Leadership Summit 2026 | Housing / Interrupted

New thinking. Bold moves. Delivering for Wales.

A new Welsh Government gives us an opportunity to rewrite the housing playbook. Housing / Interrupted is your invitation to pause and look at what comes next. Now is the time to make choices that shape the future of Wales.

We have an opportunity to move from a housing emergency to housing recovery – building more homes, improving the ones we have and creating healthier, fairer places for people and communities across the country.

Join us to discuss how we can break traditional habits, embrace unusual ideas, and rethink how we build, invest, and serve our communities.

Empowering the next generation of housing leaders

To empower the next generation of housing leaders and accelerate their professional growth, we have created a Future Leaders ticket.

This ticket, available at a subsidised rate of £295, will give one individual from each housing association in Wales access to tailored conference sessions, exclusive networking opportunities, and dedicated spaces to connect with and learn from peer leaders. 

You can submit your nomination here.

Draft programme

8.30am Registration, Networking and exhibition viewing

10.00am Chair’s Welcome

10.10am Scene setting | Welcome to the new frontier

The new political landscape is redefining the rules of engagement. This opening address unpacks the current dynamics in Welsh politics and sets the scene for the bold moves we need to build, invest, and serve communities across Wales.

10.30am Keynote (TBC)

10.50am Keynote | How strong values help the economy

This is not your traditional business talk. We will analyse global, UK, and Welsh trends, but also explore how economic strategies like investing with purpose and promoting community wealth building can turn volatility into opportunity. Discover how housing associations can position themselves not just as safety nets, but as primary drivers of sustainable economic growth.
 

11.20am Panel | Building trust and making an impact

Public expectations are changing, the media is more and more fragmented and political discourse is increasingly complex. How do social purpose organisations maintain public trust and stay true to their core values while effectively influencing decision-makers? 

This session will help you understand how to ‘read the room’, build trust and create lasting impact.

11.50am Coffee break, networking and exhibition viewing

12.30pm Workshops

1) The Pitch Room: Getting leaders to listen

Housing recovery demands radically different ideas, but how do you actually cut through the layers of executive governance and steer leaders away from the ‘safe thinking’ zone? Bring your boldest concepts to this fun session - the more disruptive, the better! - and learn how to get innovative strategies heard, backed, and delivered.
 

2) Leading through values

Real social purpose should be much more than a policy on a shelf. This hands-on workshop gives you practical tips to embed the core values of your organisation into everyday work and help staff deliver services in a way that feels authentic and stays true to your mission. 
 

3) A modern approach to sustaining tenancies

Executive and board conversations usually focus on property investment and workforce challenges, but the long-term resilience of housing associations depends on how well we address the needs of our residents, which are becoming more and more complex, and how we support them to thrive.

As the new homelessness legislation reshapes the sector, this session offers a practical look at how housing leaders can transform the way frontline staff approach tenancy sustainment. Discover how focusing on what’s strong and not what’s wrong builds resident capability, drives down arrears and tenancy failures, and unlocks valuable partnerships with health and social care.
 

4) European innovation: Lessons for Welsh housing

Across Europe, pioneering public housing models offer fresh inspiration for overcoming funding constraints, land shortages, and supply bottlenecks. This workshop looks at bold strategies from Vienna’s social housing infrastructure to Scandinavian eco-developments— and discusses what Welsh housing associations can do to build better, faster, and smarter.
 

13.15pm Lunch, networking and exhibition viewing

14.10pm Debate | Can we do it all?

The new Welsh Government has set big goals, which leaves housing associations with tough choices to make. To solve this, we need to completely change our approach. In this high-energy debate, three sector leaders will propose strategies on working together in new ways, using fresh ideas and offering different types of services. You will then have the opportunity to ask questions and join the debate.

14.55pm Coffee break, networking and exhibition viewing

15.40pm  Workshops

1) Demystifying the Boardroom: How big decisions are made

For future leaders, understanding how boards work is crucial to progress in their career. But what actually happens in boardrooms can often feel like a mystery. In this session, you will learn how board members and executive teams work together to make big, long-term strategic decisions. Hear firsthand from experienced sector chairs and recent Pathway to Board graduates about what it really takes to contribute to governance, influence strategy, and step confidently into board roles.

2) Teams under pressure: Supporting your people in times of change

Frontline housing teams are feeling the impact of constant change in government and the reality of everyday work, making workforce resilience a top priority. Grounded in practical occupational psychology, this workshop gives leaders actionable tools to mitigate fatigue, protect staff wellbeing, and maintain a clear sense of purpose through difficult change.

3) The transformation dilemma: Renew or rebuild?

As time passes, net-zero requirements become stricter and maintenance costs rise, housing directors are thinking about the long-term future of older properties. How do we balance the need to invest in the renewal of aging estates with the need to build modern, energy-efficient homes that truly serve future generations? In this session,  leaders share the real-world frameworks, financial metrics, and board conversations behind their estate transformation strategies—exploring how we ensure every home in Wales remains safe, sustainable, and fit for purpose.

4) Future-Proofing Tenant Skills in an Automated Age

To build a better future for Wales, we need to make sure tenants aren't left behind as technology and automation change how we work. It’s not just about jobs disappearing—it’s about making sure residents are ready for new opportunities across the economy. Designed for housing leaders who want to find new ways of creating social impact, this session looks at what job readiness means in a world powered by AI. We will explore how housing associations can step in to help—supporting tenants to learn basic AI skills, build important human strengths, and gain long-term job security.

16.30pm Fireside chat - Leading under pressure: Purpose, power, and decision-making

How do exceptional leaders deal with extreme adversity, stay anchored in their core purpose, and make clear decisions under intense pressure? In this intimate fireside chat, Community Housing Cymru’s Deputy Chief Executive, Clarissa Corbisiero, sits down with a prominent leader to talk about real-life experiences in leadership. From overcoming difficult personal struggles to changing whole systems and leading teams through tough situations, this talk offers inspiring, real-world lessons on leading with honesty, strength, and purpose when it counts the most.

17.00pm Chair’s reflections

17.00pm Conference close