Next week, we will reveal the programme for the HSMAI Europe Commercial Strategy Conference in London. But there is one piece of news we simply could not wait to share.
In 2027, HSMAI celebrates its 100th anniversary. We want to celebrate this milestone with our community by bringing people to the stage who can genuinely inspire us, challenge our thinking and help prepare us for what comes next.
We are therefore incredibly proud to announce that Mandy Hickson will close our conference on Thursday afternoon, 14 January, at the InterContinental London Park Lane.
Mandy was the first woman to fly the Tornado GR4 on the RAF front line and the only female pilot in her frontline squadron. She flew 45 operational missions over Iraq, making critical decisions under extraordinary pressure and learning first-hand what it takes to build trust, communicate clearly and perform as one team when circumstances are constantly changing.
Her session will be:
Leadership Under Pressure
Building High-Performing Teams When the Rules Keep Changing
Mandy’s story is remarkable, but what makes her so special is the way she translates her experiences into practical and deeply human lessons about leadership, resilience, psychological safety, honest debriefing and learning from mistakes.
As we enter our second century, we cannot think of a more powerful voice to close the day—and to remind us that even in a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI, trust, courage and human judgement remain at the heart of exceptional leadership.
We are so excited to welcome Mandy to our stage and to celebrate this very special year with all of you.
The full conference programme will be announced next week, but registration has been open for a while—and the early response has been fantastic. Registrations to date are running 69% ahead of where they were at the same stage before our conference last January.
It is a wonderful start, and we are preparing for a very special gathering. Make sure you and your team sign up today to secure the Early Bird rate—and join us as we begin celebrating HSMAI’s 100th anniversary together.
