Speakers

Leonia is a dynamic leader passionate about empowering others. With a wealth of experience in commercial services, creative industries, the charity sector, and local government, she is a true trailblazer for change.

Aduke Onafowokan is a distinguished strategist, educator, and executive coach specialising in leadership, diversity, inclusion, equity, and culture. With a background in corporate law and a Master’s degree in International Law and Organisational Leadership from the University of Oxford, Aduke has deepened her expertise at renowned institutions, including Cambridge University, Northwestern School of Democracy, and INSEAD, focusing on gender diversity.

Sunaina is a visionary global inclusion strategist with almost 15 years of diverse and dynamic experience in DEI leadership across the world. With a track record of serving in key leadership positions for both FTSE 100 and FTSE 500 organisations, Sunaina brings a wealth of industry-agnostic insight and expertise.

Sunaina creates strategies that catalyse vibrant, inclusive cultures and fuel business success, she empowers people to realise their potential and unleash their human difference and she's a dynamic speaker who energises audiences with honest and captivating storytelling.

Gori Yahaya is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and thought leader with a vision for an equitable, tech-enabled future. He is the Founder and CEO of UpSkill Universe, a dynamic learning platform and consultancy, empowering companies with high-impact learning solutions to address critical skill gaps across Data, AI and Leadership.

Kevin is the CEO and co-founder of Diversity X, a CIC that is on a mission to build a community of 100,000 underestimated founders and the ecosystem that positively impacts them over the next 10 years  He the founder of Ikigai Legal which supports startups, scaleups, and SMEs.  Kevin is also an investor and non-executive director.  He is deeply passionate about building a sustainable, inclusive world, and champions DE&I and Sustainability.

A dedicated equity champion, Sabrina’s values-based businesses are focused on improving outcomes for people and promoting Diversity. As founder of D’Rose Academy and the Diverse Business Network, she is a multi-award-winning consultant and trainer. Establishing the Diverse Business Network in partnership with her husband Damian, they support small business owners from diverse backgrounds in achieving their growth goals.

Nadia Nagamootoo (she/her) is the founder and CEO of Avenir, a Chartered Psychologist, MBA and accredited coach with 20 years’ experience in the field of systemic culture change, leadership development and organizational strategy. She has worked globally to provoke powerful Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) conversations at all organizational levels and develop sustainable inclusive leadership practises. A prolific and highly sought-after keynote speaker, she has shared her expertise in inclusive leadership, privilege, bias and equity to audiences around the world. She is host of the popular podcast show, Why Care?, where she delves deeply into the complex and uncomfortable world of DEI, and is the bestselling author of Beyond Discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it), which published in March 2024. Nadia continues to be publicly recognized for her passion, drive and thought-leadership, being listed as HR Most Influential Thinker and named HR Champion of the Year at the European Diversity Awards in 2023.

Benjah Pozi-Quansah leads social and digital content creation for the UK at Warner Bros. Discovery, bringing over a decade of experience in the TV industry. As a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Benjah has been pivotal in initiatives that amplify underrepresented voices, including the acclaimed Black Britain Unspoken programme.

Joanne Conway is the Global Head of Inclusion & Culture at DLA Piper. Previously Joanne was a DE&I Leader at EY and is a passionate advocate for equity and social justice. With over a decade of experience in the Inclusion & Culture space and her unique blend of personal experience and expertise, she drives transformative and meaningful change. Her commitment to giving back is evident in her volunteer work with young offenders and local sports clubs, promoting inclusion and equity.  Joanne is a School Governor, a trustee, a guest lecturer, and international speaker.   She is committed to contributing to academia and solving complex business problems through a doctorate on the topic of privilege and inclusion in relation to Race, Gender and Class.

Corina has been a dedicated professional in the education sector for over 12 years, working across Asia, Europe, the U.K., and the USA. She began her career as an instructor for underrepresented students in primary and higher education institutions and co-created the first race equity network at her previous organization. She then transitioned to become an award-winning Global Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Leader.

