We are delighted to announce that Barbara Bennett, Chief Executive and Director General of the Jobs and Careers Service Operations at the Department for Work and Pensions, will be our first keynote speaker at this year’s IEP Summit 2026 which takes place on 11 June at 116 Pall Mall, London, sponsored by City and Guilds.
Opening the day, she will provide insights into the Department for Work and Pensions’ operational priorities, alongside her expectations of partnership working between Jobcentres, employability providers, local communities and other important stakeholders.
Barbara is responsible for the day-to-day running of Universal Credit and Working Age operations via Jobcentres and Service Centres, the provision of all Working Age face-to-face services through Jobcentres, and the leadership of Jobcentre Plus as it transitions into the new Jobs and Careers Service – a critical delivery strand of the government’s plan to Get Britain Working.
Barbara was appointed Chief Executive and Director General of Jobs and Careers Service Operations in March 2025, having previously served as Director General, Operations. She has had a career in both the public and private sectors, leading, advising and delivering services for many Whitehall departments. She began her career at IBM before moving to Serco, where she led service delivery activities for the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Before joining the department, she served as Public Services Partner at PA Consulting, a wide-ranging role that included providing critical support for Test and Trace during the pandemic.
Barbara joins our other already-confirmed expert speakers ahead of the Summit –
Matthew Taylor CBE, Chair of the Fair Work Agency, is one of the UK’s leading voices on employment rights and labour market policy. He is best known for leading the landmark Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices, which shaped subsequent UK labour market reforms including those being implemented through the Employment Rights Act.
His previous roles include Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation and the RSA, and Chief Adviser on Political Strategy to Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Sarah O’Connor, Journalist and Associate Editor at the Financial Times, returns to the IEP Summit stage by popular demand following her acclaimed appearance in 2023. Sarah writes a weekly column on work, technology, economics and society, and will be speaking fresh from the publication of her new book, We Are Not Machines: The Fight for the Future of Wo, due out on 4 June 2026 – just one week before the Summit.
Book Your Place
This year’s theme is Thriving in Tomorrow’s Labour Market, bringing together Employability Professionals, policymakers and sector leaders to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of work.
Tickets are selling fast and places are limited. Last year’s Summit drew delegates from the UK and internationally, including attendees from the USA, Canada, Australia and Sweden.
An evening Networking Dinner will also take place at The Carlton, 116 Pall Mall, from 6:30pm, kindly sponsored by Get Set UK with pre-dinner drinks sponsored by Elevate Employment Services.
Further speaker announcements will follow soon.
We’re really looking forward to bringing the sector together again for this year’s Summit. It’s shaping up to be one of our most important yet, and we hope you can join us.
👉 Book your ticket to the IEP Summit 2026 here