Line//Up
Be Less Boring
Dull. Tired. Middle of the road. Unremarkable. Boring.
You wouldn’t use these words on your tinder profile, so why would you want them associated with your brand?
At the quarter point of this century, it’s time for marketers to be less boring.
The good news is that there’s a compelling case for adding fun, bold thinking, energy, entertainment, unconventional ideas + the odd calculated risk to what you do. And there’s more - making a clean break with boredom is likely to lead to happier, more creative + productive workplaces, where talent thrives + people embrace a rock the boat attitude.
So how will you stand out from the crowd?
What rules are you going to break to be less beige?
How are marketers reigniting their creative edge + creating campaigns + experiences that truly resonate with people?
From old school heritage brands through to punk new school challengers + everything in between, MAD//Fest London is here to break free of boredom + encourage a new golden era of entertainment, experiences + exceptional ideas that just pop!
Stages
From AI, attention + analytics to content creators, creativity + culture marketing, this year’s festival is packed with cutting-edge content + communities where industry leaders can tackle the big issues of the day.
Richard Ayoade
// Comedian, Actor, Presenter, Writer and Director
Angela Affinita
// Marketing Director, The Walt Disney Company
Angela Affinita is Director of EMEA Marketing, Disney Consumer Products at The Walt Disney Company. From immersive events to brand campaigns to product launches, Angela has led the creative execution of some of the world’s most beloved consumer products brands such as Mickey & Friends, Disney Princess, Pixar’s Toy Story, as well as Star Wars and Marvel. With over 25 years experience in broadcast and studio entertainment properties, storytelling and creative innovation is at the heart of everything Angela delivers.
Tugce Aksoy
// Global Brand Director (Magnum), Unilever
Jane Aldridge
// BEO Coffee, Nestle
Jane leads the Retail Coffee Business for Nestlé, including the No1 Coffee Brand, NESCAFÉ.
For the past 25 years, Jane has shown her commitment to sustainable growth through developing brands and categories across Nestlé UK and IE’s coffee, confectionery, and dairy businesses.
She is proud to have helped activate the first Nescafé Plan in 2011 and positively champions the latest brand blueprint for the future of coffee – the Nescafé Plan 2030.
Jane feels that there are always room for more good ideas: Portfolio and brand innovation have featured strongly in her career, including the launch of NESCAFÉ Azera in 2012.
She is passionate to accelerate the efforts by everyone in the coffee industry to learn how to use regenerative agriculture to improve everyone’s enjoyment of growing and drinking coffee.
She is fortunate to have visited Nestlé farming partners in Columbia where she has seen at first hand, the benefits of Nestle’s investment in the future of coffee.
Jane has lived and worked internationally, having recently led the coffee business in the Czech & Slovak Republics, working across Central and Eastern Europe.
Kian Bakhtiari
// Founder, The People
Kian is the founder of The People, a creative company on a mission to help ambitious brands build a more inclusive and sustainable world. Powered by a global network of young changemakers, The People exists to unleash the creative potential of the next generation.
A recognised thought leader in purpose-driven innovation, Kian has been named one of the Top 50 Future Leaders by the Financial Times, serves as an advisor to UN Climate Change, and contributes regularly to the Forbes CMO Network. He is also a One Young World Scholar and an Agenda Contributor to the World Economic Forum.
Kian is passionate about harnessing the power of creativity to drive positive change in business and beyond.
Elle Barker
// UK&I Chief Marketing Officer, Lipton Teas & Infusions
Elle Barker brings over two decades of marketing expertise from industry giants such as Coca-Cola, L’Oréal, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Pernod Ricard. As the UK&I Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Lipton Teas & Infusions Eleanor leads the marketing teams for the iconic brands of Pukka Herbal Teas, Lyons Tea in Ireland and PG Tips.
Eleanor's passion lies in crafting brands and products that not only resonate with consumers but also drive meaningful and sustainable change. When she's not reinventing the world of tea, Eleanor enjoys sharing her insights across the industry, inspiring others to embrace bravery and innovation in their own ventures.
Alec Barr
// Head of Behavioural Science & AI Strategy, OLIVER Agency
Alec Barr is a global human-centred design practitioner, behavioural scientist and AI strategist, currently running the Behavioural Science Unit at OLIVER. He and his team build products and services that put human psychology at the forefront of the design process to drive better commercial outcomes.
Alec has spent 15 years leading Experience Design departments in agencies around the globe, examining the human side of emerging technology, its barriers to adoption and the scope of its potential. As a keynote speaker and educator he has shared these insights in lectures and training courses worldwide, covering topics as diverse as the behavioural economics of UX design, effective decision-making under conditions of uncertainty, and the psychology of happiness.
A thought leader in the fields of cognitive-behavioural science and generative AI, Alec engineered the world's first chatbot modelled on Rory Sutherland (the “Rory SutherBot”). He is also an accredited behavioural science ethicist, keeping a watchful eye on the moral implications of technological innovation.
Charl Bassil
// Chief Brand Officer, BBC
Charl Bassil
Chief Brand Officer, BBC
Charl Bassil is a marketing professional with a passion for building meaningful connections between brands and their audiences. Originally from South Africa and of Lebanese descent, Charl's diverse background has shaped his approach to storytelling and cultural integration.
His career journey has taken him through roles at SABMiller, where he worked on beloved brands like Castle Lager and Carling Black Label, to leading global marketing efforts for Absolut Vodka at Pernod Ricard. Through these experiences, Charl has focused on fostering inclusivity, celebrating diversity, and creating campaigns that resonate with communities worldwide.
In 2024, Charl joined the BBC as its first Chief Brand Officer, where he is dedicated to reimagining and strengthening one of the world’s most iconic brands in an ever-changing media landscape. Guided by curiosity and a collaborative spirit, Charl is committed to making a positive impact through his work.
Charl now lives in sunny Surrey with his wife Dominique, their children Jordan, Luke and Ella, and their dog Cola.
Camille Beaufils
// Global Marketing Director, Fever-Tree
Camille Beaufils is Global Marketing Director at Fever-Tree, the Mixer challenger business that disrupted the Mixer category.
Since joining Fever-Tree in 2020, Camille leads global marketing strategies in all markets outside the UK to deliver Fever-Tree’s biggest market growth potential. Thanks to her Spirit expertise from her work with Diageo, Camille devised new strategies expanding beyond tonic tapping into Fever-Tree’s full portfolio potential and local spirit dynamics. She championed brand building with new brand positionings and campaigns. She has worked very closely on the US market expansion creating a proven media growth model.
At Diageo, Camille headed up the Incubation portfolio for brands recently acquired where she created a new marketing growth model, testing alternative routes to market for smaller brands with smaller footprints while leveraging strong culture cues and data strategies. As Head of Social Media for the full portfolio across Europe, Camille proved the power of social commerce, established Social as the fastest growing ROI channel, and revolutionised Guinness’s approach to digital media.
Camille spent 13 years in creative agencies (Leo Burnett, We are Social, TBWA) leading brand strategies and omnichannel campaigns for Airbnb, Netflix, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble Beauty, Four Seasons to name a few. Camille is French Panamanian, has lived in and worked in 5 different countries.
Sedge Beswick
// Consultant
Sedge has built her career by pushing boundaries, challenging convention and breaking new ground. From pioneering social at ASOS to growing SEEN Connects into a £24M global agency, she knows how to scale businesses and grow audiences, fast. No fluff, just results.
Now, as an exited-founder, consultant, advisor, and speaker, Sedge helps brands and people grow without losing their edge. Whether it’s start-ups or global giants, she brings a no-nonsense, sharp approach to navigating the chaos of scaling in today’s world. She’s worked with brands like Nike, eBay, and Red Bull, plus talent like Lewis Capaldi, Peter Crouch, and Jack Whitehall.
Sedge is regularly featured on BBC News, Sky, the Financial Times, and The Drum. She’s a go-to expert on marketing, influence, and brand-building. Better yet, she backs up her opinions with experience, not buzzwords.
Dave Billing
// Executive Creative Director, Fold7
For over two decades, Dave’s career has taken in something of a scenic tour of the creative industries. He started out as a producer, songwriter and creative director for major music labels before putting his talents to work for brands. During his 20+ year career in advertising, he has worked at agencies including The Creative Partnership and was a founder at independent creative agency Above+Beyond, where he worked on clients such as Disney, 20th Century Fox, Boots Walgreens, Subway, Amazon and more. Now heading up the creative department at Fold7, Dave leads campaigns for some of the biggest brands in marketing, from fabric of the nation local brands to global FMCG powerhouses. As a partner and Executive Creative Director at Fold7, Dave creates coalitions of the willing to bring brilliant work into the world. Knowing that in our time-starved and attention-deficit times, it’s logical, not brave, to create work that stands out. That brands can make a difference, can entertain, can be useful. Sometimes all at the same time.
Les Binet
// Founder, Binet Consulting
Murray Bisschop
// Marketing Director UK, Tesco
Perla Bloom
// Global Sr Comms Planning Manager, Expedia
Perla Bloom is a dynamic global marketing strategy leader, passionate about the intersection of tech, creativity, and culture. She builds brands, creates connected experiences for audiences that solve a problem to reach specific objectives and is a sought-after international speaker at industry events and on podcasts. She currently leading comms planning for Innovation and entertainment at Expedia Group, and before that was at EA Games writing global marketing strategies for iconic games like Battlefield, The Sims, Need for Speed and many more. She also has expertise spanning various sectors, from FMCG to fintech, to Luxury and is passionate about innovation and culture, even writing a newsletter called Culture Meets What's Next, decoding cultural signals that are moulding brands and tech.
Joshua Boydell-Smith
// Head of Brand and Marketing, WE LOVE CAKE, Bells of Lazonby
Mark Brown
// Chief Marketing Officer, Hovis
Dan Brown
// Director & Practice Lead, MediaSense
Dan leads MediaSense's digital solutions practice, helping advertisers develop measurement models and media performance systems to improve effectiveness and drive growth. Dan has spent 25 years experience in the media industry working across media agencies and on the advertiser side.
Marta Carreras Cancelo
// Senior Creative Strategy Director Coca-Cola TM, The Coca-Cola Company
Over 20+ years of expertise in brand building, creating brand strategies and global campaigns for top creative agencies and The Coca-Cola Company.
I started as a Strategic Planner & Account Service Director in the advertisement industry working on international brands for Beiersdorf, Henkel and Coca-Cola among others.
In 2015, I joined The Coca-Cola Company as Head of Content for Western Europe and later expanded my role to Brand Creative Director, where I currently contribute to the development of global campaigns as well as major European programs. I have led the creation of iconic global campaigns, collaborating with large multicultural and multinational teams, driven by a strong belief in the power of insights to connect emotionally with a clear purpose.
Always curious to learn about people and what’s changing in the world, I enjoy embracing change with the ambition to grow and make an impact.
Rebecca Carroll
// Marketing Director, Papa Johns
Steve Challouma
// Chief Marketing Officer, Nomad Foods
Munnawar Chishty
// CMO / VP Marketing, Carlsberg Britvic
Munnawar is Chief Marketing Officer at Carlsberg Britvic. She leads the Marketing vision, strategy, and activation for the Carlsberg Britvic brand portfolio. She is responsible for consumer insights and innovation including leading the technical packaging, formulation, and business programme teams. She is accountable for a portfolio of iconic brands that includes Carlsberg, 1664, Poretti, Hobgoblin, Robinsons, Tango, J2O and Pepsi. Munnawar joined from Walgreens Boots Alliance in 2023.
With decades of experience working across multinational, large FMCG businesses, Munnawar has a phenomenal track record in driving significant turnaround for brands and businesses. She’s worked for some of the world’s leading brands and companies, from PepsiCo, WBA, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, and was recently promoted to CMO at Carlsberg Britvic, following the successful acquisition. Her passion for mixing innovation and creativity with driving tangible results, has seen her deliver impressive outcomes across each of these organisations. An active ambassador for the marketing discipline, Munnawar is a keen industry mentor, an NED and is a fellow of the Marketing Academy. She plays an active role in championing diversity and inclusion within the business and wider marketing industry and is exec sponsor of the B-Diverse employee resource group, supporting ethnically diverse employees.
Swagat Choudhury
// Global Digital Commerce Director, Mars Snacking
There has never been a dull day in my 22-year career being at the forefront of new-age marketing !! Starting from building the future of organised retail in the early stage of career, to creating multiple digital marketing capabilities and exploring the future of retail with Digital Commerce. Life does come in circle.