Hannah is an award-winning social justice activist and a justice equity diversity inclusion and anti-racism senior leader. She is also a keynote speaker and is about to launch her long-awaited podcast.

Tiwalola Ogunlesi is a globally recognised coach specialising in positive psychology, an international speaker, an author and the founder of Confident and Killing It. 

A visionary British leader with Afro-Caribbean heritage, Mike embodies the essence of thought leadership. His unwavering commitment to client-centricity and elevating customer experiences has left an indelible mark. With a proven track record of steering teams through intricate international matrixed organizations, Mike thrives on delivering impactful results.

Before moving to the UK from India in 2000, Mayank ran a successful business for 16 years, procuring steel and hardware for some of the largest OEMs and infrastructure projects in India. Mayank has an MBA from Leeds University and has conducted his doctoral research on supplier diversity; based on his vast business experience and passion for advocating for diverse and inclusive supply chains, Mayank founded MSDUK in 2006 and has now become a globally recognised supplier diversity advocacy network that is making a positive difference and promoting inclusive economic growth. After 18yrs at the helm of MSDUK, Mayank stepped down as its CEO in March 2024 to focus on setting up the European Supplier Diversity Programme (ESDP) as its founder and CEO and has also co-founded the global think tank on supplier diversity, Global Supplier Diversity Alliance (GSDA).

Denise set up Umbrella HR to provide practical support for HR and Diversity and inclusion professionals. Having held executive roles in several sectors and with a career spanning all HR subjects, Denise knows what it takes to deliver value to business. Her strength is translating strategy into sustainable, practical actions that are embedded in business.

Pauline Brandt’s career spans TV and Radio broadcasting on a local, national, and international level. It also includes corporate films, voice-overs, media consultancy, public relations, lecturing at universities, and speaking at events.  Pauline has delivered internal and external communications campaigns in several businesses and cultural contexts, including at the University of Oxford.

Meet Tania Gerard, founder of Tania Gerard Digital (TGD), Neurodiversity Trainer, and ADHD Champion. Tania is an expert in promoting neurodiversity in the workplace & was diagnosed as a child with ADHD and adult Autistic ADHD.

David is an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) professional with over 15 years of experience leading ED&I initiatives in addition to a long career in community engagement, customer relations and project management. Currently working in professional services, David has also held professional roles in the global energy sector as well as UK occupational health care that provides him with a unique understanding and knowledge around the challenges businesses face.

Macaulay is currently New Alliance Lead at Insights, a global learning & development company with customers including Rugby South Africa Rugby Union, Danish Football Association and Jamie Vardy, VP Football Academy. He is passionate about the intersection of sports, media and technology with over 15+ years growing strategic partnerships at Google Cloud, Colt Telecoms and PwC. He was previously a mentor at London Sports Tech Hub and Strategic Advisor to tech startups across Europe, including Flair, a race equality software company.

Tumi, a British-born Nigerian with Dyspraxia, founded The Black Dyspraxic to highlight intersectionality in neurodiversity. Awarded the Mary Colley Award from the Dyspraxia Foundation for advocacy, he advises the Centre for Neurodiversity at Work at Birkbeck University and the Co-Production Board for Neurodiversity in Business. Tumi, a judge for the Genius Within Neurodiversity Awards, also contributes to The Diverse Creative CIC Future Leader's Advisory Board and Noetic's Community Advisory Board. Through his diverse roles, Tumi actively promotes inclusion and empowerment within neurodiverse communities, driven by his personal experiences and dedication to fostering understanding and support.

Ian C. Tomlin is the Chairman of The UWI, dedicated to improving work and future job prospects. As CEO of Newton Day, he leads a neurodivergent team of marketers and technologists to foster positive work cultures and habits for better results. Ian is a devoted husband and father, with his younger child diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.

