As published in the Irish News, 30 January 2026
Impact Players, a major women’s leadership and high-performance conference, is returning to Belfast this spring, bringing together some of the most influential voices in sport, business, psychology and culture.
The event will unite more than 500 leaders, founders, executives and emerging talent for a one-day experience designed to accelerate confidence, influence and career impact, aligning with Belfast’s designation as a European City of Sport for 2026.
Impact Players will take place in Belfast on Tuesday May 12 with the speaker line-up bringing together a remarkable blend of household names, elite athletes, leading thinkers and performance experts who span sport, media, business and leadership.
Headlining is award-winning broadcaster and author Clare Balding CBE, renowned for her decades of Olympic and global sports coverage and her work championing women in sport.
Co-founders Sinead Sharkey-Steenson and Lisa Strutt return to anchor the conference, having coached and inspired thousands of women across both business and sport.
Leadership coach and author Michelle Moore, named among the UK’s 50 Most Influential Women in Sport, will share insights on resilience and personal power.
The line-up also features Nicole Osbourne, a top LinkedIn voice and chartered marketer; Shirley McCay MBE, Ireland’s most capped team athlete and hockey innovator; Rachel Furness, Northern Ireland’s all-time leading scorer and coach; Orla Keeling, performance podcast host; Louisa Clarke, communications strategist for high-stakes performance; Jen Copeland, Everest summiteer and resilience expert; and Gail Redmond MBE, trailblazing coach of Northern Ireland’s youth women’s football teams.
Belfast’s designation as a European City of Sport for 2026 underscores the city’s growing reputation as a vibrant hub for physical activity, healthy living and community engagement. From world-class leisure facilities and increased participation rates to a packed calendar of events and try-it activities, 2026 will see the city celebrate sport at every level, from grassroots clubs to elite athletes, and showcase how physical activity is helping drive better health and wellbeing outcomes across the whole community.
Tickets for the event are available at https://impact.rebootandreturn.com/
Original link: https://www.irishnews.com/news/business/business-diary-making-an-impact-in-leadership-766OSOBPZZH4VMSHIVJRURUOUY/