With the emergence of digital as a key business driver, I spent over a decade building digital, media, content and e-commerce capabilities right from inception, for companies I am proud to be associated with - Diageo and Mars.
Blessed with global marketing exposure over the last 8 years has provided me with skills to understand and execute in multiple international markets, working with agile cross-functional teams to drive business and people outcomes.
With a purpose to inspire and guide people to a better today and a greater tomorrow, my career has been focused on setting up new capabilities and driving business and people outcomes, making it genuinely fulfilling to date.
To give true meaning to my purpose beyond workdays, I love contributing to Dogs Trust as a Trustee.
And what better way to face the fear of the stage than to embrace it? In pursuit of this, I have delivered more than 50 keynotes at multiple marketing events worldwide.
Joanna Christie
// Chief Marketing Officer, Treatwell
Terri Cooper
// Marketing Director, Aqua Pura
Charlie Copsey
// Founder & CEO, Underground Fan Club
Charlie spent the first decade of her career producing TV, radio and film for the biggest UK networks and companies. During this time, she worked closely with talent, where she witnessed their unfiltered, off-duty, human side and started to think about creating a world where fans could gain access to this too.
Disenchanted by the unimaginative, boring, predictable events she attended, where talent was reduced to scripted conversations and stifled interactions, Charlie saw the need for something radically different. She envisioned a space where talent could show up as their authentic selves and connect with fans on a deeper, more meaningful level.
Her passion for creating fresh, immersive, personality-driven experiences has pushed Underground Fan Club to break the mould of traditional fan experiences, attracting some of the biggest talent and brands to join her ‘Underground’ revolution.
Henry Coutinho-Mason
// Author, Speaker & AI experimenter, Future Normal
Henry is the author of The Future Normal and Trend-Driven Innovation; he has delivered 150+ keynotes and strategy workshops in 30+ countries – from the SXSW main stage to global boardrooms.
His latest project is VisuAIse Futures, a ‘multiplayer’ AI-powered creative experience; he is a guest lecturer at HEC business school in Paris, and was Managing Director of TrendWatching for a decade.
Henry is also an award-winning social entrepreneur, having cofounded the urban regeneration nonprofit 3Space, which was commended in Fast Company's World Changing Ideas.
Fun fact: Henry was once featured in GQ's Most Connected Men in Britain list.
Sharry Cramond
// Marketing Director, M&S
Jerry Daykin
// Head of International Media & WFA Ambassador, Restaurant Brands International
Jerry is global media leader who has helped champion marketing and digital at a number of global brands including his current role as Head of International Media at Restaurant Brands International (Burger King, Tim Hortons & Popeyes). Previously he has led global or regional teams at Suntory, GSK, Diageo, Mondelez & agency side at Carat. He is passionate about effectiveness, creativity, conscious approaches to media and bringing digital sense to the increasingly confusing world of modern marketing.
Alongside this he is outspoken around the importance of inclusion in our industry and the power of representation in marketing to positively impact society – Jerry is a World Federation of Advertisers Ambassador and is a NED of Outvertising. He helped produce the WFA’s guide to inclusion in marketing & media and then went on to literally write the book on “Inclusive Marketing”. He has also been published as one of the multiple authors of the marketing strategy book “Eat Your Greens” and as a contributor to Andrew Geoghegan’s new book “Effective Brand Building”.
Alessandra de Dreuille
// Marketing & Commercial Director, Kraft-Heinz
Alessandra is currently the Meals Director for Heinz, with P&L responsibility for the Beanz, Soup, Pasta and Baby Food portfolio in the UK.
She has been at Kraft Heinz for 8 years, with a strong track record in marketing & commercial roles across different categories and within both regional & local teams.
Most recently she spent two years leading the People & Performance team for Northern Europe, taking engagement from an all-time low post pandemic to close to best in class UK benchmarks and rolling out the culture changing Living Leader program across the entire business.
Dr. Cecilia Dones
// Chief Data Officer, 3 Standard Deviations
Steve Dool
// Senior Director, Brand & Marketing, Depop
Fleur East
// Presenter/ Artist/ Founder, Kurl Kitchen
Fleur East is an artist, presenter, and entrepreneur known for her infectious energy and empowering presence. Rising to fame on The X Factor, she has since become a staple of British TV and radio, currently waking up the nation on the Hits Radio Breakfast Show. Fleur is also the co-founder of Kurl Kitchen, the haircare brand she launched with her sister Keshia to celebrate and support natural curls and textured hair. Passionate about representation, wellness, and community, Fleur uses her platform to inspire confidence and encourage people to show up boldly, unapologetically, and entirely as themselves.
Thomas Fenwick-Smith
// Creative Director, Three
Charlotte Ford
// Europe Senior Marketing Director, Ruggable
Bronwen Foster-Butler
// Chief Marketing Officer, Finisterre
Belén Frau
// Global Communication & Positioning Manager, IKEA Retail
Belén Frau Uriarte is the Global Communication and Positioning Manager for Ingka Group (the largest IKEA retailer that represents about 90% of IKEA retail sales). In this role she leads the communication agenda focused on creating a strong purpose-led communication that contributes to better homes, better people, better planet and a better company.
Beléns IKEA journey started in the IKEA store in Barakaldo Spain, where she later became store manager. After that, she has held various positions. First as Country Retail Manager in Spain, navigating through the economic crises. Later as Country Retail Manager for IKEA Italy.
Before her role as communication manager Belén was Deputy Retail Operations Manager. Here she was responsible for eight IKEA markets, while at the same time contributing and leading cross-functional initiatives related mainly to people development and omnichannel retailing.
Throughout her career, Belén has been heavily involved in raising awareness around diversity and inclusion. Topics that are close to her heart. Belén has received a lot of recognition, awards and prizes for her unstoppable engagement, especially in female leadership.
Belén is married and has three children. She has a great personal interest in home furnishing and in her spare time, Belén loves to spend time with her family and friends and discover the world.
Sadira E. Furlow
// Chief of Global Brand and Communications / Dean of Dopeness, Tony's Chocolonely
From managing billion-dollar brands to scaling a unicorn startup, Sadira is a true brand + creative marketing genius – with the awards to prove it. Forever fueled by curiosity, she’s architected growth and generated smiles for over 20 different brands, delivering performance with purpose for Lay’s, Happy Money and more. And now, she’s swapped the city that never sleeps for the city that always cycles to lead Tony’s team of impact-makers. A steward of stories, she captures and champions the magic of Tony’s like no other, allowing the brand to reach its greatest potential and impact in cocoa. Heading up both the Creative + Global Brand and Comms teams, she’s responsible for the long-term strategy, culture and brand identity – overseeing the challenger brand marketing that makes us uniquely, undeniably and unreservedly Tony’s. And she does it all without a wand, cape or top hat (but with some fresh new kicks). Pretty magical, eh?
Adam Gardiner
// Marketing Director, Arsenal FC
Alex Glen
// Head of Shower Portfolio UKI, PZ Cussons
With nearly 20 years' experience shaping some of the UK's most iconic FMCG brands - including Weetabix, Cravendale, Quorn, and Original Source, Alex has built a career in unlocking double digit brand growth through sharp marketing strategy and bold brand leadership. Now heading up the PZ Cussons Shower portfolio, he brings a curiosity about consumer behavior together with evidence-based marketing principles, to restore brands to their rightful place in consumers' hearts and minds.
Julia Goldin
// Chief Product and Marketing Officer, The Lego Group
As Chief Product & Marketing Officer, Julia Goldin is responsible for leading the creation of LEGO® products and play experiences that inspire, excite and educate kids and families. Julia’s talented team is responsible for developing the product portfolio and experience, as well as marketing and building the brand through content, communication, and digital channels.
Julia oversees product development, brand campaigns, marketing, research, licensing, partnerships, and the LEGO Group’s in-house creative agency.
Prior to joining the LEGO Group in 2014, Julia was Global Chief Marketing Officer at Revlon. She also had a 13-year career within the Coca-Cola Company, where she held several senior global and regional marketing roles, including Division Marketing Director of Northwest Europe and deputy Chief Marketing Officer of Japan.
Julia also serves on the Boards of UN Live Museum and Fiskars Group, contributing her expertise to visionary projects and organisations.
Julia holds an MBA in International Marketing and Finance from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Manashi Guha
// Chief Growth Officer, L'Oreal UK & Ireland
With 25+ years in beauty and 17+ years at L’Oréal Groupe across India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the UK & Ireland, Manashi has held a variety of senior leadership roles, including Managing Director for UKI’s Consumer Products Division (CPD) and her current role as Chief Growth Officer for L’Oréal UKI. She’s led multi-country brand-building, digital transformation, and commercial growth across iconic brands like L’Oréal Paris, Garnier, Maybelline and Nyx.
Vanessa Guimaraes
// EMEA Sr Marketing Manager, Abbott
Experienced marketeer with a distinguished international career in the healthcare & consumer sectors, having led global brands across the UK, Latin America, and Europe. Currently at Abbott, as Area Sr Marketing Manager in the growing Nutrition Business Unit, she develops strategies to develop the Adult Nutrition category and generate brand penetration across the EMEA region. Vanessa brings a wealth of experience from multinational companies like Reckitt, Roche, 3M and Unilever, where she consistently delivered impactful brand strategies, successful product launches, and innovative access solutions. Vanessa holds a Bachelor's in Marketing & Advertising and an Mini MBA in Marketing by Mark Ritson.
Marc Guldimann
// CEO & Founder, Adelaide
Marc Guldimann is the founder and CEO of Adelaide, the industry leader in attention-based media quality measurement. Adelaide puts evidence-based measurement into practice using AU, an omnichannel metric proven to measure media quality more accurately than existing verification metrics.
Before creating Adelaide, Marc founded Parsec, the first marketplace to sell media based on time spent. He also served as the founding CEO of Enliken and Spongecell. Prior to his career in digital media, Marc worked in the wireless network security industry, where he developed the first virus filter for wireless networks. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Marc holds a degree in Social Decision Sciences.
Peter Harbour
// Head of Condiments, Unilever
Dean Harris
// Head of Co-op Media Network, Co-op
Dean Harris leads Co-op Media Network, shaping the growth of Co-op’s convenience-focused retail media business. With over 15 years of experience spanning advertising, strategy, and loyalty, he’s helped brands tap into data-driven media that makes shopping faster, easier, and more relevant for customers. Since launching in 2024, Co-op Media Network has expanded its data capabilities, introduced new in-store digital touchpoints, and positioned convenience media as a must-have for advertisers. A regular keynote speaker and industry commentator, Dean is passionate about making retail media simple, effective, and built for the way people really shop.
Will Harvey
// Senior Global Digital Innovation Manager, Diageo
Will Harvey is Global Digital Innovation Manager, as part of the Breakthrough Innovation team at Diageo, Focusing on 3-5 year Vision for the business, Experimenting and assuring that Diageo stays at the forefront of all things digital.
With the focus on leading the Test and Learn agenda exploring new and emerging technologies, behaviours, and Startup’s, to then run Pilot Test to Deploy and Enable Sustainable and Scalable Digital Innovation.
He advises a number of Startup’s, was named in the Drum Future 50 as well as BIMA 100 and HClub 100, and has previously worked at both VCCP and Ogilvy looking to find the intersection of Creativity & Technology.
Emily Heath
// Director of Engagement, Rexona / Sure
Margaret Heffernan
// Author, Entrepreneur, Margaret Heffernan
Dr. Margaret Heffernan produced programmes for the BBC for 13 years. She then moved to the US where she spearheaded multimedia productions for Intuit, The Learning Company and Standard&Poors. She was Chief Executive of InfoMation Corporation, ZineZone Corporation and then iCast Corporation, was named one of the “Top 25” by Streaming Media magazine and one of the “Top 100 Media Executives” by The Hollywood Reporter.
The author of six books, Margaret’s third book, Willful Blindness : Why We Ignore the Obvious at our Peril was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times. In 2015, she was awarded the Transmission Prize for A Bigger Prize: Why Competition isn’t Everything and How We Do Better, described as “meticulously researched…engagingly written…universally relevant and hard to fault.” Her TED talks have been seen by over 13 million people and in 2015 TED published Beyond Measure: The Big Impact of Small Changes. In 2020, she published Uncharted: How to map the future , which quickly became a bestseller and was nominated for the Financial Times Best Business Book award, was one of Bloomberg’s Best Books of 2021 and was chosen as the “Medium Best of the Best” business book. 2025 saw the publication of Embracing Uncertainty: How Writers, Musicians and Artists Thrive in an Unpredictable World, described as ‘a timely, insightful book….Heffernan highlights what it takes to excel in turbulent times.’
