ITSM Tooling Uncovered: Planning, Challenges & Proven Benefits

10.00 – Event opening 
10.10 –Presentation 1: Enabling the Future of Service Management: Vodafone’s Transformation with Smart IT (Rina Ness & David Heaps – VOIS)
10.40 – Presentation 2: Behind the Scenes of Our ITSM Tooling Overhaul (Lee Young – Leeds Building Society)
11.10 – Break
11.30 – Presentation 3: Procurement, People and Persistence: DHCW’s ITSM Tooling Story (Keith Reeves – Digital Health and Care Wales)
12.00 – Panel Q&A
12.30 – Event close

Vodafone Intelligent Solutions (VOIS)’s adoption of BMC Helix Smart IT has been a key enabler in modernising service management, simplifying complex ITSM processes and improving operational visibility across teams. This journey has not been without challenge, as Smart IT represents a fundamental shift in how the user community works, consumes information, and manages operational processes. However, through a strong communications and engagement plan, combined with a clear “preparing for the future” mindset and alignment to DevOps principles, adoption has steadily increased over time. As usage has grown, so too have the benefits—improving collaboration between Service Management, IT4IT and the Global Service Desk, reducing manual effort, and laying the foundations for AI‑enabled, scalable and more intelligent service operations.

Rina Ness is a Senior Service Delivery Manager within Service Management at Vodafone Intelligent Solutions (VOIS), based in Newbury. She has a strong track record of leading large‑scale network, operational and service management transformations, including previously heading up OSS teams at Vodafone and consolidations and driving meaningful improvements in ways of working, service performance, and cross‑functional collaboration. In recent years, Rina has played a key role in bringing together technology, process, and people change to modernise service management practices and prepare the organisation for future, DevOps‑ and AI‑enabled delivery models.

David Heaps is a Technology Adoption Manager within Service Delivery at Vodafone, based in Newbury. He brings deep experience in Change Management, the design and implementation of operating models, and embedding new ways of working across complex environments. David specialises in translating transformation into reality by combining technology, people, and processes, ensuring that innovation is adopted effectively and delivers tangible value. He has played a key role in driving adoption of platforms such as BMC Helix Smart IT, helping teams shift behaviours, embrace modern delivery models, and operate more efficiently at scale.

Leeds Building Society’s ITSM tooling journey has been a central pillar of its wider IT transformation, moving from a fragmented legacy landscape to a modern, integrated service management platform built on Freshservice. The shift wasn’t just a tooling replacement—it reshaped processes, clarified ownership, and strengthened service culture across Technology. Along the way, the team learned valuable lessons about stakeholder engagement, data quality, configuration discipline, and the importance of iterating rather than aiming for perfection on day one. The result is a more intuitive, automated, and insight‑driven ITSM capability that continues to evolve, supporting the Society’s ambition to deliver reliable, high‑quality services for colleagues and members.

Lee Young is the Service Introduction Lead at Leeds Building Society, responsible for IT Change, Service Design & Transition, ITSM tooling, and Asset Management. With over 15 years of experience across financial services, insurance, gaming, and the public sector, he has built a strong track record in maturing IT Service Management capabilities and leading operational change. An ITIL 4 certified professional, Lee serves as Product Owner for the Society’s Freshservice platform, driving continuous improvement and shaping its ITSM tooling journey. His previous roles at Covéa Insurance, SSP Worldwide, William Hill, LateRooms.com, and NHS Digital saw him deliver major enhancements in governance, automation, service readiness, and enterprise change processes. Known for his clear communication style and passion for service excellence, Lee brings a practical, people‑focused approach to modernising ITSM practices and enabling reliable, high‑quality services.

Step behind the scenes of DHCW’s multi‑year mission to identify and procure a brand‑new ITSM solution — a journey shaped by discovery, collaboration, shifting priorities, unexpected twists, and the occasional moment of existential questioning.

During his presetnation, Keith will take you through the beginnings of what has, so far, been a four‑year transformation story that began with a simple idea and quickly grew into a complex undertaking. He’ll explore:

• the early conversations that sparked the programme and challenged long‑held assumptions (“Why are we doing this?”)
• the deep‑dive requirements gathering that pushed teams to articulate what they really needed — not just what they were used to
• the creation of a future‑ready, organisation‑wide specification capable of supporting a digital organisation
• and, of course, the joy of running a procurement … in the run‑up to Christmas (“Why are we doing this? — again?”)

Along the way, you’ll hear candid insights, practical lessons learned, and a few light‑hearted moments. Most importantly, you’ll gain a clear view of how DHCW navigated the complexity of selecting a modern, scalable ITSM platform designed to support the evolving needs of NHS Wales.

Keith will also share what comes next — how DHCW is preparing for the next stage of transformation, what the organisation hopes to achieve, and how some of the foundations laid during procurement are shaping the future of service management across DHCW.

Keith Reeves is Head of SACM and Transition at Digital Health and Care Wales, bringing more than 25 years of public‑sector service management experience to the role. Over a career spanning central government and the health sector, he has built a reputation for shaping, strengthening, and simplifying the national ITIL processes that keep NHS Wales’ digital services running reliably at scale.

Keith has been instrumental in sustaining DHCW’s ISO 20000 accreditation, championing quality, consistency, and continual improvement across the organisation. His approach blends deep ITSM expertise with a pragmatic, common‑sense mindset — a combination that has made him a trusted voice in both operational and strategic conversations.

Beyond his work at DHCW, Keith is an active contributor to the wider ITSM community. He serves as a director with both itSMF UK and the SFIA Foundation, helping to influence professional standards, skills development, and best practice across the industry. His commitment to service management extends well beyond his day job, reflecting a genuine passion for improving how organisations deliver and evolve digital services.