A blog by Mark McAllister
Chair, Office for Nuclear Regulation 
PCF Management Committee and Chairs’ Challenge Host 

The next Chairs’ Challenge will take place on 20 June following five successful sessions since the series was first launched in October 2021.

These quarterly sessions provide a valuable space for public body chairs to think through relevant issues, learn from peers and explore solutions, with sessions held under Chatham House rule to ensure an open conversation.

The session in June will focus on how public sector leaders can work in partnership with the private sector to deliver change. This collaboration is vital for our mutual success, with each sector bringing its own particular strengths. The question for leaders is choosing the right model for delivery at the right time, and understanding where each organisation sits within the wider landscape.

Drawing on my own experience, within ONR we have effectively collaborated with private sector organisations to establish technical support contracts that address areas where gaining in-house expertise would not be practical. In my role as Chair of the Oasis Charitable Trust, I have also overseen a service ‘changing hands’ from a commercial organisation to Oasis. In both instances, careful consideration of the correct approach at a particular time have led to success.

As in previous sessions, we will welcome two excellent guest speakers with extensive relevant experience to share. Kate Ellis, Chair of the Oil and Pipelines Agency, will share how she moved from a career in the private sector to executive roles within the public sector (including the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority), and the insight this has given her. Jane Hanson CBE will bring a wealth of experience as a non-executive director of private sector, public sector and charity organisations, including her current role as Chair of the Reclaim Fund.

Further Chairs’ Challenge sessions are planned for later in the year, exploring various aspects of how public body chairs can influence change in their organisations. The session in September will cover ‘Government in transition.’

I would encourage all chairs of public bodies to attend these sessions and to suggest topics for discussion on which they would benefit from hearing the perspectives of others. Chairs’ Challenge is an opportunity to share your experience and gain from the experience of others, discussing relevant ideas and generating actions to make an impact across the public sector.

As a forum to stimulate change, Chairs’ Challenge relies on the contributions of our attendees, which have been of a consistently high standard so far. I am looking forward to seeing where the conversation takes us in our forthcoming sessions.

PCF Chairs’ Challenge sessions are available exclusively to public body chairs. Register now for our next session on 20 June, 10:00 – 11:30.