In 2024, she was inducted into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame, in recognition of her lasting impact on management thinking. She is a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath, Lead Faculty for the Forward Institute’s Responsible Leadership Programme and, through Merryck & Co., mentors CEOs and senior executives of major global organizations. She chairs the board of DACS and is a parish councillor.
www.mheffernan.com
Georgina Holland
// Head of Marketing, Abel & Cole
Daniel Hulme
// Chief AI Officer, WPP
Daniel Hulme (PhD) is a globally recognised expert in AI and investor in emerging technologies. He's the CEO of the award winning AI company Satalia, acquired by the world's largest media company in 2021, WPP, where Daniel is also the Chief AI Officer. Daniel has been recognised as one of the top 10 Chief AI Officers globally.
Amongst his investments, Daniel is also Co-founder and CEO of the World's first commercial research organisation to understand machine consciousness, Conscium.
Having received a Masters and Doctorate in AI at UCL, Daniel has several academic roles including UCL's Computer Science Entrepreneur in Residence, focused on using AI to solve business and social problems.
Daniel is a serial TEDx and keynote speaker on AI, ethics, innovation and decentralization, and is a faculty member of SingularityU. He has advisory and executive positions across companies and governments where he actively promotes purposeful entrepreneurship and technology innovation.
Lucy Hutchinson
// Global Content & Marketing Operations Director, Mars
Lucy Hutchinson leads global content and marketing operations at Mars Pet Nutrition, driving the transformation of creative capabilities and content processes to elevate brand storytelling and build stronger connections with Pet Parents. Her team oversees content planning, production, and effectiveness globally, across a broad portfolio of Petcare brands.
With over 12 years in FMCG, Lucy brings deep expertise across digital commerce, content strategy, Martech, and operations. She is passionate about delivering creative excellence through innovative tools and data-driven insights, all in service of Mars Petcare's purpose: Making a better world for Pets.
Craig Inglis
// Chief Marketing Officer, Merlin
Greg Jackson
// Founder and CEO, Octopus Energy Group
Greg Jackson CBE is the founder of Octopus Energy Group, the UK's largest energy supplier and a global energy and technology company that's driving the affordable, green energy system of the future. Launched in 2016, the Group now serves over 9 million customers globally (7.4 million in the UK), is present in 32 countries and operates a £7bn portfolio of renewable energy assets.
Octopus drives the tech-enabled green energy transition, innovating relentlessly to make energy better for consumers and the planet. Kraken, Octopus’s proprietary green tech platform, is at the heart of the Group’s growth and is now contracted to serve over 54 million accounts across the globe.
Octopus has attracted over $2.3 billion worth of funding from international energy companies, large pension funds and global investors, and has valued the company at around $9 billion.
Greg is a serial tech entrepreneur and has built and sold a number of successful businesses before starting Octopus. He is an angel investor in a wide range of start-ups, and is a key thought leader in the UK on issues related to energy transition, energy costs and innovation.
Phil Jackson
// Global Digital Marketing Effectiveness Director, Haleon
Phil is Global Digital Marketing Effectiveness Innovation Director for Haleon. He is based in London, within the Global Consumer Business Insights & Analytics team, where he is responsible for driving a Globally consistent approach to how Haleon marketers hold their investments in Digital Marketing accountable, both in terms of building brand equity and contributing to incremental, profitable sales growth. His recent focus has been in support of Haleon’s holistic marketing effectiveness programme; including the standardisation of the metrics and tools that are used to measure the effectiveness of Digital Marketing, CBIA governance of Global learning agendas and the piloting of emerging measurement innovations such as attention measurement and ‘cookie-less’ cross-media reach & frequency solutions.
Eshita Kabra
// Founder, By Rotation
James Kirkham
// Founder, ICONIC
James Kirkham, Founder, ICONIC. ICONIC advises brands on their social, marketing, cultural and partnership strategies.
James Kirkham is a brand strategist, creative and cultural commentator with over 20 years of experience navigating the intersections of social media, sports, music and youth culture. At the forefront of shaping digital culture - his groundbreaking work for ‘Skins’ was the first time a TV show had ever been marketed with social media.
Whilst Chief Business Officer at Defected Records he led a digital revolution for the house music label, creating the Defected Virtual Festival, a global online event which went viral during the pandemic.
Prior to that, he transformed COPA90 into a global football media brand with an engaged Gen Z following. The brand’s innovative use of social media in sports made it a standout and named one of ‘Fast Company’s most innovative sports businesses’.
James founded his own digital marketing agency Holler, when he was just 23. Holler was acquired by Publicis Group in 2010, after which he was appointed Global Head of Social and Mobile at Leo Burnett.
James' consultancy ICONIC is a strategic and creative studio which aims to give brands a unique insight into how they can harness the power of popular culture.
He is also Chief Business Officer at Cleats Club, the groundbreaking direct to fan messaging app partnered with Harry Kane, which offers an authentic space for fans, addressing the growing toxicity in social media.
Murray Lambell
// Chief Customer Officer, Gousto
Charlotte Langley
// Chief Marketing Officer, Bloom & Wild
Yann Le Bozac
// Crocs Vice President – Head of International Marketing, Crocs
Yann Le Bozec joined Crocs as Marketing Director in January 2020 for the EMEA region before extending his scope to LATAM, India and Global Distributor Marketing Lead. Yann has been instrumental in developing award-winning campaigns and steering the brand towards building collaborations that resonate with the consumers in the region. After serving in the role of Marketing VP for Crocs ROW region and Hey Dude International, Yann is now Crocs Vice President – Head of International Marketing, where he leads the International (non-US) Marketing team.
Yann has 15 years of experience in the marketing industry. Prior to joining Crocs Inc., Yann worked at Calvin Klein where he built the newly created EMEA Product Marketing department. Yann lead the Marketing & Communications teams at Tommy Hilfiger for the MEA Distributor business. He has also held positions at Chalhoub Group in Dubai, LVMH’s Le Bon Marché and Saint Laurent in Paris. Yann studied at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and obtained a Master of Science in Management from EDHEC Business School (France).
Julie Legrand
// Senior Director Global Brand Strategy & Communications, PUMA
Julie Legrand is PUMA’S Global Senior Director Brand Strategy and Communications. Since starting with PUMA in 2024, Julie has led the journey in redefining the brand DNA, which will be communicated for the first time to consumers through Puma’s largest global brand campaign to date – ‘Go Wild’.
With more than 20 years of experience working with some of the most recognised names in consumers goods and fashion, she brings a wealth of knowledge of brand building, strategy, business transformation, and consumer engagement to her role.
Before PUMA, she spent four years at H&M, leading the global Media function of the H&M where she shifted H&M’s focus to brand building. She then took on the position of H&M Global brand Director, where she played a pivotal role in re-setting the brand’s positioning in an increasingly competitive market, she led a team of 400 employees, overseeing large-scale operations, organisation transformations and multi-million-euro budgets. Prior to that, she led the development of marketing strategies for some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands at Procter & Gamble.
Under Julie's strategic leadership and insight into consumer behaviour, the brand is writing its next chapter on a journey to become a love brand while and as PUMA continues to evolve, it strives to maintain its core values while embracing innovation to stay relevant in the ever-changing market landscape.
Aifric Lennon
// Research Director, MassiveMusic
Lucie MacLeod
// Founder, Hair Syrup
Vicki Maguire
// Chief Creative Officer, Havas
Vicki is a true inspiration, a sought-after spokesperson and leader in the industry, with a passion and exceptional talent for creative excellence and a determination to make a difference.
Under her dynamic leadership, Havas London has produced bold, culture-busting creative work for big household names and secured its biggest new business wins.
A sought-after judge, Vicki has given her time and talents to the biggest awards shows in the industry, including Cannes Lions as a Jury President and as a Juror for the Dan Wieden Titanium Lions, the LIAs, The One Show and D&AD. She’s twice won Campaign’s Creative Leader of the Year, been named on the IPA’s inaugural iList and become an IPA Fellow for ‘services to advertising’ in its New Year Honours list.
Vicki continues to prove to an industry that is often accused of ageism that wisdom and experience, coupled with fresh, culturally relevant and ground-breaking ideas, is a uniquely powerful combination.
Ian Maskell
// Founder/CEO, P E C O R I N O Group
With over 30 years of global experience in blue-chip companies and a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry from Newcastle University, Ian Maskell is a marketing pioneer. He initiated Mars Petcare's entry into China, later ascending to the role of CMO. At Unilever China, Ian spearheaded global ice cream brands, emphasising innovation and product development. Dedicated to responsible business and brand purpose, his expertise ranges from food technology to market entry strategies, particularly in China and Southeast Asia. Notably, he has influenced iconic brands such as M&M’s, Snickers, Dove, and Ben & Jerry’s. As a purpose-driven advisor, Ian champions interdisciplinary collaboration and best industry practices.
Jo McClintock
// VP Brand and Marketing, Trainline
Jo is a big ideas brand leader with a track record of driving growth at some of the UK’s most iconic digital brands, including Moonpig, Skyscanner, and now Trainline — Europe’s #1 rail app. At Trainline, she’s helped deliver over £6bn in sales, tripled growth in key markets, and launched the award-winning “I Came by Train” campaign to reframe rail as the sustainable choice. Jo combines creativity with commercial impact, mentors rising marketing talent, and advises Travalyst, the Duke of Sussex’s sustainable travel coalition.
Craig Mcleod Fawcett
// Snickers & Twix Brand & Content Manager, Mars
Tony Moore
// Director of Marketing & Digital, Audi UK
Audi UK extended its reach into what Moore calls “hard-to-target luxury audiences” by becoming the first headline partner of the Wilderness festival, which took place in August. Moore says the sponsorship exceeded all metrics, including customer leads, for the new, all-electric Audi Q6 e-tron. The marque’s marketing strategy, Moore explains, has “shifted towards a doubling down on brand to ensure we remain distinctive”. He says AI-powered search, social, audio and marketing in its retail centres have contributed to making the brand number one for consideration in the premium car market. This year, Audi also renewed its partnership with Sky Media, retaining its status as the official innovation partner of Sky Sports.
Daniel Müllensiefen
// Professor in Psychology, Goldsmiths University
Lucy Murray
// Brand Director, Free Soul
Jessica Myers
// Chief Customer Officer, The Very Group
As chief customer officer, Jessica oversees marketing, creative, digital customer experience, and data and analytics. She joined Very in October 2022 as chief marketing officer and since then has spearheaded the group’s new brand platform ‘Let’s make it sparkle’, featuring brand characters, Kerry, Terry and Cherry, the flamboyant flamingos. Jessica joined Very from Metro Bank, where she built and led the company’s first ever brand and marketing function and was a member of the Executive Committee. Prior to Metro Bank, Jessica spent five years heading NatWest Group’s brand team with responsibility across its 10 portfolio brands, including RBS, NatWest, Royal Bank, Coutts and Ulster Bank.
Claire Nelson
// Managing Director, Netball Super League (England Netball)
Claire Nelson is a global industry award winning leader who is recognised as one of the most impactful and influential women in UK women’s sport. In 2023 Claire was appointed as the first ever Managing Director of the Netball Super League to lead the professionalisation of the domestic game in the UK which enjoyed a high profile relaunch this year on International Women’s Day. With netball being the most played team sport by women in the UK, the revamped League aims to redefine the landscape of women’s sport and unlock new waves of fandom for a new era.
Specialising in business transformation, commercial, brand and marketing, Claire is known for being a passionate and purpose driven leader who is committed to harnessing the power of women’s sport to engage, inspire and empower women and girls, unlocking their indisputable power and igniting a collective movement for positive and lasting change.
Gemma Parkinson
// Chief Marketing Officer, Moet Hennessy
Gemma Parkinson, Chief Marketing Officer at Moët Hennessy, is the revolutionary force behind the luxury spirits brand Belvedere Vodka. With impactful media campaigns, brand identity transformations, and disruptive product launches, she's taking the luxury wines and spirts industry by storm. Hailing from Scotland and adopting a Parisian flair, Gemma is a bold, creative leader known for crafting long-term international marketing strategies that deliver exceptional business performance.
With more than 15 years experience, before rewriting the rules of Marketing's in the luxury wines and spirits industry, Gemma honed her leadership skills in esteemed media companies like BBC, Condé Nast and Global Radio. Always on the move, you'll find Gemma exuding impeccable style in the lounges of international hubs, waiting to seize her next opportunity.
With her exceptional ability to influence, motivate, and excite people, Gemma embraces diverse markets and cultures. Her relentless pursuit of results and excellence, paired with outstanding communication skills, consistently delivers exceptional outcomes.