Rachele, who is a 'Top LinkedIn Voice' and has recently been nominated 'One of the 6 Most Influential Women in the New Work of Work', is a towering figure in the realm of multigenerational workforce dynamics.  With over two decades of expertise, Rachele has become synonymous with pioneering strategies and insights that promote harmonious and productive intergenerational collaboration.

Shivani is the Founder of The Wallflower Academy with over 10 years experience running Equality, Diversity & Inclusion programmes. Her squiggly career saw her going from qualifying as a chartered accountant with PwC to driving gender equality and Inclusion in workplaces including at Sky as their Head of Women In Leadership.  She is a TEDx speaker, a sought-after DEI expert appearing on podcasts and regularly featured across the media, and has worked with multiple organisations to drive inclusion.

The visionary founder of ND Axon, Michael, brings a unique blend of personal experience and 15 years of professional expertise to the table. As a gay individual with ADHD and dyslexia, Michael understands the challenges and strengths associated with neurodiversity. His background in financial services, recruitment, and business, combined with his deep commitment to improving the neurodiversity landscape, drives ND Axon's mission.

Sukh Randhawa is the dynamic founder of SukhSense, a trailblazing organization specialising in people, team, and organisational transformation. With a focus on EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) advisory and training, Sukh has made significant strides in fostering inclusive and equitable environments.

Chanell is a Responsible AI Manager at Digital Catapult. Prior to this, she led the Community Safety Team at Depop which worked on child online safety, extremism and preparations for online safety regulations, and managed high-risk crisis responses and prevention efforts at Meta. Before joining the tech industry, Chanell worked with the UK Government on consumer protection policy; with the UN on peacekeeping, human rights and governance; and with the EU on environment policy. She is a Visiting Policy Fellow at the University of Oxford Internet Institute, a member of the OpenUK AI Advisory Board, and a member of the British Standards Institute national committee on AI standards.

Hannah Olarewaju is an Inclusion Consultant & Emotional Intelligence Coach with over 8 years of experience working in the diversity, equity and inclusion field, delivering in both grassroots and corporate settings. Her skills range from designing and facilitating training programmes, to curating inclusive events, to providing expert guidance and delivering them to clients nationally and internationally.

Cecil (He/Him) holds an MSc in Information Systems from Canterbury Christchurch University.

Andy is the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager at Capgemini UK and has worked within Capgemini UK for almost 20 years.

Aneeta has 30+ years in Sales & Marketing in the Software, Publishing and Media industries. A senior leader with experience building global businesses from ground up and a trained ICF certified coach, she uses her cross-cultural experience and leadership skills to help clients dig deep and challenge and expand their thinking to achieve their goals.

Cameron McKinnon is the Head of Sustainability at Innocent Drinks. He leads ESG strategy, driving both environmental and social results for Innocent. Under Cameron's leadership, the team at Innocent Drinks work toward driving down its carbon footprint, enhancing biodiversity and improving farming livelihoods within supply chains

Branded by the creative industry’s The Drum magazine as “adland’s activist” Matt is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Ogilvy UK, the world’s most awarded advertising agency. He is also a DEI thought leader, frequent public speaker, LGBTQ+ campaigner and multicultural specialist.

Stephen established Beyond Education in 2019 as an initiative to help his peers struggling to secure job opportunities after graduation. Today Beyond Education has an online community of over 40,000 followers, helping underrepresented talent access career opportunities with inclusive employers.

As Global Director – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) at CBRE, Chris Williams oversees the company’s DE&I efforts across its Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) Business. Until most recently (August 2022), he also had the pleasure of being the Co-Chair of the Race, Ethnicity & Cultural Heritage (REACH) Network and the Chair of the Christian Group (part of the Faith Network). As a Black British employee (with Caribbean parents), he is very passionate about creating environments where people can thrive by strengthening an inclusive culture, increasing workforce diversity, and spending with diverse suppliers.

Joelle Taylor is the author of 4 collections of poetry. Her most recent collection, C+NTO & Othered Poems, won the 2021 T.S Eliot Prize and the 2022 Polari Book Prize for LGBT authors.

