The day consisted of:
- Inspiring keynote sessions from industry thought leaders.
- Interactive breakout workshops tailored to your interests.
- Unparalleled networking opportunities with 200+ improvement practitioners, leaders, and innovators.
- A prestigious evening awards ceremony celebrating excellence in the improvement community.
The LCS Awards 2025
The LCS Awards 2025 shone a spotlight on the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations across the global improvement community.
This year’s awards saw 110 entries submitted across 10 categories, showcasing an impressive breadth of innovation, dedication, and impact. From these, 47 finalists were shortlisted — each demonstrating exceptional commitment to advancing Continuous Improvement.
Congratulations to the 10 winners who took home top honours! Your achievements reflect the very best of the LCS community and continue to inspire excellence across the world of improvement.
Keynote Speaker - Roger Black MBE
Roger Black is one of Britains most successful athletes winning 15 major championship medals over 14 years. His greatest achievements were winning the Olympic 400m silver medal in Atlanta in 1996 and 4x400m relay World Championship Gold medals in 1991 and 1997. He is particularly admired for overcoming several serious injuries and set backs throughout his career. Since retiring from athletics in 1998 Roger has been a Television Presenter, Motivational Speaker, Brand Ambassador and entrepreneur. He was an ambassador for Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games and is co-founder of performance consultancy BackleyBlack with fellow Olympian Steve Backley OBE
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John led the world’s first MSc in Lean for 16 years at Cardiff University and University of Buckingham. A renowned Lean expert, he has authored several key books, including The Lean Toolbox, Human Lean, The Service Systems Toolbox, and The Lean Games and Simulations book.
John Bicheno
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Bringing a strong Learning and Development background, Minhee joined ESB Lean Academy as a manager in 2024, leveraging her expertise to enhance Lean capability and drive continuous improvement.
Minhee Won
Stephen has spent his career helping organisations execute their Operational Excellence strategy, including Zurich Insurance, UBS, and now Close Brothers. As Head of Operational Excellence & Automation, he has seen the value of enhancing lean methods with Automation, AI, and Digital Workflows.
Stephen Durnin
With 25 years in the NHS, Jen Knight has led Frimley Health’s improvement methodology for five years, fostering a culture of continuous learning. She’s passionate about Lean, driving efficiency, patient care, and staff engagement through collaboration and empowerment.
Jen Knight
Maneesh Kumar is a Professor of Service Operations and Pro Dean for Technology Systems and Data at Cardiff Business School. His research spans Lean Six Sigma, Industry 4.0/5.0, and operational excellence. He has trained over 1,000 executives globally and published 200+ articles.
Maneesh Kumar
A transformation leader with 50+ years of experience, including 30+ in OpEx. A strategic advisor to C-suite executives, Peter drives customer-focused improvements and high-performing teams and has led major transformations at LEGO, Maersk, Virgin Media and Vodafone.
Peter Evans
The NDA Group comprises four specialist companies—Sellafield, Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS), and Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS)—overseeing 17 sites to safely decommission facilities, manage waste, and restore environments.
NDA Group
Matt Sims is a global leader in business transformation and high-performance leadership. A keynote speaker, author, and host of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast, he inspires teams worldwide with practical insights on sustainable change.
Matt Sims
David Bovis is a global expert in operational excellence, known for his BTFA model, which integrates neuroscience, philosophy, and business to drive sustainable change by aligning leadership, language, and brain function.
David Bovis
Projective Group drives bold change in financial services by cutting through complexity. Operational Excellence experts Kiki Collot d’Escury and Dan Shepherd blend cultural anthropology and elite sports insight to inspire teams, break silos, and embed continuous improvement—empowering leaders in regulated environments.
Kiki Collot d’Escury
Projective Group drives bold change in financial services by cutting through complexity. Operational Excellence experts Kiki Collot d’Escury and Dan Shepherd blend cultural anthropology and elite sports insight to inspire teams, break silos, and embed continuous improvement—empowering leaders in regulated environments.
Dan Shepherd
