Chief Executives Forum

What Chief Executives Forum does

Chief Executives Forum (CEF) is a Northern Ireland membership organisation that serves as the association of chief executive officers of civil and wider public service bodies in Northern Ireland. Headquartered at Goodwood House, 52 May Street, Belfast, CEF encompasses the leadership teams of NI's local and central government bodies, arm's length bodies, and the broader public sector. Its primary purpose is to provide networking opportunities and information sharing events for its members, with the stated aim of supporting improved outcomes for everyone in Northern Ireland.

CEF delivers a portfolio of leadership development and governance programmes rather than a technology platform. Core offerings include the Women in Leadership programme (9-month programme for senior women in NI's public service, delivered with PwC as venue partner), the Transformative Leaders Programme (six-month NLP and Systems Thinking-based leadership development, with over 100 alumni active across NI's public service), the Cross Sectoral Leading Edge Programme (six-day in-person programme co-developed with CO3, priced at £1,500 + VAT per participant), and Public Accountability and Governance Training (tailored cohorts for Accounting Officers, Senior Managers, Board Members, and Audit & Risk Committee members, delivered with input from the Northern Ireland Audit Office). The organisation also runs topical briefings — free to members — covering AI, cybersecurity, health inequalities, governance, and cross-border public service issues.

CEF's revenue model is membership-fee based supplemented by fee-bearing programmes and grant funding. Most events and briefings are free to members, while specialised programmes carry fees (e.g., governance training at £200–£475 + VAT depending on member status and cohort). Additional revenue comes from grants such as PEACEPLUS funding secured in 2025 in partnership with Co-operation Ireland. The go-to-market motion is direct, relationship-driven engagement with NI public sector leadership, supplemented by LinkedIn, email, and an annual Leadership & Governance Conference co-hosted with the NI Public Sector Chairs' Forum. Leadership transitioned in June 2025 with David Sterling stepping down as Chair after five years.

Name

Chief Executives Forum

Legal name

Chief Executives Forum

Website

https://ceforum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chief Executives Forum is a Belfast-based membership association for chief executives of civil and wider public service bodies in Northern Ireland, delivering leadership development programmes, governance training, and networking events for its public sector members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Leadership Development and Public Sector Membership Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Training, Enablement & Talent Development Summits (THAHAMAH), Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Executive leadership programs
• Public sector governance
• Professional development services
• Membership networking
• Leadership training

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership-based services: CEF operates as a membership organization for chief executives of civil and wider public service bodies in Northern Ireland. The organization provides networking opportunities and information sharing events for members, with many events free of charge to members. Some specialized programs and training sessions are available at discounted rates or with fees for members and non-members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chief Executives Forum is a membership organisation for chief executives of civil and wider public service bodies in Northern Ireland. It provides networking opportunities, information sharing events, and leadership development programs to its members, including Women in Leadership, the Transformative Leaders Programme, the Cross Sectoral Leading Edge Programme, and Public Accountability and Governance Training. Many events and briefings are free for members, while specialised programs carry per-participant fees.

Product overview

Chief Executives Forum is a membership organisation for chief executives of civil and wider public service bodies in Northern Ireland. It offers a portfolio of leadership development programs including the Women in Leadership programme, Transformative Leaders Programme, and Cross Sectoral Leading Edge Programme, alongside Public Accountability and Governance Training tailored to different public sector roles. The organisation also provides topical briefings and networking events for its members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Women in Leadership