At heart, Gemma is a creative storyteller who inspires and engages others to achieve common goals. Her unwavering commitment to making a meaningful difference and infectious enthusiasm make her a captivating and effective leader.
Charlotte Pearce
// Founder, Inkpact
Julie Pender
// Havana Club Creative Content Manager, Havana Club UK
Julie Pender is a distinguished professional in the beverage industry, known for her extensive experience and strategic acumen in growing premium wine, spirits, and craft beer brands. Julie has worked with some of the most iconic names in the industry, including House of Suntory, Jim Beam, Glenfiddich, Grant's Whisky, Beefeater, and most recently, Havana Club.
Her career is marked by a deep understanding of brand value and a unique ability to blend creativity with strategic thinking. Julie's approach to brand management is holistic, focusing not just on the product but also on the people behind it. She believes that the key to a brand's success lies in its ability to connect with consumers on a personal level, and she has consistently leveraged this philosophy to drive growth and innovation.
Julie Pender's career is a testament to her passion for the beverage industry and her unwavering commitment to excellence. She derives her energy by inspiring teams, fostering creativity, and drive strategic growth for brands.
Sarah Potter
// Global Masterbrand Director, Communications, Dove / Unilever
Sarah is an award-winning, results-driven leader. Known for strategic in-culture insights and creativity. She joined Unilever in April 2020, after a decade working agency-side with FTSE100 brands such as Google, Visa and Emirates.
Sarah has helped scale-up influencer marketing and PR across Dove’s top markets and led social-first end-to-end creator marketing campaigns such as #SharetheFirst. Part of the in-house team who launched #TurnYourBack, winning over 30 industry awards, including a Cannes Lions Grand Prix. Recognised as PRWeek’s top 25 most influential women in communications in 2025, she is equal parts fire-fighter, storyteller and fame driver with a passion for creating a world where women uplift and empower each other.
Sarah grew up in the North East of England and has lived in Australia and Dubai. Now based in East London, she loves all thing beauty (SPF is the most important product you can use), Reformer Pilates and true crime podcasts.
Tom Rainsford
// Marketing Director, Beavertown Brewery
Rebeca Ricoy
// Director of Marketing - LATAM + EMEA, duolingo
Rebeca Ricoy is the Regional Marketing Director for Latin America and Europe at Duolingo, the largest learning language app in the world that uses artificial intelligence to achieve its mission of making education free, fun and accessible to all. Her work is to strategize, create, evaluate and adapt marketing strategies to the different markets. Before Duolingo, Rebeca worked at Esteé Lauder Companies and Avon Cosmetics. Rebeca has an MBA from Universidad Anahuac and a masters degree in Entertainment Business Management from Vancouver Film School.
John Robb
// Journalist and musician, C/O Meanwhile
Justine Roberts CBE
// CEO & Founder of Mumsnet, Mumsnet
Trevor Robinson
// ECD & Founder, Quiet Storm
As a creative, Trevor Robinson OBE has been responsible for some of the most famous and talked about advertising of his era from the iconic and multi-award winning ‘You’ve Been Tango-ed’ Orange Slap to the more recent Haribo ‘Kids Voices’ campaign.
In 1995 he set up Quiet Storm, the first agency to write, direct and produce its own work. To this day it’s still one of the few ad agencies where creatives direct their own work.
In 2020 Trevor reignited the Create Not Hate initiative he originally set up in 2007 to open pathways for under represented young people to build creative careers, and mobilised a staggering amount of support. He won the UK Black British Business Award for top senior entrepreneur 2020 and was awarded an OBE in 2009 for his services to charity and advertising.
Trevor is recognised in influencer lists including Debretts 500, Campaign’s A-List, The Drum Top 100 Adverati, the IPA’s iList, and won Oystercatcher’s ‘outstanding, lifetime contribution to the industry’ award. He is a regular main stage speaker at Cannes Lions, where he was president of the Titanium jury in 2021. He was President Jury of 2022’s D&AD Entertainment awards, was named a Campaign top 3 Changemaker of 2021, and was made a lifetime Fellow of the IPA last year.
Dirujan Sabesan
// CMO, Wingstop UK
What started as a teenage hobby in a bedroom has become a journey powered by creativity, culture, and community. Born in Sri Lanka and raised in the UK, Dirujan turned a passion for design and digital storytelling into a career — founding his own creative agency by 18 and going on to lead work for global brands including Twitter UK, MOBO Awards, Afro Nation, and more.
Now Chief Marketing Officer at Wingstop UK, Dirujan is spearheading the brand’s evolution into a lifestyle movement — where food meets culture, creativity drives strategy, and community is at the heart of everything. A self-taught marketer with a background shaped by lived experience, grassroots projects, and bold brand building, he brings both strategic depth and cultural fluency to the table.
Rajeev Sathyesh
// CMO, Heineken UK, Heineken
Rajeev Sathyesh, CMO HEINEKEN UK, is a global marketing leader with over 20 years of experience shaping iconic brands across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Rajeev brings a dynamic blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and commercial acumen honed at industry giants like Procter & Gamble and HEINEKEN.
Now based in London, Rajeev leads marketing for one of the UK's most diverse and high-profile beverage portfolios—including Birra Moretti, Heineken®, Fosters, Strongbow, Cruzcampo, Murphy’s and the fast-growing Inch’s brand. Under his leadership, HEINEKEN UK is redefining how traditional and contemporary brands engage with modern consumers across digital, experiential, and retail channels.
Having previously transformed brand strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, where his work earned international recognition at Cannes Lions and helped double the Heineken brand’s business within a period of 4 years; Rajeev is passionate about leveraging creativity to drive business growth. His global perspective and deep understanding of cultural nuance bring fresh relevance to UK marketing conversations.
Jordan Schwarzenberger
// Manager, The Sidemen
Mark Shanley
// Executive Creative Director, adam&eveDDB
Drake once complained about not being in one of Mark’s ads. Stevie Knicks defended another one of them against its critics. His ads have been the answer to a question on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and become posters on kids’ bedroom walls. When The Sun called another one of his ads the most stomach-turning ad in television history Mark was just glad to have been considered part of television history. In a nearly 20 year career Mark Shanley’s work has been celebrated, satirised, awarded, parodied, referenced, copied, memed and banned. But it has never been boring.
Mark is Executive Creative Director at adam&eveDDB in London where he puts the agency’s Feeling First mantra at the heart of everything he does for his clients.
John Sills
// Managing Partner, The Foundation
John Sills is Managing Partner at the customer-led growth consultancy, The Foundation, and author of Leadership Book of the Year 2023, The Human Experience.
25 years ago, he started his career on a market stall in Essex, and since then has worked in and with companies around the world to make things better for customers. He’s been in front-line teams delivering the experience, innovation teams designing the propositions, and global HQ teams creating the strategy. He's been a bank manager during the financial crisis (not fun), launched a mobile app to millions of people (very fun), and regularly visits strangers’ houses to ask very personal questions (incredible fun).
Before joining The Foundation, John spent twelve years at HSBC, latterly as Head of Customer Innovation. His first book on the topic - The Human Experience - was published by Bloomsbury in February 2023, and his writing has been featured in The Guardian, The FT, and Management Today.
Andrew Smith
// Senior Director, Brand, Vinted
Sir Martin Sorrell
// Executive Chairman & Founder, S4 Capital
Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder and Executive Chairman of S4 Capital, built WPP into the world's largest advertising company over 33 years. S4 Capital, founded in 2018, combines digital content (MediaMonks) and media solutions (MightyHive), and has since merged with 30+ companies under the Monks brand, offering global marketing, technology services, and AI-driven solutions. In 2022, he co-founded S4S Ventures, investing in early-stage tech. Sir Martin supports business schools and charities, and was recognized by Harvard Business Review as a top-performing CEO and by TIME as an influential person. He is also an Honorary Fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge, and a Director of Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Michelle Spillane
// MD Marketing Paddy Power & UKI Brand Orchestration, Flutter UKI
Michelle Spillane is the MD of Marketing, Paddy Power (whilst also being MD of UKI Brand Collaboration). In her role, Michelle oversees all marketing and brand efforts for Paddy Power in the UK and the bookmaker’s native Ireland. Spillane joined the company from Irish public-service broadcaster RTÉ, where she had served as Director of RTE Global , RTE’s international commercial arm Marketing for four years. Earlier in her career, Michelle spent time as Chief Marketing Officer for the Irish division of Microsoft, as well as Head of Marketing for Bank of Ireland. In addition, she spent two-and-a-half years as Marketing Director for the ITV Worldwide arm of UK commercial broadcaster ITV.
Kirsten Stagg
// Marketing Director, Skoda UK
Michael Stewart
// Founder, Human Forest
Michael Stewart is a Chilean marketer and entrepreneur with a passion for building brands that move people — quite literally.
He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business and a Master's in Marketing from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, one of Chile's leading business schools. Notably, UAI ranks #23 in the QS Latin America & Caribbean Rankings 2025, making it the highest-ranked private university in Chile.
Michael began his career in data analysis at Heineken Chile, before moving into marketing at Falabella, South America’s largest retail group. He went on to lead marketing for global action sports brands Volcom, Rip Curl and Maui and Sons across Chile and Peru, building communities and driving regional growth.
In 2018, he relocated to London to pursue an MBA at Imperial College Business School, where he was awarded the Future Leaders Scholarship.
Since then, Michael has been on a mission to reinvent urban mobility as co-founder and CMO of Forest, London’s second-largest shared e-bike operator. Alongside Agustin, Caroline, and Ignacio, he has helped scale Forest into a purpose-driven, high-growth brand that combines sustainability, technology, and marketing innovation — most recently pioneering new models in retail media and brand partnerships within the mobility space.
Rory Sutherland
// Vice Chair, Ogilvy
Gaston Tourn
// Chief Growth Officer, Oddbox
Simon Valcarcel
// Marketing Director, Virgin Media O2
Simon Valcarcel is a Spurs, Oasis and Star Wars fan who works for Virgin Media O2 as Marketing Director, in that order. While he waits for Oasis to play in July, Simon defines and leads the marketing strategy and execution for Virgin Media O2. Before Virgin Media O2, he worked at TalkTalk for five years. Building the brand into a household name through The X-Factor sponsorship and working with Disney on one of his all-time favourite Pixar films, WALL-E. Passionate about brilliant creative, media planning, finding out what makes customers tick and innovation, Simon is also part of ISBA's Executive Committee.
Herwig Vennekens
// Chief Commercial Officer, HARIBO Group
Steering HARIBO's global commercial initiatives, Herwig’s role encompasses driving sales and marketing strategies across the HARIBO Group. With expertise in strategy and marketing management, he has championed brand growth in a competitive confectionery landscape. His team has successfully expanded HARIBO's market presence, solidifying its position as the world's premier sugar confectionery brand.
Herwig’s leadership philosophy is anchored in cross-functional collaboration, fostering innovation and excellence within our organization. At HARIBO, we've nurtured a culture of continuous improvement, leveraging brand management skills to resonate with diverse markets. These efforts have contributed to sustained business development and have been instrumental in achieving our strategic objectives.
since 2018 Chief Commercial Officer HARIBO global
2007 - 2018 Managing Director & Director Marketing, Sales & Strategy HARIBO UK & Ireland
Roger Wade
// Chairman, BoxFund VC
Roger Wade is a visionary entrepreneur with over 30 years’ experience in building and investing in consumer brands. He is Chairman of BoxFund VC, a venture capital firm he founded in 2023 to back early-stage UK businesses with a positive social and environmental impact.
In 1989, Roger founded Boxfresh, the pioneering British streetwear brand that brought labels like Carhartt and G-Star to the UK. He grew Boxfresh from a market stall to an international business in 12 countries before selling it to Pentland Brands in 2005. He then launched Brands Incorporated, a consultancy for developing and licensing UK fashion brands.
In 2011, Roger created Boxpark Shoreditch, the world’s first pop-up mall made from shipping containers. He expanded the concept with Boxpark Croydon and Boxpark Wembley, blending retail, dining and entertainment into iconic destinations. In 2021, he sold a majority stake in Boxpark to Lloyds Development Capital and became Non-Executive Director.
Between 2020 and 2024, Roger completed executive programmes in ESG, Private Equity, Venture Capital and Leadership at London Business School, Imperial College and Oxford Saïd Business School. He is a regular speaker, columnist and judge on retail, branding and entrepreneurship.
Roger is dedicated to championing businesses that combine profit with purpose and deliver lasting social value.