Throughout Jon’s career in EdTech, he has developed an expertise in social mobility by bridging the gap between education and business. In his current role as Scholarships Lead at Blackbullion, Jon supports large businesses like Nationwide and Amazon, and smaller organisations such as STACK Infrastructure and Maven Securities, with the development of their social mobility strategies. While at Blackbullion, Jon launched the UK’s first-ever National Scholarships Week, where hundreds of thousands of pounds were released through new scholarships for underrepresented talent. Before joining the EdTech sector, Jon was a management consultant for strategic HR at Mercer.

With over 20 years of experience, Nina’s career has focused on People & Culture, addressing inclusion and social purpose. As Founder and Director of OAHA, her work spans strategic DEI advice, creation of social sustainability strategies, and action to address inequalities, all aimed at driving transformative change, fostering inclusive cultures, and achieving lasting social impact.

Shauna Roper is a values-driven JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) thought leader, setting an exemplary standard of love-based leadership. She has been with HSBC for 15 years spanning across both Global Business lines and Functions across multiple geographies. With an unwavering commitment to her values and principles, she has consistently made a profound impact in the field of Financial Services, leading in her own skin.

Neila Butt is Channel 4's Creative Diversity Lead for the Nations and Regions. She has been working in TV and Audio for over 20 years, with a background in news. Her expertise in DEI challenges covers finding and working with both on and off screen talent, unpicking complex editorial, as well as running various interventions to improve representation and portrayal.

Asif Sadiq has been credited with impactful global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion activities and programs across organisations, that have created a strong sense of belonging for all and resulted in truly diverse workplaces. He has been key in building synergies between internal and external D&I efforts within organisations, ensuring diversity and inclusion are embedded in all elements of a business, resulting in innovative, creative, and inclusive products and services.

Anthropologist, researcher, author & keynote speaker Noémie Hermeking is an experienced intercultural trainer, consultant, inclusion and diversity officer who enables people to unlock their full potential to work within our multicultural world. Hermeking holds a PhD. in socio-cultural anthropology from Indiana University, USA & a master’s degree in socio-cultural anthropology from l´Ecole des hautes études en Sciences Sociales (School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences), Paris.

Danny is an actor, coach, and speaker. In 2008, his mother was involved in a near-fatal car accident and was then diagnosed with a long-term mental health condition. His passion for helping others flowed through the years that followed, in which Danny starred in Eastenders and Citizen Khan. But success was followed by difficult events, leading to Danny enduring his own struggles. Danny has a MSc in Applied Positive Psychology, is an executive coach, and a MHFA England plenary speaker.

María del Mar Galcerán Gadea is a Spanish politician who has been a member of the Corts Valencianes, the legislature of the Valencian Community, since 14 September 2023. A member of the People's Party (PP), Galcerán is the first Spanish regional legislator with Down syndrome.

Akin founded AKD Solutions in 2008 because he is hugely enthusiastic about empowering people to connect to their “best me”; hence, the organisation’s mantra is “Stimulating Brilliance”.

Miikka Huhta has a master's degree in economics and started out in HR with SEB and Canon. In 2016, he moved over to consulting to help different organisations with their talent challenges. His consulting journey started at Universum, a leading company in employer branding. For the last six years, he's been part of Miltton, the largest communications agency in Finland.

Zoiey is a trailblazing inclusion activist who has made significant contributions to the world of sports. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she has worked her way up from being an athlete to becoming a highly respected inclusion consultant. Zoiey's expertise is sought after by global brands and professional sports organisations; her guidance has helped many develop strategies to become more inclusive and diverse.

Toni Kent is a professional speaker, compere and writer who uses her experience of going ‘from council estate, via corporate, to comedy’ as a means to educate and entertain audiences with honest, humorous insights into social mobility, life as a working parent and corporate culture.

Kim Sabate, who goes by she/her pronouns, is a proud transgender woman from the Philippines. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She is an Associate Member of The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development after completing the Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management.