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 Transformative Leaders Programme alumni active across NI public service
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CO3coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026CEF partners with CO3 (the Third Sector leadership organization) to deliver the Cross Sectoral Leading Edge Programme. The programme brings together 8 participants each from the public service and community and voluntary sector to build relationships and develop essential leadership skills.
• ACESA (Association of Chief Executives of State Agencies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEF joins with ACESA for joint briefing events. ACESA is the association of chief executives of state agencies in the Republic of Ireland. Joint events include cross-border briefings on topics like AI, cybersecurity, and public service delivery, with senior leaders from both jurisdictions participating.
• EY (Ernst & Young)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEF partners with EY for AI and transformation briefings. EY provides expertise on generative AI, digital transformation, and public sector innovation. Joint events include hands-on demonstrations and panel discussions.
• Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIAO provides regular input to CEF's Public Accountability and Governance training programmes. The Comptroller & Auditor General and NIAO representatives participate in training sessions for Accounting Officers and other governance programmes.
• Joseph Rowntree FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEF partners with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for health inequalities briefings. Joint events bring together experts like Professor Sir Michael Marmot to discuss health equity and social determinants.
• NICONminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEF works with NICON (Northern Ireland Confederation for Health) on health-related events and conferences, including sessions on health inequalities and system-wide approaches.
• Department of Finance (NI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department of Finance's Treasury Officer of Accounts provides input to CEF's Public Accountability and Governance training for Accounting Officers, contributing to governance frameworks and accountability briefings.
• Co-operation IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEF received PEACEPLUS funding in partnership with Co-operation Ireland for the Leading with Peace and Purpose Project. This cross-border leadership development programme builds capacity for senior public service and civic leaders.
• NI Public Sector Chairs' ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEF co-hosts the annual Leadership & Governance Conference with the NI Public Sector Chairs' Forum, bringing together chairs, non-executive directors, chief executives, and governance professionals.
• PwCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPwC serves as venue partner and collaborator for Women in Leadership live learning events, providing facilities for programme sessions.
• BTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBT serves as venue host for CEF events including AI and cybersecurity briefings at BT Tower and BT Riverside. BT's Emergency Service Network CIO also contributes to AI discussions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NI Public Sector Chairs' Forum: Co-host of CEF's annual Leadership & Governance Conference for chairs, non-executive directors and chief executives. Operates a closely overlapping audience and event-based engagement model.
• CO3 — Third Sector Leaders Northern Ireland: NI leadership organisation for chief executives of the voluntary and community sector. CEF partners with CO3 to deliver the Cross Sectoral Leading Edge Programme, evidencing very comparable operating model.
• SOLACE — Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers: UK-wide membership body for local authority chief executives, providing leadership development, briefings and peer networks — the closest UK analogue to CEF's membership + events + development model.
• ACESA — Association of Chief Executives of State Agencies: The Republic of Ireland counterpart to CEF — a membership association of chief executives of state agencies. CEF and ACESA already run joint briefings, making ACESA the single most comparable organisation by function and target audience.
• Institute of Public Administration (IPA): Ireland's main public administration learning and development body, delivering training, research and networking for senior public servants — comparable in mission and offering mix.
• NICON — Northern Ireland Confederation for Health: NI membership body for health and social care leaders. Co-hosts conferences and briefings with CEF, including sessions on health inequalities — similar leadership/networking function in an adjacent public sector sub-domain.

Broad incumbents

• Chartered Management Institute (CMI): UK-wide professional body for managers, offering leadership development programmes and events. Comparable leadership-development function at much broader scope and across sectors.
• Permanent Secretaries' Network equivalents (UK Civil Service): The UK central government's senior civil service leadership networks (e.g., Permanent Secretary community). CEF is in effect the NI chapter of this broader UK chief-executive network — a wider-scale incumbent providing a comparable function for the devolved territory.
• Local Government Association (LGA): National membership body for English local authorities, operating at much greater scale. Overlaps with CEF in chief-executive networking and policy advocacy, but covers a far broader portfolio than CEF's focused chief-executive remit.
• CIPFA — Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy: Professional body for public finance leaders, providing qualifications, training and conferences. CEF partners with CIPFA-adjacent bodies (e.g., NIAO) to deliver governance training, indicating thematic overlap if not direct competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ceforum-ni
• Xx.com/chiefexecforum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chief Executives Forum