
Contract and Risk Management Zone
Focus: Ensuring regulatory compliance and managing risks in procurement.
- For Suppliers: Understanding the legal requirements and best practices for compliance. Training sessions could cover topics like ethical procurement, anti-corruption measures and adherence to industry standards.
- For Buyers: Insights into risk management strategies to mitigate supply chain disruptions. Workshops could include risk assessment techniques, developing contingency plans and ensuring compliance with procurement regulations.
Zone Speakers
Carla Lavender
Senior Procurement Review Unit Manager

Carla Lavender has over 20 years of experience in public sector procurement, including eight years leading collaborative teams across a range of categories. At the National Procurement Service (NPS), she led senior legal professionals in developing two major national frameworks for Solicitor and Barrister services, and directed procurement teams in high-risk areas as interim Head of Food, and later as interim Head of Fleet and Professional Services.
As a Senior Manager for Procurement Reform, Carla supported the development of procurement policy and legislative guidance, and acted as the single point of contact for Learning & Development between the Cabinet Office and the Welsh public sector. To complement the UK Government’s core L&D offer for the Procurement Act 2023, she developed supplementary bilingual training tailored to the Welsh context. This training also supported stakeholder readiness for the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 and the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Act 2024.
In her current role as Senior Procurement Review Unit Manager, Carla plays a central role in supporting compliance with the new procurement regime in Wales. She leads the implementation and refinement of processes that monitor the integrity and efficiency of procurement activities, ensuring contracting authorities adhere to regulatory requirements. Carla also collaborates closely with stakeholders to assess procurement practices, take corrective action where necessary, and assess supplier exclusions under the Procurement Act 2023.
Catherine Lund
Procurement Director

With a career spanning the retail, hospitality, FMCG and Higher Education sectors, Catherine is not your typical procurement professional - she began her career in sales, before moving into training, product marketing, category management and then, as many do, ‘fell’ into procurement, and more specifically indirect procurement.
With a passion for adding value and making a difference be it commercially or through developing procurement talent, Catherine’s mix of private and now public (HE) sector experience enables her to bring change and a different lens to procurement at USW, balancing commerciality with the legislative requirements of the sector.
Lewis Crump
Commercial Policy Support Officer

Paul Hall
Head of Cyber and Innovation

Detective Inspector with South Wales Police currently seconded to the Wales Cyber Resilience Centre. The WCRC is a Police led organisation which aims to support the business community in Wales against the threat of cybercrime. A police officer for 26 years Paul is committed to supporting the business community in making them aware of the current threat levels of cybercrime and what security measures they can install to protect them against the threat.
Scott Parfitt
Senior Lecturer in Procurement and Supply Chain Management

Contract and Risk Management Zone Agenda
Agendas are subject to change

Head of Cyber and Innovation
Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales
Securing the Supply Chain: Cyber Risk and Resilience in Procurement - 10:45 - 11:10

Head of Cyber and Innovation
Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales

Senior Procurement Review Unit Manager
Welsh Government
Introduction to the Wales Procurement Review Unit - 11.40 - 12.05

Senior Procurement Review Unit Manager
Welsh Government

Commercial Policy Support Officer
Welsh Government
Building Resilient Supply Chains Through Project Bank Accounts: Policy Re-Launch - 12:10 - 12:35

Commercial Policy Support Officer
Welsh Government

Procurement Director
University of South Wales
Contract Management for Non-Specialists - 13:30 - 13:55

Procurement Director
University of South Wales
Reserved Contracts in Practice: Unlocking Opportunities for Welsh SMEs and VCSEs - 14:00 - 14:25

Senior Lecturer in Procurement and Supply Chain Management
University of South Wales
Exploring Procurement Skills in Wales - 14:30 - 14:55

Senior Lecturer in Procurement and Supply Chain Management
University of South Wales



4 November / Tachwedd 2025