Chris started his career in Investment Banking and Strategy Consulting, where projects regularly demanded working weekends, 12+ hour days and the odd 36-hour shift.Since founding Innerfit, Chris has led executive-level coaching programmes, facilitated team and leadership away days across Europe, and delivered a mix of keynote talks for organisations and audiences of all shapes and sizes.

Jo is a certified sound practitioner based in Northampton. Since qualifying, she has been holding sound space weekly at various studios in and around Northamptonshire and also at retreats around the country.

Sanchia is a multi-award-winning and distinguished global Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) practitioner, public speaker, and community change-maker with a reputation for driving systematic and sustainable change towards fostering inclusive environments. She has worked across the public sector over the last 15 years to help move organisations towards being truly being inclusive, valuing their staff and creating a culture where staff feel supported, appreciated, and respected.

Georgina is an award-winning DE&I leader with over 7 years of experience spanning various industries, including finance/banking, consultancy, community, and hospitality.

Francisco Gallego (he/him) is on a mission to cultivate an inclusive and vibrant culture, empower underrepresented communities and elevate the employee experience as Global Inclusion and Diversity Manager at Expedia Group. He holds a Master of Social Science in Practical Philosophy and has been spearheading DEIB endeavours since he joined the company in 2018. Prior to Expedia Group, he held international roles, working for Volvo during a round-the-world sailing competition and representing Spain at the National Tourism Board in New York.

Mandeep is an accomplished equity, diversity and inclusion change agent with nearly 25 years of experience across the public and third sectors. Her work has received national attention and awards and in 2023, she was nominated as an inspirational D&I leader by 331 international diversity and inclusion professionals. Core to her practice is her belief in the importance of centring lived experience and undertaking the work within a social justice model to improve trust, EDI outcomes and EDI leadership.

Lucile is a forward-thinking and award-winning Diversity & Inclusion leader, Keynote Speaker and Leadership Coach, with over a decade of experience leading diversity and inclusion in male-dominated industries. Since 2021, she’s also been a guest Lecturer in International Business Ethics at the Institut Francais de la Mode in Paris, France. With a French and North African background, and the first person in her family to attend university. A change-maker, Lucile’s passion lies in creating safe and inclusive spaces for impactful conversations to explore the complexities of intersectional identities, the psychology of inclusion and behaviours that promote authenticity and belonging. She is committed to guiding her clients on a transformative journey towards realising their full potential.

Lucy has worked in Inclusion and Diversity for the last 10 years. Prior to joining SHL, she led the Inclusion agenda for the Commercial Banking division of Lloyds Banking Group. She is passionate about making a difference for colleagues and the benefits that a truly inclusive organisation can bring. Outside of work, Lucy is supporting her local parish council to design accessible and inclusive play areas, based on her experience with her son Vincenzo, who is disabled. Lucy is also mum to Connie and the chairwoman of her local netball team.

Misha Amber Bryan, known by her stage name Misha B, is a British-born singer, songwriter and abstract artist from Manchester. She rose to notability as a finalist on the eighth series of X Factor 2011 where she was positioned in fourth place. Ms B went on to sign with Relentless Records, with whom she released three singles. She soon saw chart success with her second single 'Do You Think of Me' debuting at number 9 on the official UK music charts.

Ritika was born and brought up in India. She went on to achieve an MBA in the UK and broke all barriers as an immigrant to Canada and the UK. Ritika has over 30 years of experience working at Board level across 3 continents, with senior stakeholders - within the public and private sector.

Alex Manners is 27, an Autism and Neurodiversity speaker, Asperger's champion, presenter and author. He was diagnosed with Asperger’s at the age of 10 and looks upon it as something positive and that he feels lucky to have been able to manage over the past 27 years.

