BIMA Breakfast | Inclusion for Impact: Organisational Resilience 2026

This is a BIMA event. For more information on becoming a BIMA Member visit the BIMA Site or email web@bima.co.uk.

Organisational Resilience: Culture, Clients, and The Inclusion Imperative for 2026

The agency landscape is evolving rapidly. Rising client expectations around responsible delivery, culture standards, wellbeing, and ESG are reshaping what it means to lead people, win & deliver work, and maintain trust in 2026. At the same time, the workforce is demanding safer, more inclusive, and more transparent environments—placing agency leadership under growing scrutiny.

This event brings together senior leaders from across the BIMA community to explore how culture of inclusion is driving measurable business impact, how expectations are shifting, and what agencies need to prepare for next.
You’ll hear directly from Annabelle Walters, Chief People Officer at Jellyfish, sharing real-world insights into leading people, culture, and inclusion in a global agency environment well.

We’ll then follow with a short expert briefing on the latest legislative changes linked to the Employment Rights Act from Carlene Nicol, Employment Lawyer at Burges Salmon—including updates that will disproportionately affect agency teams due to the industry’s uniquely client-facing nature.

Why Attend?
This session is designed for People Leaders, Senior Sponsors, founders, and agency leaders who want to understand:

• How the agency world is changing and what this means for people, culture, and leadership
• What inclusive leadership looks like in 2026, and how it’s shaping commercial outcomes
• How new legislation will uniquely impact agencies, particularly due to client exposure, project-based delivery, and historically inconsistent policy application
• The expectations clients are now placing on agencies, from ESG to culture to responsible delivery
• How leading agencies are responding, adapting, and staying competitive

The Agenda
08.30 (45mins) Welcome – coffees pastries & networking
09:15 (10min) Welcome & scene setting
09.30 (30min) An inspirational talk from an industry leader: Inclusion for Impact.
10.00 (15mins) Talk on ERA – NDAs, Harassment, 3rd party harassment & menopause action plans, a short talk from employment law specialist Carlene Nicol on the shifting employment law landscape and how to get ready.
10.15 (5 mins) Close & thanks
10.20- 10.45 Networking

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