to help organisations navigate the ethical challenges of technology, AI and culture. Through her work in coaching, facilitation, design and research, she supports professionals to harness leading-edge thinking in courage, measure culture, demonstrating its value as both a human differentiator and a business asset. 

A writer and keynote speaker known for her advocacy of women in leadership she co-founded the charity GM4Women.

Oliver Riches

Director

EY

 

 

 

Oliver is a Director with over 11 years of experience applying data, analytics, and AI to assess risk and evaluate controls within internal audit functions. Having worked across both industry and consulting, he is a passionate advocate for innovation in internal audit, championing the use of advanced analytics and emerging technologies as catalysts for meaningful change in the profession.

Oliver currently leads EY’s AI, Data Risk, and Analytics offering within the Financial Services Process and Controls team. He partners with clients to design and implement data-driven audit solutions that deliver real value—leveraging AI and analytics to stay at the forefront of digital transformation in internal audit.

Sam Shaikh

Director

PKF

 

 

 

Sam Shaikh is a Director within PKF’s Governance, Risk & Control Assurance team with over 15 years of experience across both practice and in-house roles.

She worked in the internal audit functions at QBE and Canada Life for several years, as well acquiring specialist knowledge over the last eight years at PKF, working extensively within the insurance sector.

Sam led PKF’s implementation of the new Global IA Standards and supported a number of internal audit functions prior to and after they came into force. She also developed and pioneers PKF’s EQA methodology and service offering, meaning she has strong insight and understanding of effective internal audit functions and best practices.

Matthew Smith

Associate Director

BDO

 

 

 

Matthew is an Associate Director in BDO’s Financial Services Advisory team, specialising in governance, product governance and regulatory conduct across the insurance sector. He has over 12 years’ experience at the FCA, where he supervised a range of insurers and intermediaries, including large and complex firms.

Since joining BDO, Matthew has played a senior role in over 15 Skilled Person (s166) and independent review engagements on behalf of the FCA and PRA, primarily in insurance. He works closely with Boards and C-suite stakeholders, providing independent challenge and practical recommendations on governance, control effectiveness and product governance frameworks, with a focus on how these operate in practice.

Matthew has significant London Market experience, including a recent secondment as Head of Delegated Authority, and has supported firms in enhancing their product governance, operating models and oversight arrangements. He brings deep insight into FCA expectations around Consumer Duty, product value and fair value assessments, and what constitutes effective, defensible governance in practice.

David Sooby

Partner, FS Consulting

EY

 

 

 

David is a Partner at EY, leading their insurance internal audit and internal controls teams.  David has worked for EY for 19 years, with a focus on enhancing internal audit functions, delivering a range of audit reviews and improving control environments.  He has served a range of clients both in the UK and globally

David is a Fellow of the ACCA, a Certified Internal Auditor and has a Masters of Physics from Oxford University.

Esther Stanhope

Conference Chair

The Impact Guru, Keynote & TEDx speaker

 

 

 

Our host, Esther Stanhope, is a sought after TEDx and keynote speaker, award winning author, and personal impact expert with 30 years of experience, including a decade in broadcasting at the BBC. From interviewing Hollywood stars and Prime Ministers to working with organisations such as Allianz, Deloitte, and Lloyds Banking Group, Esther knows exactly how to bring out brilliance on stage and in business.

She brings energy, insight, and authority to this conference, ensuring conversations that are engaging, focused, and impactful.

Craig Stapley

Manager

FCA

 

 

 

Craig is the Manager of the Analysis, Strategy and Engagement Team within Insurance Supervision at the FCA. He is responsible for overseeing the analysis of the Insurance market including Personal and Commercial Lines insurance, Wholesale insurance, Life insurance and Funeral Plans.

He is also responsible for leading the work to develop the annual insurance strategy and work programme as set out in the Insurance and Pension’s Regulatory Priorities reports, and Insurance’s engagement strategy.

Craig has worked in various roles across the FCA over the past 11 years and previous to the FCA, worked in a Life insurance firm for 8 years in a risk role.

Mark Stock

Group Head of Audit & Risk Management

Reckitt PLC

 

 

 

As an advisor on governance, risk and assurance Mark has over 30 years experience, including 15 years as a partner in big four firms and 11 years as a chief internal audit officer at Vodafone and more recently, Direct Line Group.  

Mark now focuses on career coaching internal auditors, and assisting internal audit functions fulfil their valued impact potential. 

John Tiner

Chair

The Ardonagh Group

 

 

 

John Tiner has been Chair of The Ardonagh Group (formerly Towergate) since 2015. From 2009 to 2021, he was also an independent non-executive director of the board of Credit Suisse Group.

For 25 years, until June 2001, he worked for accountants Arthur Andersen, becoming head of their global financial services practice. There, he led the team that produced the official report investigating the 1995 collapse of Barings Bank for the Bank of England’s Board of Banking Supervision.

In June 2001, John joined the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) as Managing Director of the Consumer, Investment and Insurance Directorate. In September 2003, he was appointed Chief Executive of the FSA. In this role, he led the Tiner Review which reformed the regulation of both the life and general insurance industries and which initiated and led a program to improve consumers’ understanding of personal finance.

Between 2008 and 2013, John was CEO of the Resolution Group, a private investment company which sponsored the formation through M&A of The Friends Life Group Plc, a FTSE 100 company prior to its acquisition by Aviva in 2015.

In 2016, he founded The Salcombe Brewery Co. where he remains Chair.

Jessica Wills

Partner and Head of Governance, Risk & Control Ass

PKF

 

 

 

Jess Wills is a Partner in PKF’s Financial Services team and Head of Governance, Risk and Control Assurance. She is an insurance industry specialist and works with Lloyd’s syndicates, general insurers, mutuals / friendly societies, insurance intermediaries (brokers and MGAs) and insuretech businesses.

Her role varies from leading internal functions for fully outsourced engagements to acting as engagement partner for co-sourced engagements and as a mentor for in-house Heads of Internal Audit.

Jess has a wealth of knowledge of best practice governance, risk management and internal controls built up over the last 23 years.

Rob Worrell

Chief Executive Officer

Everywhen

 

 

 

Rob Worrell is the Chief Executive Officer of Everywhen, formerly Ardonagh’s Advisory platform, which encompasses four strategic quadrants: General Insurance, Employee Benefits, MGAs and Networks, with influence of over £5bn+ of Gross Written Premium, and over 5000 employees.

With a career spanning over three decades in the insurance sector, Rob brings a wealth of experience and entrepreneurial insight. Rob began his journey in insurance as a founding partner of The Insurance Partnership in 1993. His leadership trajectory continued as CEO of Jelf General Insurance, following its acquisition by Marsh. Rob holds the ACII qualification and is a Chartered Insurance Broker, underscoring his technical expertise and commitment to industry standards.

Beyond insurance, Rob holds a diverse portfolio via his investment company across sectors including property, estate agency, legal, education, and manufacturing.

Rob is dedicated to coaching and mentoring the next generation of leaders, leveraging his extensive experience to provide guidance and support. He is also deeply committed to charitable and vocational initiatives, championing causes that give back to the community.

A passionate advocate for ESG investing, Rob personally supports and invests in sustainable ventures that drive meaningful change. His dedication to ethical leadership and community engagement is a hallmark of his professional ethos.