November 21 2024
Church House, Westminster
About the conference
This one-day event will be attended by 200+ government departments, manufacturers, retailers, importers, lawyers, fire and rescue services, and test houses.
The theme for the event is Time for Change, exploring the key trends impacting the electrical product industry.
We will investigate critical issues, offer solutions, and share insights on the growing need for electrical product innovation to help the UK successfully transition to a net zero future. .
A range of engaging presentations, panel discussions and fireside chats will cover topics from the impact of changes in government on risk and enforcement to Keeping safety at the forefront of net zero progress, a look at the changing tide of global markets as well as looking forward to what changes we see on the horizon.
Agenda
Hosts
Martyn Allen, Technical Director, Electrical Safety First
Martyn leads the charity’s electrotechnical team as an impartial centre of excellence for the safety of electrical installations and products – including representing consumer safety interests on a range of British, European and International Committees.
Originally trained as an underground electrician with British Coal, he worked in engineering risk management with Royal and Sun Alliance for 16 years before joining the Electrical Safety Council (the forerunner of Electrical Safety First) in 2006.
He is a chartered electrical engineer and corporate member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Lesley Rudd, CEO, Electrical Safety First
Lesley has worked in the energy industry throughout her career. Starting originally with British Gas in Newcastle she moved to London and worked on both gas and power projects in the UK and abroad. She later joined the Sustainable Energy Association, where she spent around eight years campaigning on sustainability and Net Zero, before joining Electrical Safety First in 2020 – a place where she was able to combine her twin passions for safety and sustainability.
Lesley was awarded an Order of the British Empire Medal in the 2020 New Year Honours list for services to UK energy markets and clean growth.
Susannah Streeter, global financial commentator and former BBC business anchor
Susannah provides award-winning analysis to the world’s media as part of her role as Head of Money and Markets for the UK’s largest retail investment platform, Hargreaves Lansdown.
As BBC anchor, with a career spanning two decades in broadcasting, she presented flagship global business shows on TV and radio, and now speaks at major conferences around the world, focusing on macro-economics, energy, sustainability, defence and artificial intelligence.
Susannah covers seismic changes affecting the retail landscape in the wake of the pandemic, digital shopping trends and sustainability targets.
Susannah is a popular podcaster. She hosts the HL Switch Your Money On investment podcast, presents the Tech Directions podcast with Microsoft and EY, anchored the How to Grow a CMO series, co-hosted the BackSpace and Beyond tech podcast, featured on BBC Radio 2, and was a presenter for the World Business Report podcast on the BBC World Service.
Speakers
Jerry Burnie OBE, Head of Compliance, British Toy & Hobby Association
Jerry heads the toy safety advisory service of the British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) and is chair of their committees for Technical, Sustainability, Toy Retailer Safety Forum, and Regulatory Forum. These committee’s main role is to promote best practice through the support, education, and guidance for BTHA members in relation to safety, compliance, and legal issues. On behalf of the BTHA, Jerry sits on the BSI UK Toy Expert Committees for Toys, Transformers and Electrical Toy Safety.
Since 2018, Jerry has worked on the BTHA’s online marketplace project to try and ensure that toys sold by third party sellers on online marketplaces are safe and in 2023 was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to consumers and business for his work in toy safety.
Jerry previously worked for two of the largest UK supermarkets in safety roles and started work in toy safety in 1989.
Sylvie Gallange-Alwis, Partner, Signature Litigation
Sylvie is both an avocat à la cour in France and a solicitor in England and Wales. She has 15 years’ experience in complex disputes linked to products, namely product liability, product safety toxic tort, mass litigation/class actions, regulatory compliance and environmental/ESG matters. She represents manufacturers across industries including life sciences, automotive, electronic products, cosmetics, energy and food. Sylvie is an active member of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) and the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys (ADTA) and attends International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO) events.
John Herriman, Chief Executive, Chartered Trading Standards Institute
John has worked in a wide variety of regulated industries, from telecoms through to education, and this has provided him with a deep understanding of the importance of effective regulation. His career has also given him a rich diversity of perspective on how different sectors operate, and how they can work together successfully.
Driven by a strong sense of public duty and social purpose, John is driven by the values that sit at the heart of Chartered Trading Standard Institute's (CTSI) work as the professional body for trading standards where he is Chief Executive. He is also consciously aware of the responsibility professional bodies have to use their expertise and experience leading discussions on key issues affecting society.
John is a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London, supporting initiatives to bring communities closer together across the capital. Professionally he is a Chartered Engineer but has also studied extensively across different disciplines and holds a number of fellowships. Externally he is a charity trustee, as well as serving in the Royal Navy as Reservist.
Laura Jamieson, Prevention Co-ordinator, Trading Standards Scotland (COSLA)
Laura has been with COSLA for 14 years and has worked across many teams including Employers, Children and Young People and the Migration, Population and Diversity before joining the team that would become TSS in 2014. Laura leads on the prevention agenda including stakeholder engagement and campaign development.
Laura sits on the CPP Communications Group, the Multi Agency Campaign Group and the Adult Support and Protection National Communications Group. Laura also has a background in intelligence and analysis having previously worked for Strathclyde Police, the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and Strathclyde Fire and Rescue respectively.
