ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION
WATCH THE VIDEO
CIPP’s Annual Conference and Exhibition
Wow, the CIPP’s Annual Conference and Exhibition (lovingly referred to as ‘ACE’) 2025 was an absolute showstopper. From the very first welcoming message to the last moves on the dancefloor following the Annual Excellence Awards, the education, celebration and collaboration was in abundance. Have a look at some of the highlights, and hold your hats for 2026, which promises to be even bigger and better.
PLENARIES
Plenary one The first plenary of the day consisted of a video message from Angela MacDonald , Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) , followed by an exclusive pre-recorded sit-down interview between Angela and the CIPP’s Policy and Advisory Lead, Samantha O’Sullivan ChFCIPPdip . Here, they discussed HMRC’s plans for the near future, and how the CIPP and pay professionals can help to shape future payroll policy. The message was clear: HMRC wants to engage more with key stakeholders and to involve them earlier on in decision-making. Plenary two Delegates heard from the CIPP’s policy and research team in the second plenary of the day, learning all about : l how the team acts on behalf of CIPP members and the wider profession l what the team has been up to over the past 12 months l the future work they’ll be getting involved in. Plenary three The start of day two saw plenary number three. This highly motivational session was delivered by Caspar Craven , who shared his story of sailing the world with his wife and three children. He focussed on elements of teamwork, leadership and how you can work in a way that makes things happen. Plenary four Paul Chamberlain, Partner and Head of Employment at JMW Solicitors LLP gave a rundown of the Employment Rights Bill, discussing some of the key areas for pay professionals to be
aware of. The Bill includes the introduction of enhanced rights for gig economy workers and strengthens existing parental leave policies. Therefore, it could have huge implications for the processes pay professionals carry out. Plenaryfive Plenary five, hosted by the CIPP’s Commercial Director, Adrian Goddard ACIPP , saw a panel discussion, focussing on artificial intelligence (AI). The panel included: l Steve Elcock, Director of Product AI, Zellis l Ian Hodson MSc ChFCIPPdip, Director of People and Culture, Housing21 l Ana Laiu MSc FCIPPdip, Director of Pay and Reward, PPHE Hotel Group l Pete Tiliakos, Principal Analyst and Strategic Advisor, Payroll Influences. The conversation centred on what AI means for everyday payroll processing, as participants shared their lived experiences of using it in their roles, along with the benefits AI has brought to their teams. Plenary six The closing plenary of ACE 2025 saw Samantha O’Sullivan discuss policy updates to statutory sick pay (SSP) and the payrolling of benefits with representatives from HMRC and the
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): l Conor Jackson, SSP Policy Lead, DWP l Josh Peggie, Policy Advisor, DWP l Jack Warrior, Head of Income Tax Policy, HMRC.
14 | Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | November 2025 | Issue 115
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker