Northern Independent Consultants: Panel discussion

As an Independent Consultant, navigating complex organisational dynamics can sometimes mean facing challenging behaviours, blurred boundaries, or even risks to your wellbeing. This session will explore how ICs can safeguard themselves while maintaining professionalism, credibility, and impact.

Through expert insights and shared experiences, we’ll look at:

• Common challenges faced by ICs and how to address them effectively
• Practical strategies such as robust contracts, clear KPIs, record keeping, and upfront contracting
• Ways to protect your mental wellbeing while staying resilient and professional
• Real-life examples of maintaining boundaries in the face of pressure

The session will include a panel discussion with expert speakers who will be sharing their insights as experienced Independent Consultants.

Are you an independent HR or L&D consultant operating in the North of England? Would you like to meet other like-minded independent consultants and share challenges and ideas for better ways of working?

We’re a friendly bunch and we love to hear fresh ideas and what’s working well for you in your role – and with your clients – and what isn’t. Together, we provide a safe space to offer each other advice, peer-to-peer support, and signpost you to helpful CIPD research and resources.

Purpose of the IC Network

• Meet and build relationships with other northern independent consultants
• Keep up-to-date with the latest CIPD research and resources
• Gain advice/insight from the northern independent consultant community
• Develop your support network

To join the network in the North: https://forms.office.com/e/fBfDWUQmGp

Chair: Michael Millward

2025 marks the 44 anniversary of Michael Millward’s career in HR. During those 44 years Michael has worked in every size and type of organisation from hi tech and e-commerce start-ups to major conglomerates. He started his career in Harrogate and returned to Yorkshire after working on five continents. He now leads Abeceder a HR services and software company. Career highlights include working with The Simpsons to create health and safety education resources featuring characters from the hit TV series, establishing a corporate university for a Hi-Tech company in North America, and being one of the early implementors of Investors in People.

Michael hosts four podcasts The Independent Minds, Fit For My Age, Rest and Recreation, and The Abeceder Quotation Conversations, that are produced by Abeceder.

He volunteered as the chair of the CIPD North Yorkshire branch for six years, and as a National Council Member for 8 years. He currently volunteers for the Institute as a member of the Professional Standards Investigation Team.

Michael also volunteers as the Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses National Scrutiny Body and as a member of the British Chamber of Commerce Employment Advisory Panel.

Panellist:

Sarah Harvey is the founder of boutique consultancy Savvy Conversations, a leadership coach, facilitator, and author of Savvy Conversations: A practical framework for effective workplace relationships.

With nearly 40 years’ experience in HR, organisational psychology and leadership development, Sarah helps leaders, teams, and HR professionals tackle the conversations that matter most, without losing the human touch. Her clients span the public, private, and charity sectors, and she’s known for blending deep expertise with warmth, straight-talking, and practical tools and techniques.

Sarah is passionate about leading with credibility, developing high performing teams through enhanced communications, transforming conflict into opportunities for growth and learning, and building resilient workplace cultures where people thrive together.

• Website
• LinkedIn

Maria Bostock

Maria Bostock is the founder of Reframe to Sustain, an Energy-Smart Change Leadership™ specialist, speaker, and author of Radical Mental Energy Protection, with her new book The Energy Rhythm of Change launching in October.

With over 20 years in senior leadership and transformation roles, she works with leaders and teams to build resilience and agility through the human side of change, helping people sustain their energy and thrive even when the pace feels relentless.

Maria is known for her honest and compassionate approach, bringing energy to life in ways that are both practical and human. With deep experience across transformation and wellbeing, she supports people to protect what matters, restore what’s depleted, and build the steadiness to show up well under pressure. For her, thriving is not an aspiration but the minimum expectation of working life.

• Website
• LinkedIn

Please note:

1. Webinar joining instructions will be sent to you again 1 day before the event, with a further reminder 20 minutes prior to the event starting.
2. The session may be recorded and shared with people afterwards. Please bear this in mind and have your camera off if you do not wish for your image to be shared.
3. The chat function will be used for participants to engage with the webinar, so just be mindful of the login name you use and ensure you are happy for other people to see this.
4. For security reasons, it is requested that participants join the live session 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and with the same name as registered on Eventbrite - not doing so may cause a delay or non-admittance to the event.
5. This event may include an external speaker who has prepared their own presentation. Any views or opinions expressed by the speaker are their own and do not reflect those of the CIPD.
6. If you require any reasonable adjustments to enhance your experience, please get in contact with us by responding to this email and we will do our best to accommodate.