Tara Joe, Public Affairs Manager, Electrical Safety First
Tara leads the charity's public affairs team for Westminster. She has worked in politics throughout her career, starting as a Senior Parliamentary Researcher for a Member of Parliament. Prior to joining Electrical Safety First, she worked in agencies delivering strategic public affairs advice to a range of clients across sustainability, housing and technology sectors.
Samuel Lawton, Senior Scientist, Exponent. Ph.D., CSci, MIMMM
Samuel is an expert in batteries and energy storage with extensive experience in failure analysis, pack design, quality evaluation, factory auditing, and thermal testing and cell testing. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry and is currently a Senior Scientist at Exponent, where he leads complex projects focused on battery performance and safety.
In his role, Samuel specializes in root cause failure analysis, thermal event investigations, and product validation. He is proficient in X-ray computed tomography, non-destructive and destructive cell testing, and bespoke abuse testing. His previous work at OXIS Energy Ltd included developing novel anode protections and unique cathode materials for advanced battery systems.
Niamh McBride, Local Authority and Environmental Partnerships Manager, Material Focus
Niamh leads the local authority and environmental partnerships at Material Focus, the not-for-profit leading the UK wide Recycle Your Electricals behaviour change campaign. Her work helps drive the organisation’s mission to make it easier for millions of people in the UK to fix, donate and recycle their old and unwanted electricals.
At Material Focus, Niamh oversees numerous partnerships aimed at increasing public awareness, enhancing consumer, retailer and producer education and participation in making it easier for the public to recycle their electricals. Her work has led to the development of a number of successful partnership campaigns with local authorities across the UK, that have significantly helped boost public awareness and understanding of electrical recycling.
Sarah Smith, Deputy Chief Executive, Office for Product Safety and Standards, Department for Business and Trade
Sarah is the Deputy Chief Executive of the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business & Trade. She leads the UK Government’s approach to product regulation and market surveillance, and legal metrology, including administering new sovereign functions such as designating standards and operating regulatory approvals processes and leading the programme on ports and borders interventions.
Sarah has worked extensively with policy departments and regulators in the UK and overseas as a technical expert, and frequently delivers keynote speeches and panel sessions at national and international conferences and events. Prior to joining the Civil Service, Sarah was a trading standards professional working in the local government sector in a variety of leadership, policy and operational roles. Sarah is a member of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. She received the OBE for services to businesses and consumers in 2019.
Claire Temple, Partner, Cooley (UK) LLP
Claire is a partner in Cooley’s product compliance and liability team. She specialises in advising clients on regulatory risk, compliance and litigation issues. She helps clients who deal with products and consumers.
Claire works with them to help bring both digital and physical products to market, advising on labelling, packaging, regulatory approvals and engaging with regulators and consumers. She also has significant expertise in coordinating and delivering business critical international regulatory and compliance advice and delivering complex multi-jurisdictional projects.
Wolfgang Weber, Senior Director, Global Head of Regulatory, Legal Council and Business Ethics Officer, Ebay
And many more to be announced.
Interested in event speaking opportunities?
Electrical Safety First’s ‘Electrical Product Safety Conference’ is the leading annual industry event, bringing together experts and leaders to explore critical issues, solutions and insight into safer electrical products – from conception, through manufacture and production to sale.
The conference is attended by designers, retailers, manufacturers, product testing houses, regulators, trading standards, Government bodies and safety experts.
We encourage our speakers not only to share their best practice cases, but also to look to the future on upcoming developments the electrical product sector.
The event is a platform for speakers to share expertise, future-proof their business, get feedback about ideas from fellow professionals and meet potential clients.
If you or anyone you know is interested in speaking at the event please get in touch by emailing ellen.vester@electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
Key questions
Why should I attend?
Our speakers share their best practice cases and look to the future on upcoming developments in the sector. If you want to see safety and resilience develop in your business and get feedback about your ideas from fellow professionals, this is the right place to do it.
Who is it for?
Government departments, manufacturers, retailers, importers, lawyers, fire and rescue services, and test houses.
How can I register?
You can register by visiting the booking page.
Can I bring a guest?
Yes, but your guest would need to also register – we have two for one offers to take advantage of.
What happens if I cannot attend?
We regret that we are unable to issue refunds. If you cannot attend, please tell us as soon as possible - your ticket may also be given to a colleague.
Who do I contact with any questions?
Please email ellen.vester@electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
Sponsorship
For sponsorship opportunities please contact ellen.vester@electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
Marketing Partners
Testimonials
It was a thoroughly enjoyable day, a great group of people and a really well thought through series of panels, presentations and discussions.
Katie Prescott, The Times
The conference was excellent and my thanks to all the presenters and organisers.
Peter Brownhill, YotoPlay
Every attendee within TS I have spoken with thought it was the best event of the year. What I like about the event is that you have people from industry who really share their passion for the products they are responsible for. It is a wonderful opportunity for those involved in manufacturing, engineering, promotion, and regulation to share best practice.
Cenred Elworthy, Trading Standards, Royal Borough of Greenwich
I think this event was the best one yet! The format worked well, and the narrative flowed from previous conferences and across the panels / speakers very well.
You had a good mix of experts on the panel and I love Slido for questions.
Judith Peacock, Currys