Recruitment specialist Acorn by Synergie and commercial law firm Darwin Gray have kicked off the Wales HR Network’s in-person event series with an expert panel session exploring the Changing Landscape of Employment Law.
The event took place at Cardiff Business School, bringing together HR professionals and people leaders from across Wales to hear the latest updates in employment law and explore what these changes mean for HR teams and the future of the workplace.
Panellists on the day included Hannah Hopes, Head of HR at the Football Association of Wales, Laura Montgomery, Senior HR Business Partner at Confused.com, Owen John, Employment Law Partner at Darwin Gray, and Rachel Ford-Evans, Employment Law Partner at Darwin Gray.
The session provided practical insight into current and emerging legal developments, alongside open discussion around the challenges and opportunities facing organisations.
The event was the first in a series of 2026 expert panel events, which was launched in partnership between the Wales HR Network and Beam Development and Training. The partnership aims to provide leaders, managers and HR professionals with access to expertise across employment law, HR, recruitment, wellbeing and personal development. The initiative seeks to empower professionals working in HR and beyond.
Key topics of the event series include recruitment, employment law, wellbeing, and the growing impact of AI and technology in HR.
Each session features expert insights from industry specialists, interactive Q&A opportunities, and valuable networking, creating a collaborative space for learning and shared experience.
Fflur Jones, Managing Partner at Darwin Gray, said:
“It was fantastic to see so many HR professionals engaging in open and thoughtful discussion about the changing employment law landscape. The quality of conversation and questions really demonstrated how valuable these sessions are, and we’re delighted with how well this event was received. We’re looking forward to the next one.”
Andrew Tugwell, COO at Acorn by Synergie, added:
“The session was incredibly insightful, with practical takeaways for HR teams navigating change in an increasingly complex environment. It’s been great to see such strong engagement from across the Welsh HR community, and I’m already looking forward to the next event in the series.”
Event details can be found on the Wales HR Network website. Tickets booked through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/people-power-an-expert-panel-series-tickets-1662817605219?aff=WHRNseriesPR
