9/04/2026
The IEP is delighted to announce Matthew Taylor CBE, as the Summit’s second confirmed speaker, a name that will need little introduction to anyone working in employment rights, labour market policy or workforce reform.
Matthew is currently Chair of the Fair Work Agency and is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading voices on employment rights. He is best known for leading the landmark Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices, published in 2017, which shaped subsequent UK labour market reforms – including those currently being implemented through the Employment Rights Act. His contribution to this work was recognised in the 2019 Birthday Honours, when he was appointed a CBE.
Most recently, Matthew served as Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation from 2021. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), which he transformed into a global institution with 30,000 fellows and an influential research programme. Earlier in his career, he was Chief Adviser on Political Strategy to Prime Minister Tony Blair and Director of the Institute for Public Policy Research.
Matthew is also a regular public commentator on policy issues, including as a panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Moral Maze.
His session will bring direct insight from the heart of UK labour market reform at a time when the sector is navigating profound change.
Matthew joins journalist and FT associate editor Sarah O’Connor on the speaker roster. Sarah, who returns to the IEP Summit stage by popular demand following her acclaimed appearance in 2023, writes a weekly column on work, technology, economics and society for the Financial Times. She will be speaking fresh from the publication of her new book, We Are Not Machines: The Fight for the Future of Work, 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 in the coming weeks.
Book your ticket now: https://events.myiep.uk/events/instituteofemployabilityprofessionals/1793231