Lesley is a Partner in Kennedys' Celtic Team. Her practice focuses on public sector, third sector and blue light issues. She regularly acts for local authorities, care service providers, educational, and charitable organisations. Lesley has acted for clients in a wide range of social care and safeguarding issues, including claims related to moving and handling, management of challenging behaviours, historical abuse claims, and fatal accident inquiries. Lesley has represented clients in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, and advised clients on potential engagement in the Redress Scheme, which offers an alternative to litigation for survivors of historical child abuse. Lesley has a particular interest in freedom of information and is certified by the Law Society of Scotland in data protection law.
2: Hot off the press - legal update Monday @ 11:30 AM
Arunava (Arun) Banerjee is the Cyber Risk Consulting Lead for Zurich Resilience Solutions at Zurich Insurance UK, where he leads the Zurich's cyber risk and resilience consulting services across the UK. He works with organisations to strengthen cyber resilience, manage emerging technology risks and improve their preparedness for an increasingly complex threat landscape. Arun also provides Cyber Risk Engineering support and underwriting assurance for large and complex risks, working closely with underwriters across Zurich's global business.
With about 20 years of experience in cybersecurity, risk management and operational resilience, Arun specialises in cyber risk quantification, cyber strategy, governance, third-party risk management and incident response preparedness.
Prior to joining Zurich, Arun was Cyber Security Manager at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, one of the largest health boards in Europe. This experience provided him with extensive expertise in public sector and healthcare cybersecurity, together with a deep understanding of the resilience challenges faced by critical service providers and essential public services.
Arun holds a Master's degree in Business and Management and is certified in CISM, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer, PRINCE2 Practitioner and ITIL. A recognised cyber risk thought leader, he regularly speaks at major industry events including AIRMIC, CIPFA, ALARM and the e-Crime & Cybersecurity Congress, and contributes articles and insights to leading industry publications, including ISACA.
In 2025, Arun was named a finalist in the Scottish Cyber Awards' Cyber Evangelist of the Year category in recognition of his contribution to advancing cyber resilience and cyber risk awareness across industry sectors.
8A (risk): Artificial intelligence - risk, resilience and reward Tuesday @ 11:45 AM
Neil has been a valued member of Zurich since 2012, when he joined as a Claims Inspector. With a wealth of experience in the industry dating back to 1999, he has held various roles, including that of a Counter Fraud Investigator.
Since 2018, Neil has been part of Zurich Municipal, initially focusing on our Charities and Social Organisations in Scotland. He later transitioned to our Public Services team, where he plays a crucial role in supporting large municipal and unitary authorities with their insurance and risk management programs.
3B (insurance): Strategic value insurance Monday @ 1:15 PM
Debbie is a Senior Associate and accredited specialist in personal injury law, having joined DWF from Clyde & Co in May 2020. Her specific areas of expertise include fraud and mainstream employers' liability, public liability and road traffic accident claims. Debbie has spent her 20 year career dealing with defender reparation work and appears regularly in courts throughout Scotland.
4B (insurance): AI in claims - opportunities, risks and reality Monday @ 2:15 PM
Matt has been working in the Insurance Industry since 2006 and most of that time in an Underwriting capacity. Gaining experience from working in General Mid-Market Commercial Insurance for 6 years and was also involved in a business development analytics role for a short period. Matt then moved into the Public Sector Insurance Underwriting in 2016 and has built upon his underwriting and market knowledge within this area. Matt has a responsibility for the development of Maven Public Sector services whilst maintaining an underwriting focus in day-to-day tender and policy activity. Matt fulfils a leadership role within the Maven Public Sector team to provide support on all the main cover types. In addition, he retains responsibility for our existing client book and regularly meets with clients and brokers to oversee and maintain service quality.
7: Climate and resilience panel Tuesday @ 10:45 AM
6: Career insights with Phil Farrar Tuesday @ 9:30 AM
4B (insurance): AI in claims - opportunities, risks and reality Monday @ 2:15 PM
3A (risk): Geopolitical and other risks impacting on large infrastructure and other capital projects Monday @ 1:15 PM
9: Cyber attack - lived example Tuesday @ 1:30 PM
Julia Reffell is Managing Director, Public Sector Practice at Marsh. Julia leads a specialist team that delivers risk management and insurance solutions for public sector organisations and social housing providers.
Marsh offers a comprehensive range of risk management and insurance broking services, whilst working in close partnership with each client to deliver a programme tailored to individual needs.
5: Local government reform and future public sector reform - what these changes mean for Scotland Monday @ 3:30 PM
Chris is a Senior Associate in the Catastrophic Injury and Large Loss team Clyde & Co’s Edinburgh office. He advises insurer clients on employer’s’ liability and public liability claims and is particularly experienced in representing local authorities and public bodies in complex and high-value matters.
Chris’ caseload covers “niche” claims under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the UKGDPR, as well as public law work in the Court of Session. He regularly appears in the All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury court on behalf of defenders.
8B (insurance): Awaab's Law in Scotland Tuesday @ 11:45 AM
Ian Taylor is the Emergency Planning & Resilience Advisor for Shetland Islands Council, where he leads and supports the council's preparedness, response, and resilience activities across the Shetland Islands. In this role, he is responsible for helping ensure the council meets its statutory duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and associated Scottish regulations, working with partner agencies and local communities to strengthen resilience against a wide range of emergencies and disruptions.
Ian has spent over two decades serving Shetland Islands Council. He began his local government career as an Assistant Environmental Health Officer in 2004 before moving into the dedicated resilience and emergency planning function in 2024. His experience spans environmental health, public safety, risk management, business continuity, emergency response, and partnership working.
Ian holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Environmental Health from the University of Derby, awarded with Merit, together with the REHIS Diploma in Environmental Health and a NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety. He previously graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management before commencing a career in commercial baking in the late 1990s. His broad educational background spans environmental health, occupational health and safety, operational management, and public service, providing a unique blend of technical expertise and practical leadership experience.
As a resilience professional, Ian works closely with emergency services, transport operators, government agencies, and community partners to prepare for and manage incidents affecting the islands. His work includes emergency planning, training and exercising, risk assessment, community resilience initiatives, and supporting effective responses to severe weather, infrastructure disruptions, public safety incidents, and other civil contingencies.
As a Shetlander, Ian combines strong local knowledge with extensive professional experience to help safeguard island communities and promote resilience across Shetland. His commitment to public service and emergency preparedness supports the council's mission of protecting residents, infrastructure, and essential services in one of Scotland's most unique and remote environments.
1: Shetland in space Monday @ 9:45 AM
Alison is a Partner in the Catastrophic Injury and Large Loss team in Clyde & Co’s Edinburgh office. She specialises in defending catastrophic personal injury actions, including employers’ liability, public liability and road traffic claims.
Alison has over a decade of experience in representing insurer, commercial and public sector clients, mainly in the Court of Session and All Scotland Personal Injury Court.
She has also developed a practice acting for public bodies in Judicial Review proceedings
8B (insurance): Awaab's Law in Scotland Tuesday @ 11:45 AM
