Event Information

Ruth Busby, is the People and Transformation Director for Great Western Railway (GWR), leading the people agenda with a focus on engagement, kindness, inclusion and diversity, and health and wellbeing. Ruth is involved in a number of industry wide activities including Rail Wellbeing Live and the Women in Rail and RIA Equality Diversity and Inclusion Charter. She is also co-Chair of Women in Rail South.

Ruth joined GWR in March 2018, from the Atomic Weapons Establishment, and held leadership roles in Higher Education, and the Civil Service, where she started her career in policy development. A qualified coach, Ruth has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in employee relations, inclusion and diversity, leading organisational change, policy and employee reward.

Anj Handa is the Founder of global changemaker community Inspiring Women Changemakers. Named in the Charity Times 2023 International Women’s Day list for the capacity-building she undertakes with grassroots organisations and for her passion to grow and develop charity trustees, she has also been recognised by Forbes as one of 10 Diversity & Inclusion Trailblazers You Need to Get Familiar With. A skilled trainer and facilitator in DEI, leadership and good governance, Anj is also Course Director for Getting on Board’s flagship Charity Board Leadership Programme and an Associate of funders Smallwood Trust and Rosa Fund.

Anj has 20 years’ experience of board participation, including six years as the Chair of an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, Freedom Studios and eight years as an Independent Governor of Leeds Arts University, where she was also Chair of the Search & Selection Committee and an ex officio member of the Renumeration Committee. As a former member of the Leeds City Region ESIF Board and as a freelance lead appraiser for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, she has had oversight of multiple capital and revenue projects, large and small, including Leeds Arts University’s £22 million new build project.

Having completed the Institute of Directors’ Certificate in Company Direction and with training in charity Governance and the Nolan Principles, she brings a wealth of experience, contacts and tried and tested models and resources to support organisations. Anj specialises in guiding boards and senior leadership teams though periods of change and has first-hand experience of leading Freedom Studios through significant change and challenging circumstances to a strong financial position.

Sue is a partner within our charities and social economy team at Wrigleys

Sue advises charities and other not for profit, voluntary and community organisations and social enterprises on all aspects of employment law including strategic issues involving TUPE and restructuring.

Sue has experience of advising on severance packages and on senior executive service agreements. She also represents employers throughout the Employment Tribunal process.

She manages Wrigleys HR Response, our telephone and email employment law helpline for charities including academies and independent schools.

Alacoque is a partner in our charities and social economy team.

Alacoque specialises in working with third sector and education sector clients on all aspects of employment law. She advises on complex employee relations issues, employment status, policies and procedures, employment contracts, settlement agreements and the defence of tribunal claims, including holiday pay, discrimination, whistle-blowing and trade union related claims. Alacoque also advises on redundancy and restructure projects and on TUPE transfers, including the requirements of collective consultation.

She has a particular interest in equality law and has considerable experience of the realities of managing staff and resources within the education and public sectors.

Alacoque edits Wrigleys’ monthly Employment Law Bulletin and regularly speaks on employment law and HR topics.

Michael is an associate within our charities and social economy team at Wrigleys Solicitors LLP.

Michael has experience working with employer clients across the charity, third, education and private sectors on a variety of employment matters from boardroom disputes and senior terminations to advising on the employment aspects of mergers and restructures and helping clients navigate employment tribunal claims and internal investigations.

Michael has experience helping organisations to grow by advising on draft contracts as well as assisting with the development of robust internal policies and procedures and also has experience advising clients on how to deal with Data Subject Access Requests.

A regular speaker at Wrigleys’ Employment Law Brunch Briefings, Michael aims to orientate listeners so that they can navigate complex topics, with a focus on helping to identify problem areas and the key issues so that appropriate advice can be taken at the right time.

Nick is an associate in our charities and social economy team at Wrigleys

Nick joined Wrigleys in 2016 as a trainee and qualified as a solicitor in September 2018. In his time with Wrigleys, Nick has advised charities and students unions on a wide range of charity and commercial law issues.

Nick has a particular interest in data protection law as it applies to charities and students unions. Nick regularly advises on data protection issues and delivers training internally and externally on the subject. Nick is one of the firm’s data protection representatives responsible for the firm’s own data protection compliance.

Nick is a member of the Charity Law Association. 

Chris has over 25 years' experience of advising charities and social enterprises and leads the employment team at Wrigleys

Chris is a member of the Charity Law Association, Education Law Association and the Employment Lawyers Association. 

Chris advises on a wide range of issues including governance, contracts, data protection and employment matters. His particular work at present focuses on education charities, including schools and academies.

Chris is an academy governor at an outstanding secondary school and a trustee of a local charity looking to build a new community sports and social club.