Naomi Walkland
// CMO, Motorway
Naomi Walkland is the Chief Marketing Officer of Motorway, the UK’s fastest-growing car marketplace, where she oversees the company’s brand and product marketing, growth marketing, creative, communications, and business marketing teams.
Previously, Naomi served as the Vice President of Bumble, where she led the international marketing team, driving new customer and revenue growth outside of the US. She was part of the team which took Bumble public in 2021 and built and scaled marketing operations across EMEA and APAC. Under her leadership, Bumble expanded its brand presence into over 15 markets worldwide. During her tenure at Bumble, Naomi led some of Bumble’s most impactful global campaigns, such as My Love is Black Love, a celebration and representation of Black Love in Britain.
Naomi is passionate and committed to diversity and inclusion in the marketing and creative industries. She sits on the global board of The Marketing Society and is an Advisor for OK Mentor, which provides free training and mentorship programs for women graduates. Additionally, she is a board trustee for mothers2mothers, an African NGO leading global efforts to end paediatric AIDS.
Recognised for her leadership and contributions to marketing, Naomi is an Honorary Fellow of The Marketing Society and has been recognised by Marketing Week and Campaign Magazine as one of the top marketing leaders in the UK in their annual ‘Power 100’ and ‘Marketing Week Top 100 Effective Leaders’.
Josh White
// Founder & CEO, Cano Water
Josh White is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cano Water, the world’s first canned water brand.
In 2015 after witnessing plastic pollution firsthand on a trip to Thailand, Josh and two friends launched Cano Water, a simple idea with a big mission: replace single-use plastic bottles with infinitely recyclable cans.
Today Cano is stocked in over 10,000 locations across the UK and backed by leading names in sport, music and entertainment. The brand is on track to prevent 1 billion plastic bottles from ending up in landfill by 2030.
Josh’s journey hasn’t followed a straight line. Living with ADHD and overcoming addiction from a young age, he found purpose through building something that mattered. Before Cano he ran a music events business and DJ’d around the world. He was later named a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree and one of the coolest people in food and drink.
Oliver Yonchev
// Founder / Entrepreneur, cocreatd
Mark Sinnock
// Global Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Creative Network
Mark is the Global Chief Strategy, Data and Innovation Officer for the Havas Creative Network.
Mark is recognised as a multi award winning strategist, driving brand transformation through creative innovation. He believes that strategy is the first act of creativity and that a brand’s difference has the power to transform its commercial performance. He has a track record of leading award winning strategy teams in both boutique ‘hot shops’ and multi national agencies and he has helped transform brands across Europe, the US and Asia. Mark has also spent time at a range of different ‘client side’ businesses across the tech, mobile and retail sectors, so he understands the needs, pressure and culture of business intimately.
Mark now leads our strategy practice globally, which means inspiring smart, innovative strategists to use creativity to solve for today and tomorrow’s commercial challenges on brands as diverse as Asahi, Birdseye, Durex, and EE to name a few.
Mark also runs the Global Intelligence Team for Havas, which focuses on converging next gen tools, tech, platforms and systems to drive audience insight and innovation for brands. He believes in an ‘audience-first’ approach to data and tech, and is committed to bringing both big data and human data together to unlock growth.
Mark Whelan
// Chairman & UK Group Chief Creative Officer, Havas UK
Mark Whelan is the Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Havas UK.
Havas UK comprises 20+ agencies and 1700 people with a diverse range of capabilities including advertising, CX, PR, sponsorship, media, activation, design, investor relations, transformation management, sustainability consultancy, employee experience, UX and more.
Mark joined the Havas family in 2008 through the acquisition of his company Cake, a pioneer in the branded entertainment space; taking brand marketing in the direction of music festivals, tv shows, gaming, fashion collaborations, music artist partnerships and dramatic stunts.
In a somewhat lengthy and eclectic career he has won Cannes Lions, named several products and companies, creative directed an Olympics experience, written for TV and film, created an alcohol-free sparkling wine and most recently become a regular speaker on the subject of artificial intelligence.
Mark is a trustee of Key4Life and on the advisory board for the Fair Chance Alliance, both of which work in the space to help ex-offenders find a new start in life.
René Hisserich
// Senior Director Media, Content & Digital Marketing, Mars
René Hisserich is a visionary Senior Director of Media, Content & Digital Marketing at Mars. With over 20 years of experience leading global media transformations and digital innovation René is known for his strategic acumen and creative leadership. René has worked across industries for companies like Heineken, Anheuser-Busch InBev and United Internet Media, elevating brand presence through media and accelerating growth. His passion for storytelling, data-driven strategy, and team empowerment has made him a trusted leader in shaping the future of media. René thrives at the intersection of creativity and business, always pushing boundaries to inspire audiences and deliver measurable impact.
Tanya Weller
// Marketing Director, Samsung Electronics UK
James Verity
// Creative Director, Jamie Oliver
As Creative Director for the Jamie Oliver Group, I am privileged to work alongside Jamie to deliver on the creative vision he has for the brand.
Leading the creative teams, James works across everything from art direction and brand identity to creative execution and strategy, including Jamie’s bestselling cookbooks.
Prior to moving in-house with Jamie, I spent 20 years in the creative industry, with a decade as director and co-founder of agency Superfantastic. I’ve always specialised in brand, design and digital, and my passion is helping brands to reimagine themselves.
Being creative is what makes James tick.
Karan Gokani
// Co-Founder and Creative Director, Hoppers
Karan grew up in Mumbai with a deep love for food and hospitality. In 2005, he moved to England to study law at the University of Cambridge. Even while practising as a solicitor at a prestigious Magic Circle firm, his passion for food remained strong and he spent his spare time in professional kitchens. In 2012, he left law to pursue hospitality full-time, travelling across India and Sri Lanka to immerse himself in their food and culture.
In 2015, Karan co-founded Hoppers, a Sri Lankan and South Indian restaurant in Soho, London, with JKS Restaurants. The restaurant quickly earned a Bib Gourmand and praise from critics like Fay Maschler and the late A A Gill, leading to new locations in Marylebone and King’s Cross. In 2022, he released the well-received Hoppers: The Cookbook.
Karan has contributed travel features and recipes on Sri Lanka and southern India to major publications and appeared on BBC Saturday Kitchen, MasterChef UK, Jamie’s One Pound Meals and NBC’s Today Show. Collaborations with Shake Shack and Soho House have furthered his influence in the culinary world.
On Instagram (@karancooks), he shares food and travel inspiration with over 640,000 followers, with a focus on Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine.
Karan also leads Feeding the Future, a charitable initiative in Sri Lanka with the Hemas Outreach Foundation, which has raised over £350,000 since 2022 and built three preschools for 148+ children.
Dan Brain
// Co-Founder, MAD//Fest
Ian Houghton
// Co-Founder, MAD//Fest
Eric Fulwiler
// CEO, Rival
Eric is the co-founder and CEO of Rival, one of the fastest-growing marketing consultancies in the US and UK, working with challengers like Oura Ring, Wonder, and Webflow to help them scale, and incumbents like Xerox, JP Morgan, and Unilever to help them innovate. Rival’s mission is to understand what challenger brands do differently to grow in categories that are being disrupted. Our research has been featured by the IPA, ANA, Ad Age, Campaign, Cannes, SXSW, and Web Summit, to name a few. Before co-founding Rival in 2021, Eric was the CMO of 11:FS, a fintech venture builder for nearly three years. He was also one of the first 15 employees and MD, EMEA of VaynerMedia reporting directly to Gary Vaynerchuk for seven years. He is a well-known speaker and thought leader on all things growth and innovation - including marketing, sales, management, and digital transformation.
Hannah Walker
// Head of Mid Market UK, Reddit Inc
Hannah Walker is the Head of Mid-Market UK at Reddit, where she leads a team of sales professionals across hundreds of clients, spanning industries from retail to gaming.
Hannah started her career in Radio, before moving into the digital world and working for the MailOnline, the largest news website in the world at the time.
Before Reddit, Hannah spent 7 years at Snapchat, where she built and led the UK’s first mid-market team, specialising in digital challenger brands and playing a key role in the company’s IPO journey.
Morten Legarth
// Creative Director, faith and VCCP
Sophie Miller
// Content Creator and Founder @ Pretty Little Marketer
Sophie Miller is a leading marketing community expert and content creator who has built a global following of over 600,000 across platforms. As the founder of Pretty Little Marketer, she specialises in making social media simple while placing community at the heart of marketing strategies. Sophie's community-focused approach has earned her partnerships with major brands including Adobe, Meta and YouTube, along with speaking engagements for organisations like Semrush, ASOS and L'Oreal.
Madolyn Grove
// Head of Creators UKIN, TikTok
Matthew Barwell
// NED and Advisor, Advertising Standards Authority and Accenture
Matt has more than 35 years of Marketing and Advertising experience, having held senior positions in Mars Inc, Diageo and Britvic. He has led teams across many international markets and previously lived in Italy. His most recent Executive role was serving as Chief Marketing Officer for Britvic, where he was also responsible for Corporate Affairs, Sustainability and R&D.
Matt has strong industry stakeholder relationships and regulatory experience, gained through the Presidents Committee of Food & Drink Federation, Advertising Association and ISBA. He is a former Chair of the AA’s Front Foot Group and of the Marketing Group of Great Britain, as well as being a Fellow of the Marketing Society.
He is currrently a NED and Council memmber of the Advertising Standards Authority, a NED for a numbe of PE backed businesses and a Board Advisor for Accenture. He serves as a Trustee for a leading Children’s Mental Health Charity, Place2Be.
Rawdon Glover
// Managing Director, Jaguar, JLR
Rawdon was appointed to the role of Managing Director, Jaguar in February 2023. Prior to this he was the UK Managing Director for Jaguar Land Rover.
Within his current role, he is responsible for the Jaguar brand strategy, short and long-term brand profitability and the full end-to-end client experience, through the Product, Services and Experiences offering. As Jaguar MD, he continues to lead the reimagining of the Jaguar brand that was unveiled in November 2024.
Rawdon is a Senior Executive Director, with a track record of enhancing global brands’ revenues and capabilities at Jaguar Land Rover, Volkswagen, Audi & Camelot Group PLC.
He has led transformation across all areas of the Customer Journey, shaping and executing commercially focused transformations to sales and networks, marketing, customer service and supply chain.
He is passionate about using deep customer understanding to enable business change, developing new business channels and building brands.
Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He’s also a keen tennis player, skier and golfer.
Daniel Fanshawe
// Senior Client Director, Media, Kantar
Daniel Fanshawe is Senior Client Director, Media, at Kantar Insights UK & Ireland
Lynne Deason
// Head of Creative Excellence, Kantar
Senta Slingerland
// Co-founder, Fala
Senta is a brand strategist, writer and curator. Senta Slingerland is co-Founder of Fala, which designs products and experiences that helps brands build creative confidence.
Senta is also a Leader-at-Large at Mesa, who assemble and lead extraordinary teams to build solutions to complex challenges – in just 5 days. She is the former Director of Brand Strategy of Cannes Lions, where she launched See It Be It and The Glass Lion.
Senta has written two books: Game Changers: The Evolution of Advertising (Taschen, 2013) and City Shapers London: The Creative People Shaping the City (Lannoo, 2018).
Orlando Wood
// Chief Innovation Officer, System1
Matt Rooney
// Head of Measurement, Global Accounts, TikTok
Matt is the Head of Measurement, Global Accounts at TikTok and has worked at the organisation for over 5 years. He has previously worked at Amazon and Mindshare.
Karla Vélez
// Global Media Director - Social Media Lead, L'Oréal
Richard Warren
// Director - Brand, Marketing & Corporate Affairs, Nationwide
Richard joined Nationwide in September 2023 and was responsible for the brand relaunch and new marketing campaign. Prior to Nationwide, Richard was Director of Marketing Communications for Lloyds Banking Group for 5 years, where he was responsible for the Lloyds, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows brands. Before that Richard worked agency side in both media and creative agencies, being a founding partner in Delaney Lund Knox Warren which grew to be the UK’s largest independent agency before merging with Lowe.
