Every contact centre leader is on a journey with AI, but where do you start? Many are in the exploratory phase, under pressure to identify use cases to ‘use AI’, while others have secured investment through strong business cases and are looking for the ROI.
The CCMA has teamed up industry experts, Sabio, to help operational leaders take their first steps in adopting AI. We’ll be exploring key areas for consideration, such as how to prepare your knowledge base for AI, how to integrate Agentic AI with your human team and how to optimise your channel strategy with AI. As well as sharing stories of success, we’ll be educating on the pitfalls too to help you navigate this latest tech opportunity.
Agenda
| 09:30 | Registration and Networking | |
| 10:00 | Welcome
Hear the latest news and updates on the CCMA and what to expect from the day. |
Leigh Hopwood, CEO, CCMA |
| 10:15 | Open Mic: Where Are You on Your AI Journey?
Every contact centre leader is on a journey with AI. Many are in the exploratory phase, under pressure to identify use cases to ‘use AI’, while others have secured investment through strong business cases and are looking for the ROI. Where did you start? How far have you come? What lessons have you learnt already? |
Leigh Hopwood, CEO, CCMA |
| 10:45 | AI in Action: Identifying Value and How to Succeed
Kevin will lead an advisory session and share his approach to helping organisations identify and adopt impactful AI use cases, define value-driven metrics, and apply a balanced scorecard for a comprehensive assessment of what’s realistic and possible. The session will conclude with a forward look at what it takes to succeed in the evolving AI landscape. |
Kevin McGachy, Head of Solutions, Sabio |
| 11:15 | Break | |
| 11:30 | Sharing the Journey: Making AI Work
Join Rachel as she discusses how NatWest Businessline is integrating AI into the core of their contact centre operations. |
Rachel Lewis, Head of Businessline, Natwest Businessline |
| 12:00 | Panel Discussion: Beyond the Hype to Deliver Value
AI promises efficiency, personalisation, and cost savings—but with reports suggesting that early adopters may not be delivering the value promised, what does it really take to make it succeed in the contact centre industry? This panel brings together views from operations, technology, and customer experience to debate the critical success factors for AI adoption. From workforce transformation and data quality to ethical deployment and customer trust, we’ll explore the tensions between ambition and reality. Expect candid insights and actionable takeaways to help you move from experimentation to impact. |
Hosted by Leigh Hopwood, CEO, CCMA
|
| 12:45 | Final Comments and Close | Leigh Hopwood, CEO, CCMA |
| 13:00 | Lunch | |
| 13:30 | Close | |
About the Speakers
Rachel Lewis, Head of Businessline, Natwest Businessline
With 40 years of experience across Business, Retail and Operational divisions, Rachel is Head of the Natwest Business Banking Contact Centre and a seasoned leader in financial services. Passionate about engaging people and empowering teams, she focuses on removing friction and creating moments that truly matter for customers and colleagues alike. With a strong background in risk management, she combines strategic insight with a deep commitment to customer experience. Curious and forward-looking, she actively explores how AI can enhance human connection, operational efficiency, and service delivery across banking operations.
Carl Bishop, Head of Operational Excellence, The AA
Carl leads strategic initiatives to transform Contact Centre Operations including leveraging automation and AI. Focused on delivering exceptional customer experience , operational efficiency, and enhanced agent engagement, Carl drives positive, tech-enabled change. His leadership blends innovation with a deep understanding of operational dynamics, enabling sustainable improvements across complex environments. Carl is passionate about shaping the future of customer operations through data-driven, tech-enabled excellence and continuous improvement.
Paula Hildreth – Head of Client Success Management and Business Consultancy, Sabio Group
Paula is all about helping organisations get the most out of their tech investments. As UK Head of Client Success Management and Business Consultancy at Sabio Group, she works closely with clients to make sure their digital transformation journeys deliver real value, not just promises. With over 25 years of experience in customer experience and consultancy, Paula brings a mix of strategic thinking, empathy, and hands-on know-how to every project. Before joining Sabio, she spent two decades at BGL Group, where she led initiatives focused on customer-centric innovation and operational excellence. She’s passionate about making technology work for people, not the other way around. Whether it’s cloud migration, AI, or optimising customer journeys, Paula’s focus is always on creating meaningful outcomes for clients.
Kevin McGachy, Head of Solutions, Sabio
Kevin leads the AI Practice at Sabio, supporting organisations to adopt conversational and generative AI in ways that deliver measurable business outcomes. Having built his career through the contact centre industry across operations, customer experience, and technology roles. Kevin brings a practical understanding of the challenges leaders face and how to overcome them.
Supported by
Where and when?
Date: Wed 3 Dec 2025
Time: 09:30 - 13:30
Location: Virgin Media O2, Manchester
Who is it for?
This event is for those who own and / or implement the AI strategic vision within your contact centre. Open to members and non-members.
Why should you go?
Network with peers and learn from others.
How much is it?
Free of charge.
Become a member for
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