Alex has talked about his Asperger's many times on radio and television, published a book called “That’s Not Right! My Life Living with Asperger’s” and featured on series 10 & 11 of "The Undateables" on Channel 4. For two years, he presented his very own children’s radio show and filmed all the home matches for his local football club, Solihull Moors, for BT Sport. His love of football has led Alex to start his own “Autism & Football” campaign to enhance the experience of Autistic people at football matches.

Priyaneet is a strong leader in Diversity and Inclusion. She works as the Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager at Haleon. In her role, she influences and delivers the DEI strategy for over 25,000 employees at Haleon so that everyone can bring their authentic selves to work. She is a role model who advocates for, and influences change for those with differences so their voices are heard. She has demonstrated this through several initiatives both within the workplace and externally.

Hayley Bennett is a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant, researcher and campaigner working across business and football to create more inclusive and equitable communities and organisations. She runs Nutmegs, a football community for women and non-binary people of colour and has been named one of the most influential Black people in football.

She now runs her own consultancy, working to support clients across business and sport through DEI strategy development, training facilitation, programme development and creative consultancy. She is well recognised as a leader in her field and has been featured in The Times, The Telegraph, Metro.co.uk and The Washington Post.

Alan is an accomplished leader in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion, with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Alan has led diversity, equity and inclusion programmes in several sectors, including professional services, financial services, defence and aerospace engineering and within government.

Steve has led the Age Diversity Forum for the last seven years, developing and designing awareness, support and services to showcase the values of age diversity in the workplace.

Claire Thomas is the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Hitachi Vantara, responsible for developing and implementing a strategy for diversity, equity and inclusion through programs that reflect the various backgrounds, passions and interests of the company’s current and future workforce.

Iffy is Head of EDI; Professional Pathways at The Premier League, having been appointed in April 2021. Amongst his duties, he’s Chair of the PL’s Black Participants Advisory Group (BPAG) and leads the PL’s No Room For Racism action plan and the flagship Player to Executive Pathways Scheme (PEPS).

Mark Esho graduated from De Montfort University in 1994 after obtaining an MBA in Business Administration. Though a Masters degree is a notable achievement for most people, for Mark this marked the culmination of years of hard work battling against the many obstacles that got in his way.

When Mark was five years old, he went from a happy, carefree child to becoming paralysed overnight. He had contracted the poliovirus, which by that point should have been eradicated from the UK. He was initially given a 10% chance of survival but not only did he survive - he thrived.

Annika Allen is the Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) for global production powerhouse All3Media. There she is responsible for delivering the group’s DE&I strategy, working with its 40+ production companies, human resources and talent teams and contributes to sector-wide DE&I work. Annika began her career in television and journalism and has a wide range of factual and entertainment credits, following stints at Cactus TV, TalkbackThames, Maverick and RDF Television and has a long and rich career championing the voices yet to be heard and the storied yet to be told.

Sarah is a totally blind trans woman who blends her rich personal and professional experience of navigating the intersecting worlds of disability and LGBT+ equality with honesty and humour. She is the founding co-director of Simply Equality Ltd, a social enterprise that seeks to break down barriers for disabled and LGBT+ people.

Kiza Ishemo is a sociology and law graduate as well as an accomplished DEI practitioner and thought leader, specialising in delivering cultural transformation programmes in organisations and building strong foundations to fortify inclusion and enhance colleague experience. Her experience spans both the public and private sectors, giving her exposure to the diverse challenges that organisations face in creating an inclusive culture. She employs an authentic and organic, people-centred approach to her work. Her passion is driven by lived experience and a commitment to be a change-maker in society.

Lotte is Laughter Yoga Master Trainer with over 20 years’ experience in the UK and she is Laughter Ambassador. She has trained more than 1,700 laughter professionals in the UK and has been leading corporate workshops for thousands of people.

Christina Murdock has been a Diversity, Inclusion, and Wellbeing coach, consultant, and trainer for the past seven years for individuals and organisations across the UK, Europe, and the US. With extensive experience leading sessions on equity, belonging, and inclusive leadership with managers and senior leaders in top global organisations, she strategically tackles complex culture challenges in an accessible and human-centred approach.