Olivia Mitchell-Bent
// Head of Events and Social, Drip Water
From the age of 15, I have balanced work with rigorous academic studies. Whether that be working in a coffee shop while undertaking GCSES, or serving tables at an Italian restaurant during my A Levels. In 2019, I moved from the small town of Chesterfield to complete my undergrad degree at the University of Manchester, studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics. This was while finding myself working in nightlife events and hospitality. Initially, it was simply an exciting way to get to know the city. But very quickly I learned that it would be a crucial vessel in building key relationships within the music and entertainment industry. My success in the field of event management and promotion then led to further freelance projects, including working with global events companies such as those producing Afronation & Rolling Loud, and coordinating production for music videos and other ad hoc events. After saving rigorously and indulging in half a year of travelling in 2023 - with the purpose of strengthening my Spanish-speaking - I returned to the UK and moved to London to pursue my Masters. I enrolled at UCL to study Race, Ethnicity and Postcolonial Studies, an interdisciplinary course that has massively shaped how I approach the business world. It was around the time of enrolment that Big Zuu, cofounder of Drip, approached me, suggesting that I would be just the person he wanted to get this disruptive new brand off the ground. I guess you could say the rest is history?!
Paul Wright
// Head of Advertising, International, Uber
Alex Reeves
// Managing Editor, Little Black Book
Alex has been on the Little Black Book editorial team since 2017, but has been writing about advertising since 2012. Former editor of UK commercial production publication The Beak Street Bugle, what began as a career covering the craft side of the British industry broadened significantly when he joined the global platform of LBB. He’s now managing editor for the EMEA region.
A keen escapist, Alex tries to get as much time as he can away from screens, whether that’s tending to the veg he grows, cooking and fermenting said vegetables, or taking long walks while listening to pulp sci-fi audiobooks.
Mimmo Palmieri
// Associate Director Global Ad Analytics, Conde Nast
Domenico, also known as Mimmo, is Associate Director of Global Ad Analytics at Condé Nast, where he focuses on ad monetization, data and tech analytics. His deep expertise in media, operations and ad technology coupled with his passion for building and repairing things led him to embrace the most technical sides of the ad industry, where data is central. On the sell-side, he has worked on first-party data and targeting strategies, launched yield, campaign measurements and product analytics tools for global commercial departments and managed partnership with suppliers and vendors. A native Italian with a love for tennis, cycling and cooking.
Dan Rubel
// Brand & Marketing Director, Currys
Dan is the Brand & Marketing Director at Currys – responsible for brand, advertising, social, CRM, PR, promo planning, store innovation and omni channel creative & content. Dan has been at Currys since September 2018 and previously had held a variety of marketing, strategy, customer experience and general management roles – mainly at the Very Group and Procter & Gamble. Outside of work, he’s a dad, a keen tennis player, a reluctant gym goer and an emotional Manchester United fan.
Jo Arden
// Chief Strategy Officer, AMV BBDO
Jo Arden is Group Chief Strategy Officer at AMV BBDO, leading a world-class team of multi-skilled strategists to make Ideas that Real People Love.
With over 20 years experience, Jo has worked spans every category - from FMCG to government, start-ups to global giants; and in every channel from grassroots brand activism to global TV-led campaigns. Her work has helped people to stop smoking (through the IPA award-winning Stoptober for Public Health England), support the NHS (through the IPA award-winning We Are the NHS recruitment campaign), connect global youth to the Olympic movement (through the Coco-Cola Paris 2024 Olympic sponsorship) and got brands in basket for toothpaste, shampoo, beer and beyond.
Prior to joining AMV, she was Chief Strategy Officer at Ogilvy UK, and previously held leadership roles at Publicis Poke, MullenLowe London and 23red.
Jo is a recognised voice in the industry: the 2024 Convenor of Judges for the IPA Effectiveness Awards, Chair of Judges for Eurobest Effectiveness and Strategy 2024, Thinkbox Awards judge 2025 and a member of the IPA Effectiveness Leadership Group. She also sits on the WACL SteerCo and APG Committee, is Deputy Chair of the History of Advertising Trust, and an IPA Fellow. She’s a regular Campaign columnist and a champion for making the industry more inclusive.
Tom Ridges
// CEO, Herdify
Tom Ridges doesn’t buy the hype around digital-first everything. As founder of Herdify, he’s on a mission to prove that real marketing power lies in human behaviour, specifically, the hidden influence of offline communities. A former Microsoft-er turned startup founder, Tom now leads Herdify in using AI and behavioural science to model how influence spreads in the real world, just like a virus. The result? Disruptive brands and charities like Who Gives A Crap, Abel & Cole, and the RSPCA are cutting waste and getting more impact from every pound.
Alix Sutherland
// Agency Partner, Meta
With over 10 years of experience spanning both the Australian and UK markets, I’ve had the privilege of working across multiple channels, including television, digital content platforms, and social media. My expertise lies in deciphering consumer behaviour and harnessing marketing insights to drive tangible results for brands. With a passion for innovation and creativity, I’m dedicated to helping my agencies stay ahead of the curve. Currently, my focus is on driving strategic partnerships within the Indie agency UK cohort, empowering my agencies to harness the complexities of an AI-driven world to unlock new growth opportunities for their clients.
Matt Garbutt
// Director of AI & Creative, Brave Bison
Matt’s been a digital creative for longer than he cares to remember: from design bench to director across various agencies, in-house and his own companies. He joined Brave Bison in its previous guise of Greenlight in 2017 and directs The Studio, the creative collective at Brave Bison. In 2024, he was made the company's director of AI and creative, which makes him also responsible for building and integrating a comprehensive suite of data science and audience insight tooling with AI and emerging tech. This suite delivers the potential to improve effectiveness for clients across their performance marketing mix.
Chris Willingham
// Global Marketing Director, Brompton Bicycle
Chris has held multiple leadership roles both agency side and, more recently, brand side. At TBWA he led the PlayStation account team that delivered 'Double Life' and 'Mountain'. Whilst at Fallon he oversaw Sony 'Balls' and 'Paint' plus Cadbury 'Gorilla'. And whilst at Wieden+Kennedy, as Global Director for Nike, he led the team that developed 'Breaking2', 'Nothing Beats A Londoner' and the 'equality' platform that spawned 'Dream Crazy'. Having lived and worked in Singapore, Portland (Oregon) and Sydney, he's now back in London as Global Marketing Director of Brompton.
Gregg Oldfield
// CEO, Engage, Brave Bison
As CEO of Engage Digital Partners, now part of Brave Bison, Gregg Oldfield leads the transformation of digital and content strategies for some of the biggest names in global sport. Since co-founding Engage in 2015, he has overseen its growth into a world-class digital agency, delivering fan engagement, data-driven content, and commercial solutions for Formula E, Rugby World Cup, FIFA, the Premier League, and DAZN. Now as part of Brave Bison, Gregg continues to drive innovation, helping rights holders, broadcasters, and brands maximise their digital potential.
Michael Sutherland
// COO and Co-Founder, STRIKR
Michael Sutherland is COO and co-founder of STRIKR, and a seasoned sports and tech executive who led Real Madrid’s digital transformation as Chief Transformation Officer, engaging a global fanbase of over 600 million. Previously, he held leadership roles in Silicon Valley, including Director of Virtual Reality at HP, where he launched multiple award-winning products.
Terry Hornsby
// Group Digital and Innovation Director, Reach PLC
Terry Hornsby is an experienced Digital and Innovation Director at Reach PLC, the UK's biggest commercial publisher with over 20 years of expertise in driving digital revenue and product growth for publishers, advertisers, and digital platforms. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles in product management, operations, data, and digital strategy, with a comprehensive focus on all aspects of digital marketing and technology.
Terry has a proven track record in leading digital transformation initiatives, structuring and applying big data solutions, and developing cutting-edge digital products.
In 2019, Terry founded Mantis, an AI Digital Platform powered by IBM Watson. Mantis provides advanced tools for data segmentation, brand safety, contextual data/marketing, and publisher technology. It also offers innovative solutions for advertisers and brands to enhance their digital marketing strategies.
As a senior digital leader, Terry is passionate about leveraging the latest digital technologies to drive success and innovation in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing.
Georgia Lewis Anderson
// AI consultant, Lantyn
Georgia Lewis Anderson is a leading AI consultant and Prompt Engineering Specialist, renowned for her innovative work with major technology companies, like Google, Microsoft and Meta.
Georgia creates custom AI characters that people actually want to talk to, and that actually help them get things done, turning complex ideas into conversations people actually want to have.
She's co-founder of Lantyn, a purpose-first AI consultancy that blends human imagination with cutting-edge tech, giving creatives, entrepreneurs, and visionaries the tools to turn bold ideas into tangible outcomes.
With a background in journalism and broadcasting, plus extensive experience shaping human-machine interactions, Georgia is uniquely placed to translate next-gen technology into actionable insights. A recognized thought leader, she's known for making AI accessible and entertaining on global stages - especially where creativity, marketing, and human behavior collide.
Susan C. Allen
// Co-founder & Chief Brand Officer, Here We Flo
Susan Allen is Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Here We Flo, a rapidly growing B Corp with big ambitions and an impressive roster of advisors and investors from Graze, Charlotte Tilbury, Unilever, L'Oreal and more. Susan grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, and received her B.A. in communications and legal studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After three years at a healthcare policy nonprofit in Boston, she moved to New York City to join George Soros' philanthropy, the Open Society Foundations. While working there Susan completed her masters degree in management at the London School of Economics in 2015. She then relocated to London permanently to lead the Foundation's work on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
After meeting Tara Chandra, the two launched Here We Flo with a Kickstarter campaign in 2017 and the brand has been shaking up the personal care category ever since, with a purpose-driven, period care, sensitive bladder and sexual wellness range that offers ""fiercely natural care for life's messiest moments"". Here We Flo is on a mission to challenge shame and disrupt the period, bladder, and sexual wellness markets with plant-powered products including tampons, pads, reusable period underwear, condoms and more!
Susan has most recently been recognised as a 2023 Glossy Future Leader in the Wellness category. She resides in London with her husband and two children.
Jess Merry
// Managing Director, Precis
"Jess has always had a passion for delivering the most innovative marketing strategies and has been exploring the nuances of media, data and creative since early on in her career. As Managing Director at Precis, Jess acts as a strategic soundboard for clients to understand how marketing initiatives can tackle key business problems. She has a proven track record of guiding businesses through the complexities of digital maturity, helping them adopt new technologies, and develop a data-driven culture that supports long-term growth.
Prior to Precis, Jess spent 4 years working at MoneySuperMarket Group, leading the performance marketing strategy on the insurance and home services verticals. She joined Precis in 2019 as a strategic lead for key clients, broadening her focus when she stepped into a management role in 2022. "
Nikki Neuburger
// Chief Brand Officer, Lululemon
"Nikki Neuburger joined lululemon in 2020 as Chief Brand Officer to drive the company’s global brand and storytelling initiatives and lead its marketing, brand creative, communications, store design, sustainability, and social impact functions. In 2024, her role expanded to include leading the company’s product merchandising, research and innovation, and footwear portfolio, uniting brand and product under one leader to accelerate innovation and streamline go-to-market strategies.
Prior to lululemon, Ms. Neuburger served as Global Head of Marketing for Uber Eats, where she led the introduction and expansion of the brand globally. Previously, she built her career over a 14–year period at Nike, where she ultimately served as Global Brand Vice President of Nike Running.
Ms. Neuburger holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a focus on International Business and Marketing, and a minor in Product and Merchandising Management from Oregon State University. A lifelong athlete, Ms. Neuburger served as team captain of her college NCAA Division I volleyball team and has completed several marathons."
Heather Dansie
// Research and Insight Dierctor, Newsworks
Heather joined Newsworks as research and insight director in 2023. She is responsible for spearheading Newsworks’ thought leadership programme to amplify insights on news brands to media agencies and advertisers. With previous roles focused on cultural and audience insight at Joshua G2 and Publicis Media, she champions research that identifies the trends that underpin why people behave and make the choices in the way they do.
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson is one of Britain's greatest Paralympic athletes. She competed in five Paralympic Games winning 11 gold medals, 4 silvers and 1 bronze and is acknowledged as one of the most gifted and courageous sportswomen of her generation. In addition to her outstanding Paralympic achievements, between 1992 and 2002 she won the London Wheelchair Marathon a total of six times. In 2019, she was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.
Retirement has not slowed her down and Tanni has gone on to play a prominent role in public life. In 2005 she was made ‘Dame’ Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE for her services to sport, while in 2010 she was elevated to the House of Lords as a crossbench peer. With a particular focus on sport, disability, health, welfare and youth development she has made significant contributions to debates on welfare reform, assisted dying and sports governance.
Amongst other positions she is Chancellor of Northumbria University, and is an ambassador for UNICEF, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. She has sat on the board of the BBC, Transport for London and the London Legacy Development Corporation. She is also a respected authority on disability sporting issues, a key part of the BBC’s and Channel 4’s Paralympic coverage team and a regular television and radio broadcast journalist.
