Two leadership consultants have pulled out of a charity event due to concerns around the involvement of weapons manufacturer BAE Systems.

We Are Feminist Leaders co-founders Natalie Brook and Leila Billing were booked as keynote speakers at organisational change support charity Roffey Park Institute’s 2025 conference at the end of this month.

But they will no longer attend the event, called ‘Igniting the Power of Purpose in Transformation’ due to the weapons firm’s involvement, as one of the keynote speakers is BAE Systems’ programme manager for organisation design, Thomas Nearney.

Brook has held senior roles at Oxfam and at rape crisis centres across the UK and Billing has worked at among others World Vision, War Child and Action Aid.

They are particularly concerned about the BAE Systems track record of supplying components for use in Israeli Air Force jets.

Brook says that when they found out BAE Systems were involved “we raised our concerns with the charity, citing a clash of values”.

“Apart from the misalignment with our values, there is a large reputational risk not to mention moral injury if a feminist, anti-racist organisation like ours was to participate in an event alongside BAE Systems,” they told the charity in an email.

Brook adds that despite raising concerns “the team at Roffey were unmoved”.

In an email to Brook and Billing, seen by Charity Times, Roffey Park’s head of marketing Sam Adams said: “At Roffey Park, our purpose is to create spaces for learning, dialogue and reflection across sectors, industries and perspectives.

“We believe that the challenges facing organisations and societies today require us to hold difficult conversations and sometimes engage with voices and organisations whose practices or worldviews may differ significantly from our own.

“Our approach is not to endorse any one perspective, but to create an environment where participants can examine and discuss these issues in an open forum and form their own conclusions.”

The charity’s chief executive Arlene Egan said: “Our annual conference brings together a wide range of voices from across sectors to explore themes of leadership, transformation and purpose.

“Two speakers have chosen to withdraw from the event, and we respect their decision to do so.

She added: “The Roffey Park conference does not exist to be a platform for the endorsement or promotion of the activities of any organisation represented at its events.

“Each speaker has been invited to contribute based on their experience in organisational development, transformation and leadership practice.”

A BAE Systems spokesperson said: “We do not have operations or employees based in Israel or Gaza and we do not currently sell military equipment directly to the Government of Israel.

“The situation in Israel and Gaza is having a devastating impact on civilians in the region and we hope it can be resolved as soon as possible. We respect everyone’s right to protest peacefully.”

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