The CIPD Branch in Northern Ireland’s annual meeting

We are excited to announce that our annual meeting will be taking place on Thursday, 4 June from 17:30 - 19:35 in the beautiful surroundings of the Grand Central Hotel Belfast.

Attendees will hear about the fantastic work that the branch have carried out over the past year, including the finance report and the election and appointment of officers for the coming year and an opportunity to hear about priorities and plans for the year ahead.

We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be an informative event, with opportunity for networking with other people professionals on what we hope will be a sunny midsummer's evening! We are also thrilled to welcome our distinguished guest speakers, Mark McAllister and Michael Youd. Mark will lead an engaging discussion on the evolving employment law landscape and Michael will be discussing networking and the benefits of being a volunteer with CIPD.

About the speakers

Mark McAllister, Chief Executive Officer at The Labour Relations Agency

Mark McAllister is Chief Executive Officer of the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) for Northern Ireland, having been appointed to the role in October 2024. An academic employment lawyer by background, he previously served as the LRA’s Director of Employment Relations Services and brings over 20 years’ experience in dispute prevention, resolution and employment relations across local, national and international contexts.

A former regional trade union negotiator, Mark is also a part‑time lecturer at Ulster University and a regular speaker and author on employment law and industrial relations. As CEO, he is focused on strengthening preventative workplace practices and supporting positive, productive employment relationships across Northern Ireland.

Michael Youd, MSc, BA (Hons), Chartered FCIPD

Michael Youd is an experienced senior HR practitioner with over 18 years industry experience across the private, public and third sectors. His roles have included managing a national sector wide project, managing an HR function across a national organisation and leading a number of local teams. He is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and a active volunteer for the professional body which has included facilitating and leading on different events over the past decade.

Michael has experience of project management, change management, employee relations and industrial relations. He has extensive experience in successful trade union negotiations at a local organisation and national level.

Michael’s experience in change management spans a number of sectors and includes working with senior managers to achieve successful change programmes. Michael has Lean Six Sigma Green Belt to support systems and process changes as part of wider change programmes.

Timings

17:30 to 17:50 - Arrival, registration, networking, tea and coffee

17:50 to 18:30 - Formal Proceedings and speakers Victoria Goodman and Michael Yould

18:30 to 19:00 - Break with finger food, wine & networking

19:00 to 19:30 – Speaker Mark McAlister

19:35 - Event close

Please note:

• Participants will receive a reminder email the day before, with a further reminder on the morning of the event.
• Photography and video production may take place at the event, and these images may be used in the CIPD newsletters.
• By attending the event, participants are giving their consent for their image to be used in CIPD promotional materials.
• If you can no longer attend, please cancel your ticket so someone else can take your place.
• If there is an external speaker, their views will be their own and may not necessarily reflect those of the CIPD.
• If any reasonable adjustments are required, participants are encouraged to make this known and assistance will be provided.

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