Caroline Gregory
// Global Brand Director, Axe/Lynx (Unilever)
Caroline has over 15 years of international experience building and leading some of the world’s most recognisable consumer brands. Currently Global Brand Director for AXE/Lynx at Unilever, leading creative development and purpose-driven innovation for over five years.
She held a series of marketing positions across AXE/LYNX, including Brand Director for Brand Purpose and Skin Cleansing, and Global Senior Brand Manager for the Masterbrand. She worked in the Middle East with National Food Products Company (LACNOR Juice) and Emaar Properties, following several years in advertising with IML (BTL Advertising).
Caroline brings deep expertise in global brand building, creative leadership, and cross-cultural consumer engagement, especially in marketing to young male consumers.
Alice Anson
// Digital Media Director, N360
Alice Anson is Nectar360’s Digital Media Director, looking after Nectar360’s digital proposition both on Sainsbury's Group websites, managing the end-to-end retail media team for Argos and leading their offsite capabilities through Nectar360’s proprietary Digital Trading Platform.
Alice’s background is in ecommerce across both retail and lifestyle brands and she has been with Nectar360 since October 2018. Nectar360’s role is to create valuable relationships between brands and their customers, and Alice ensures Nectar360 remains at the forefront of digital consideration within the retail media space.
James MacDonald
// Co-Founder, Limelight
James Macdonald is Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Limelight Digital, responsible for the day-to-day Sales and outreach operations and management of the company, which offers SaaS solutions to Agencies, publishers, networks and traders looking to operate via OpenRTB, Pre-bid and beyond, Limelight’s platform offers simple, cost-effective licensing models and unlimited QPS, making it possible to engage with all commercial opportunities without fear of platform or ad serving fees.
James began his career at the Daily Express on Fleet Street, then spent some years in Agencies, before becoming the first Mobile lead at Unanimis, London's leading Premium digital ad network. Following this,
James became the Launch Head of Sales for O2 (Telefonica) Media, setting up the division and developing the Telefonica O2 Media proposition across the UK and European markets. He then spent four years in America as General Manager, USA for Adfonic, a mobile-specific DSP platform and one of the early mobile ad networks, building the US presence and running an extended international team in market. On returning home James launched his own consulting vehicle Videohog offering clients like Digicel, Telefonica, Zeotap and many others Access and activation in Programmatic markets globally. James Teamed up with David Nelson again at this time and together they visioned and developed the limelight Journey.
James plays the saxophone and is an avid golfer and takes his clubs with him on most of his travels around the world.
Julia Linehan
// Founder and CEO, The Digital Voice™
Winner of the 2023 Campaign 40over40 award, Julia Linehan founded The Digital Voice™ in 2012 and has built up a well loved PR agency and team who live and breathe all things PR, communications and digital marketing. In her role as Founder and CEO of The Digital Voice™, she manages an expert team of freelancers who deliver PR, communications and showcase experiences for our long term clients.
Known for her boundless energy, Julia started her career in digital advertising at Dennis Publishing 27 years ago and she has been at the heart of the changing digital media landscape ever since. She has held major commercial roles both agency and media side including Associated Newspapers, 614 Group, The Mirror Group Newspapers, Dennis Publishing, IAB, Nexus Business Media and UPC Media. She is also a co-founder of numerous industry groups as well as at the beating heart of many of the communities within the digital advertising industry.
Liam Wade
// Performance Director, Impression
Liam Wade is the Director of Performance at Impression, the award-winning performance marketing agency growing global brands by transforming Evidence into Action. With over a decade of experience across the full performance marketing spectrum, Liam is passionate about driving growth through a creative, experimentation-led approach. He is an energetic, fast-paced international speaker, both actionable and entertaining. In his spare time, Liam is a theoretical ferroequinologist and has all 10 fingers.
Gastón Tourn
// Chief Growth Officer, Oddbox
Gastón Tourn is the Chief Growth Officer at Oddbox, the leading brand reducing food waste to mitigate climate change. Previously, he was the CMO at Badoo Group (now Bumble Group) and Appear Here. He also worked in marketing at Google across several international markets, from Brazil to the UK.
Gastón studied Communication at the University of Buenos Aires, completed an MBA programme in Marketing at The Wharton School, and earned a Master’s in Creative Writing at Oxford University. He is currently studying for a Master’s in Computer Science at Harvard University, as he dreams of becoming a code poet.
Clara Mulligan
// European Head of Design & Managing Partner, Anomaly
Clara Mulligan has unparalleled expertise in transforming brands through communication design, brand design, and innovation. As Head of Design, Europe, and Managing Partner at Anomaly, she leads Brand Design and Innovation across the agency’s European offices.
During Clara’s 20+ year design career, armed with her exuberant style, media- and form-agnostic approach, and a strategically driven mindset, she has helped brands discover, visualize, and broadcast their next chapter. Whether revitalizing legacy brands seeking renewed relevance, helping scale-ups find their place in culture, or responding to design innovations that culture demands, her work is dedicated to the creation, transformation, and acceleration of brands.
Having lived in the US, EU, and currently the UK, Clara’s experience is truly global, allowing her to strategically and visually articulate work for international companies.
Most recently, Clara has led the brand transformations, global design systems and visual identities for brands such as Speedo, Johnnie Walker, Starbucks and Unilever, alongside cultural icons such as Rimowa, Women’s Super League and Tonies.
She has developed effective design practices for some of the world's top creative agencies by embracing a broader, more holistic definition of design and the value it brings to clients. Her design leadership and craftsmanship have been recognized and awarded globally.
Ruth Hooper
// CMO, WSL Football
Ruth is the Chief Marketing Officer of WSL Football, the organisation responsible for the top two divisions of women's professional football (Barclays WSL and Barclays WSL2). Prior to WSL Football, Ruth has an extensive sports marketing background including multiple roles at Nike, and consulting to organisations such as MLB, LTA and The FA.
Robert Faulkner
// Chief Business & Communications Officer, Wrexham AFC
Shrina Patel
// Senior Partnerships Marketing Manager, The Very Group
Ten years of experience in the partnerships and retail media industry at Very, Clearpay, Harrods and HarperCollins Publishers.
Currently lead Fashion, Sports and Beauty partnerships at The Very Group, focusing delivering creativity, innovation and insights to our partners.
Alex Payne
// Sky Sports Presenter
Karen Ehrlich
// VP/GM, Skincare, Estée Lauder Companies
Oliver Meade
// Sponsorship Lead, Three
Tati Lindenberg
// Vice President, Marketing, Dirt Is Good
Nicole Kivel
// Managing Director, UK, Enterprise, Criteo
Nicole Kivel is the Managing Director, UK, Enterprise at Criteo, leading its commercial organization for top retailers, brands, and agencies. With 15+ years in advertising, she played a key role in scaling retail media in Europe with Hooklogic, later acquired by Criteo. Nicole specializes in guiding clients to enhance their digital strategy and maximize the impact of Criteo's product suite.
Chloe Hanisko
// Global Performance Marketing Manager, Swarovski
Chloe has worked in digital marketing for 11 years in both the US and UK. Her main areas of focus are Programmatic and Affiliate Marketing, with an expertise in luxury brands. She now works at Swarovski as a Global Performance Marketing Manager running their global programmatic program, focusing on elevating the brand while maintaining a strong ROAS.
Uche Ofili
// Head of Media Agencies, SMG
Uche is the Head of Media Agencies at SMG, overseeing agency partnerships across a diverse portfolio that includes Boots, Asda, Morrisons, Co-op, Deliveroo, and The Very Group. Before joining SMG, Uche played a key role at Tesco Media, where he built, led, and took to market, the UK’s first grocer-specific agency team. With over 18 years of experience on the agency side, Uche has worked with some of the UK’s top agencies, including IPG, MediaCom, and MEC, specialising in Trading, Planning, and Buying, leading campaigns for major brands like Colgate-Palmolive, Visa, GlaxoSmithKline, and Aldi. Today, Uche is dedicated to helping agencies unlock the potential of Connected Commerce, driving customer-first, full-funnel campaigns that deliver results.
Mark Wheeler
// CMO, Storyblok
Mark, as CMO of Storyblok, leads the marketing strategy and execution to drive business growth and redefine the CMS category. Recognized as a Top 100 B2B global CMO, he’s dedicated to building communities for marketers and developers. With a deep understanding of digital experiences, Mark ensures Storyblok delivers exceptional value. Previously, as CMO of LeanIX, he played a key role in doubling customers in two years and contributing to its successful acquisition by SAP. He has also held senior marketing roles at Nutanix, EMC, Sitecore, and Adobe.
Jimmy Carr
// Comedian + Broadcaster
Karim Kamar
// Musician
Gareth Thomas
// Sports personality
Claire Eaton-Rutter
// Journalist and presenter
Rylan Clark
// Television and radio presenter
Anna Williamson
// Dating agent, coach, author & podcaster, Celebs Go Dating
Sally Land
// Agony aunt & columnist, The Sun
Emma Ryalls
// DJ
Bryony Gordon
// Columnist and author, Daily Mail
Rob Buckhaven
// Drinks Editor, Metro
Grace Dent
// Restaurant Critic and Podcast, The Guardian
Jimi Famurewa
// Restaurant critic, Author, Broadcaster & Journalist
Catherine Bohart
// Comedian
Kevin Maguire
// Associate Editor, Mirror
Andrew Pierce
// Consultant Editor, Daily Mail
Camilla Tominey
// Associate Editor, The Telegraph
Steph Cockcroft
// News Editor, The Independent
Frankie Bridge
// Singer, TV personality and creator of ‘#FrankiesFaves’
Ayishat Akanbi
// Celebrity Stylist
Joe Bromley
// Fashion Editor, The Standard
Sinead McIntyre
// Editor-in-chief, The Sun’s - Fabulous magazine
Rhea Fox
// Marketing Director, MoonPig
Suzi Bentley Tanner
// Partner, Gate One
Kristine Drullion
// Corporate Brand Strategy & Activation Director, LVMH
Anaïs Guillemané Mootoosamy
// Strategy General Manager, W Conran Design
Chris Hogg
// Chief Revenue Officer, Lotame
Christopher Hogg is Lotame's Chief Revenue Officer leading commercial business, developing strong relationships with enterprise marketers, digital advertising agencies, and media companies. Chris’ consultative approach is informed by nearly two decades of adtech experience and fluency in data enrichment and identity solutions. Prior to Lotame, Chris sat on the other side of the desk as a client evaluating, acquiring, and implementing various technologies for global companies like Independent News and Media, France Telecom – Wanadoo / Orange UK and Unanimis. Chris credits his leadership success to understanding what his clients care about in order to be the best partner possible.
Ben Fox
// Chief Marketing Officer (UK), McDonald's
Ben Fox was promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, UK and Ireland in January 2025. He started his McDonald’s career with the UK back in 2012 as Marketing Manager for Media and Digital, a role which saw him lead media strategy and budget management and head up engagement with McMarCo. Ben progressed through the UK and Ireland Marketing team to reach the role of Marketing Director before being promoted to take on Global and Segment roles in 2020.
During the last two years, Ben has held the role of Senior Director Marketing and Strategy, EMEA IDL, playing a key leadership role across brand, marketing, and business strategy for the 36 IDL markets in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Passionate about the power of creativity to move the business forward, Ben has helped to increase Marketing’s contribution to sales growth by boosting marketing capability and supporting talent development alongside rolling out major business driving initiatives such as Mobile Order and Pay, Loyalty and McCrispy.
Josh Bullmore
// CSO, Publicis Groupe UK, Creative Practice, Publicis Groupe
Josh Bullmore is the Chief Strategy Officer at Publicis Groupe UK’s Creative Practice. He has spent the last 14 years shaping the strategic direction of the business. Under his leadership, his strategists have won multiple IPA Effectiveness, Effie, Cannes Lions, Marketing Society and APG Golds. For the past three consecutive years, Josh has been honoured as the “Strategy Leader of the Year” at the Campaign Agency of the Year Awards for the last four years, recognising his significant contributions to both his agency and the industry. Beyond his impressive client work for the likes of Google, Morrisons, and McDonald’s, Josh is a loud advocate for DE&I. He serves on the board of enAble, Publicis Groupe’s employee action group on disability, and is the UK government’s Disability and Access Ambassador for the advertising sector.
Collette Swindells
// VP of Communications, Usercentrics
Collette Swindells is a global comms leader who’s helped shape brands at every stage—from household names like Disney, ECCO and Coca-Cola to fast-scaling tech players like Planday, Ocean.io and Omada. Today, she’s VP of Communications at Usercentrics, where she’s building the “privacy-led marketing” category from the ground up—turning compliance into a competitive edge.
