Eddie Regan Eddie is BiP Solutions' Senior Procurement Consultant. Working alongside the Client Services team, he frequently assists public sector organisations with clarification and interpretation of EU Directives and a wide variety of legislative issues. Eddie is lead consultant on BiP's PASS Mark Health Check, an evaluation technique that helps identify how organisations in both the public and private sectors can develop more effective processes in respect of all aspects of public sector contracting. A member of the International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association (IPSERA), Eddie is also the senior adviser on BiP's unique Tender Support Helpline team, which provides advice on contracting matters to hundreds of clients. For the last 13 years Eddie has lectured regularly on procurement policy and processes at conferences and events, both on behalf of BiP and for a variety of other organisations, including the Society of Procurement Officers in Local Government (SOPO) and the Institute of Directors. He also provides in-house training on the tendering process – law and practice – to personnel in both the public and private sectors, including several multinational organisations.

Gareth Jones Gareth has worked in the procurement field since 1971, the greater part of his career being in the public sector, including 22 years in healthcare purchasing. Throughout his health sector career he was involved in strategic contractual tasks and duties at regional and national levels. In 1992 he moved to the Department of Transport and undertook major change programmes, most notably in relation to privatisations and outsourcing contracts in service provision, and in 1997 became DETR's first Head of Procurement. Since leaving the public service Gareth has undertaken a major procurement review for the House of Commons. In consultancy terms, his major clients have included Inland Revenue, Nirex, Sapient plc and Governetz Ltd. Gareth is a noted change manager with highly respected motivational, training and teaching skills. A strong academic and publishing background has reinforced these activities.

Paul King Paul has over 30 years high level management experience in both the private and public sectors. He was a county council Chief Officer, responsible for all commercial activity including tendering for work in competition with the private sector, with over 2,500 staff in five services and a £13m turnover. He was the founder, spokesman and Chair of the Forum of DSO Managers with a membership of over 30 UK local authorities. He has worked in most countries in the Middle East including Iraq and created the UK subsidiary for a large European FM company and grew the business to £5m in four years, making it the fastest growing worldwide subsidiary. He has also acted as a “company doctor” for SMEs, identifying weaknesses, creating long term stability and focussing business development and has been a regular speaker/chairman at seminars on public procurement. Between 2001 and 2005 he was CEO - Business Development for a Government contractor with sales of over £80m, generating sales of £30m p.a. including ground breaking contracts in new areas of business including the company’s first overseas contract in Israel. He is currently consulting to the private sector and is also involved with manufacturing and distributing cutting edge renewable energy products.

Brian Shipton Brian worked in central government for 12 years as Head of Procurement and Contract Management for the Training and Development Agency for Schools, where he developed the procurement function for a newly formed NDPB and delivered workshops aimed at developing the intelligent internal customer. An accredited Gateway Reviewer, he has taken part in many medium and high risk reviews, including for the MOD.