Henrique Zanin, MSc, MBA, is a people & culture leader, lawyer, and researcher with a background in social inclusion, human rights, and labour law. He’s currently a Global DEI Manager with eBay and a Lecturer in the HSM University post-graduate program in DEI. His work also encompasses successful DEI cases as a former Head of Culture & Inclusion for Europe and Asia at Wayfair, NGOs as the African Diversity and Inclusion Center, and public agencies as the Brazilian Bar Association Diversity Committee. He holds an MBA focused on strategic people management, an MSc in human rights, cum laude, a degree in labour and employment law and an LLB, summa cum laude, and is an alumnus of Graduate Study Programme of the United Nations Office in Geneva. Zanin's work is published on multiple journals and proceedings across the globe.

Elisa Roy Watts is a results-driven human resource (HR) executive and leadership coach who emphasises developing managers, improving employee engagement and productivity, and shaping organisational culture.

Her impact spans business size and industry, including Fortune 500 telecommunications, finance, and technology companies. She thrives on leading HR organisations in fast-moving, forward-thinking work environments.

Chris co-founded YogaTherapies in 2014 with his wife and partner Deborah. Since they have remained dedicated to fostering safe and inspirational spaces for the practices of Yoga and meditation, alongside supporting individuals to deepen their personal and professional practice through trainings, retreats and the Yoga x Life Studios. At the core of their offering is the belief that the practices of Yoga and Meditation are most transformative when they are woven into the fabric of everyday life.

Sybil is the Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), where she is responsible for the development and delivery of the RICS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy for roughly 700 employees and more than 135,000 surveying professionals globally. RICS aims to be an accountable and influential leader, regulator and employer that understands and adapts to global cultures and the wealth of experience that diversity brings whilst ensuring that RICS employees, members and firms value and embrace a culture of respect and belonging.

Known as 'Mr Find Your Calm', Michael Adu from the London Stress Centre helps the Millennial & Gen Z workforce to manage stress, increase resilience and adopt more productive thinking habits.

Kat François is a Performance and Movement based Artist, Writer and Educator, Writing and Performance Coach.

Meet Lisa Mead, the visionary Artistic Director/CEO of Apples and Snakes since 2016.  With nearly 30 years in the Arts Sector, Lisa is a creative producer extraordinaire, renowned for projects like School of Dark (Charlie Dark), The Rememberers (Kenny Baraka), and COAT (Yomi Sode). Her commitment extends beyond the stage, championing diversity and inclusion, particularly in tackling Anti-Black Discrimination and promoting Disability Access.

Deborah is an experienced transformational change manager, skilled in leading and developing teams to deliver complex change programmes using design thinking and agile methodologies. She is an expert communicator and is a trusted advisor to senior leaders in blue chip organisations. For the last 25 years Deborah has specialised in EDI, developing and implementing innovative and world class inclusion programmes globally.

Professor Anne-Marie Kilday, is Vice Chancellor and Professor of Criminal History at the University of Northampton and joined the University on 1 August 2022. She writes and researches various aspects of criminal history, particularly focusing on violent behaviour and gendered criminality.

Amerah Saleh, Spoken Word Poet, Artist, Activist, Facilitator, Producer, Host, Community Engager

Amerah is a spoken word artist championing the Birmingham Poetry scene, Amerah’s writing and performance has been stunning audiences for quite some time. An artist who mixes passion with fiery intelligence and an uncanny insight into what it is to be human. She works in theatre, performance and poetry aiming to find new ways to engage communities and share secrets from within her own community. Poetry has taken her around the world sharing stories with people and also gathering them for her own suitcase when she needs them.

William Thompson is an actor, comedian and writer from Belfast, Northern Ireland.  He has sold out shows across the UK and Ireland and has appeared on BBC One, BBC Three, and Channel  4. A finalist in the prestigious 2021 New Comedy Awards, William was one of the six remaining participants out of over a thousand who entered the competition.