With the launch of a new UK commission blaming bad management for the slow growth of the UK economy, the South Wales branches of the Chartered Institute of Personal Development are tackling the subject of effective leadership head on at their regional conference on November 28.

The commission, launched by the Chartered Management Institute, will focus on how line management can be transformed to drive growth across UK businesses.

It follows research that suggests 43 per cent of managers in the UK are rated as 'ineffective' or 'highly ineffective'.

The CIPD South Wales regional conference will hear from leading business figures challenging managers to modernise their leadership practices if they want to succeed in the current economic climate.

Speakers include Mark Houghton from the John Lewis Partnership who will explore how the retail giant is under-going wide-scale transformation to improve efficiency, drive performance and develop a lasting business model. Former Olympian, Kriss Akabusi MBE, will share his own experiences in the business world, and discuss the importance of encouraging innovation and creativity in the workplace.

There will also be an opening speech from Bernard Galton, director general, People, Places and Corporate Services with the Welsh Assembly Government, and Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD will give a keynote presentation on ‘CIPD and the world of HR – new challenges and new opportunities for the next 100 years’.

Delegates will have the opportunity to attend workshops on subjects including ‘health and wellbeing in the workplace’ and ‘engaging a multi-generational workforce’. There will be opportunities to network throughout the day, and to put questions to a panel of experts drawn from leadership and management professionals

Lesley Richards, chair of the CIPD South East Wales branch, which supports members in Newport, Bridgend, Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan and the South Wales Valleys, said: “The world of work is changing and leadership practices that may have served us well in the past are no longer relevant. Business leaders must modernise if they are to succeed in the current environment. This conference will explore the new landscape, looking at the trends and best practice that are most relevant today to organisations that wish to survive and thrive in the future.

“We have some really inspirational speakers lined up and this is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to take a practical, forward-facing look at the importance of people management within their organisation.”

The CIPD is the world's largest professional body for HR specialists with more than 135,000 members across the globe. Its role is to support and develop those responsible for the management and development of people.