She started her career as a journalist, and it shows. Collette brings a sharp editorial eye, a bias for honesty over hype, and a belief that trust is built through what you do, not just what you say. In an era of AI-generated noise, she helps brands sound unmistakably human—clear, credible, and worth listening to.
No fluff. No jargon. Just smart, strategic, and refreshingly direct stories.
Paul Sampson
// CEO, Lickd
Paul Sampson is the CEO and founder of LICKD, a micro-licensing, music solutions business. Their first platform transformed the way content creators legally access mainstream music for their videos. With years of experience in music and digital licensing, Paul and LICKD are now also transforming the way Brands and Agencies access mainstream tracks, meaning that music from the biggest artists in the world can be licensed quickly, easily and safely for branded social content, for the first time. His innovative approach has made LICKD a game-changer in the creator economy and digital music space.
Shannon Lennon-Smith
// Magnum Marketing Magnum, The Magnum Ice Cream Company
A creative and strategic marketing leader, Shannon has delivered award-winning campaigns for some of the UK’s most iconic brands, including Marmite and Pot Noodle. She is currently the Marketing Manager for Magnum, the UK’s #1 Ice Cream brand, where she champions consumer-first thinking.
Shannon is passionate about using innovation to craft unmissable brand experiences that connect with consumers and drive meaningful impact. Her work is defined by a commitment to pushing boundaries and creating campaigns that not only inspire but also deliver business results.
Jorge Poyatos
// Founder & Co-CEO, Seedtag
Jorge Poyatos is a visionary leader in digital technology, with a degree in industrial engineering and a major in computational fluid dynamics. He honed his skills at Oliver Wyman, consulting across Europe, USA, and LATAM, before joining Google to bring his expertise in digital business to the forefront. Driven by a passion for innovation and a clear vision for the future, Jorge co-founded Seedtag, the global contextual advertising company powered by its proprietary AI technology, Liz. Seedtag boasts over 600 employees and a strong international presence across 16 countries in EMEA, LATAM, North America, and APAC. As a recognized entrepreneur and member of the Endeavor community, Jorge shares his expertise and knowledge at technology and entrepreneurship conferences. He continues to push boundaries and pioneer new products, utilizing the power of AI to drive positive change in the industry.
Farah Golant
// Board Director, Seedtag
Farah Ramzan Golant, CBE
Farah has worked for over three decades in the global creative, entertainment and
media industries to scale businesses and talent, driving better economic and
social outcomes. Farah’s executive roles have included President Kyu Group, CEO of Nike Foundation’s Girl Effect, CEO of Permira owned ALL3Media and Chairman & CEO of Omnicom network AMV BBDO.
She has served on the British Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group and was a Business
Ambassador for the Creative Industries of Britain. She has been a Non-Executive Director of
Huntsworth plc, and Director of the Board of Aldo Group, Canada. Previously a Trustee of
Sadler’s Wells and the Royal National Theatre, she also served on the Advisory Board of the
Cambridge Judge Business School and Save The Children. She has a joint honours degree in
Modern Languages from Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. She was awarded
Businesswoman of the Year at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards and a CBE for
Services to Advertising.
Currently, Farah is the Chair of Untold Studios. She is an Industry Advisor to private equity firm. Advent and a Board Director of their ad tech company Seedtag. She also serves as a Trustee of the Royal Opera House, of King’s Trust International and the Young Vic Theatre. She is a frequent public speaker on the themes of Creativity, Leadership & Transformation and Women’s Empowerment.
Keith Bedford
// General Manager, EMEA, Wurl
Sahil Jhamb
// Senior Agency Partner, Meta
Sahil Jhamb is a Senior Agency Partner at Meta, a former Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft, and an educator. At Meta, he drives strategy for international business and Artificial Intelligence, helping agencies identify risks, capitalize on opportunities, and understand the broader implications for our marketing ecosystem. Sahil’s extensive experience in digital marketing, business development, and education positions him as a key voice on the future of marketing.
Ellie Prendergast
// Client & Operations Lead, Co-op Media Network
Ellie Prendergast is a retail media leader with over nine years’ experience growing retail media networks and launching innovative media propositions, across some of the UK’s biggest retailers. She’s currently leading the client & operations team at Co-op Media Network, where she helped launch the UK’s first convenience retail media proposition and has driven standout initiatives like Co-op’s “Co-Creation” programme.
Ellie is also the founder of Women in Retail Media, a growing community aimed at championing women across the industry through connection, mentorship, and shared learning. She’s passionate about collaboration, creativity, and making retail media work harder—for brands, for customers, and for teams behind the scenes.
Suzy Knight
// Partnerships Lead, Screwfix Media Partnerships
Suzy has recently join Screwfix Media Partnerships at an exciting part of their evolution. With a significant digital footprint, being amongst top 10 ranked retailer sites in the UK, and a physical estate of over 900 stores she's been evolving the network which has significant reach.
Prior to this Suzy held a key role in the original team which started and matured John Lewis Insight & Media, curating a media proposition to brands across Beauty, Home, Tech and Fashion.
Suzy is passionate about the relationships and partnerships she builds with brands and internal teams, which has been harnessed to successfully build media networks within iconic British retailers.
Char Eeles
// SFM Retail Media Lead, Ocado Retail
Char Eeles, Retail Media Lead at Ocado, Chair of the Women's network and mother of Elvers (far scarier than dragons). Member of the Ocado family for 13 years, previously ex Tesco, ex Endemol, ex VC gaming. Web designer by trade, CX by passion. Ambassador for Women in Retail Media and dedicated park runner. Committed to proving how women hold up their half of the sky, and change the world for my daughters generation.
Rebecca Dixon
// Media Director, THG
Jessica Cooke
// Director of Media & Loyalty, Stonegate Group
Jessica has spent 15+ years in a range of commercial sales and marketing roles across consumer goods and retail. She started her career as an analyst at the Walt Disney Company before moving into consumer goods with roles in Shopper Marketing and National Account Sales at Time Inc and Perrigo Consumer Healthcare. After her time with Perrigo, Jess moved to Tesco Media (dunnhumby), which enabled her to work across the wide spectrum of categories, including Fresh, Grocery, Nestle, and business development. She spent 7 great years building and innovating retail media solutions for her clients. This experience, and her MBA from UCL School of Management, enabled her to springboard into her new role as Director of Media & Loyalty at Stonegate Group (Slug & Lettuce, Be at One, Walkabout, and 4000 community pubs). Her responsibilities include building a retail-style media and loyalty network through the newly launched MiXR app and media platform. On top of the ‘day job’ in marketing strategy, Jess is passionate about advancing gender equality and DEI initiatives to ensure she creates a more inclusive culture anywhere she goes.
Daniel Bischoff
// Chief Operating Officer, RTL AdAlliance
Daniel Bischoff is Chief Operations Officer (COO) of RTL AdAlliance. In his role, he oversees a spectrum of crucial marketing functions, including strategy development, pan-European digital and TV planning & buying, cross-country total video research, the development of scalable inventory products, and the identification of new business, alongside providing comprehensive sales support.
Before assuming this role, Daniel served as the CMOO of RTL AdConnect from 2016. Before joining RTL AdConnect, he held the position of Head of Strategic Marketing at IP Deutschland. Daniel's professional journey also includes a significant 4.5-year tenure at MediaCom Germany, where he held various positions and ultimately served as Managing Partner.
Maximilian Osborne
// Founder, ThisThat
Will O'Connor
// Chief Commercial Officer, High Performance
Will Murphy-O'Connor is a seasoned content and production professional with extensive experience in the media industry. Currently serving as Chief Commercial Officer at The High Performance Podcast since May 2022, Will leads initiatives to transform the insights of high performers into actionable life lessons. Previous roles include Group Director of Production at Ex, where Will oversaw production across multiple high-profile brands, and Head of Content at James Grant Group, managing content strategies for over 20 global clients. With a background that includes positions at the BBC, Monkey Kingdom, and MTV Networks, Will has demonstrated expertise in content development, production, and digital strategy. Will holds a BA in Sport, Health & Leisure with Media from the University of Leeds and has prior education in Sport Science, Media Studies, and English Language at Henley College.
Tanya Rai
// Marketing Manager, base
Tanya has worked in the broadcast and entertainment industry for over 16 years with experience in marketing, events, project/account management, and advocating diversity. She holds a Level 6 CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing. She has worked with the BBC, Cheltenham Literature and Jazz Festivals, International Broadcasting Convention, Gritty Talent, British Arrows, Wildscreen, and Icon Films.
Tanya was a Key Account Manager at Sundog Media Toolkit, managing projects to create automated cloud-native tools for the versioning of packaged media (DCP & IMF), where she built relationships with leading Hollywood Studios and UK broadcasters. In 2021, she moved into a Marketing and Communications Manager role at Pebble, who deliver automation, playout, and management solutions for the broadcast community. Tanya then relocated from the UK to Sydney in 2023 to work for Telstra Broadcast Services (TBS) as their Marketing Manager. TBS offers managed services for end-to-end broadcast solutions for contribution and distribution via its global media network, 24/7 broadcast operations, remote production, and virtual advertising.
Tanya returned to the UK to join base as Marketing Manager in July 2024, leading all marketing efforts for the company alongside a team of marketing execs for content and analytics and a brand and graphics manager.
Zaid Roberts
// Global Business Development, Brand Lead, VIOOH
Zaid Roberts leads brand direct solutions at VIOOH, where he works with global advertisers to integrate DOOH into wider programmatic strategies. With a background in supply side partnerships and a focus on driving measurable outcomes for brands, Zaid brings a practical perspective to the evolving role of DOOH in the media mix.
Lee Henshaw
// Founder, Into-it
Lee is the founder of Into-it, a Chrome browser extension that transforms news websites for music fans. By replacing banner ads with personalised notifications, Into-it keeps fans up-to-date on their favourite artists’ latest singles, albums, merchandise and tours — so they never miss a beat.
Alongside leading Into-it, Lee teaches AI-first marketing to startups. Over the past year, he has taught more than 1,000 founders on the learning platform Maven and regularly coaches accelerator cohorts on how AI can improve market diagnosis, strategy and execution.
Before launching Into-it, Lee founded Silence Media, a digital advertising agency that he led for 15 years before its acquisition by Canopy Media. Silence specialised in high-impact display campaigns for major entertainment brands.
In 1996, Lee founded Way to Blue, the world’s first online PR agency, which was acquired by The Miroma Group.
In 2018, he co-produced Look Up with Gilles Peterson — a week-long cultural pop-up in Stoke Newington that featured a record and bookshop, gigs and panel talks exploring the relationship between mental health and the arts.
Lee is also the author of the novel Queer Fish in God’s Waiting Room and an Oasis biography. He worked as a music and technology journalist in the 90's for The Manchester Evening News.
Thom Noble
// Co-founder, Cloud Army
Liora Ingram
// Strategy Director, adam&eveDDB
Jennifer Picard
// Global Insights Transformation Lead, Opella
Babita Earle
// Managing Director, International, Zappi
Kenyatte Nelson
// Chief Membership & Customer Officer, Co-op
Avery Akkineni
// CMO, VaynerMedia
Nafissa Norris
// Membership & Engagement Account Director, Conscious Advertising Network (CAN)
Nafissa Norris is driven by a passion for equitable storytelling and inclusive leadership, shaped by her background in film servicing, content production, and creative studios.
At Conscious Advertising Network (CAN), she drives member engagement, thought leadership, peer learning, and strategic communications for a coalition of almost 200 organisations (brands, agencies, civil societies) working to ensure effective advertising works for everyone, promoting information integrity, transparency and social responsibility in the industry.
Beyond her role at CAN, Nafissa is a passionate advocate for equity and representation. She serves as a co-opted school governor, mental health Companion for ImNotOK, a mentor with MEFA, a founding member of Pregnant Then Screwed and The Glittersphere. In 2025, she was named Inclusion Group Leader of the Year at the Bloom Awards and currently serves as Inclusion, Support & Social Group Manager for Bloom UK’s 2025/26 cohort.
A lifelong film enthusiast, curious traveller, and proud mother, Nafissa brings both personal and professional passion to her mission: building inclusive communities and bridging the representation gap in leadership through an intersectional lens.
Lucy Partington
// Customer Marketing & Behaviour Change Lead, Transport for London (TfL)
An agile and driven marketing leader, Lucy has over 13 years’ in-house and creative agency experience developing award-winning customer-centric communications for a diverse range of public and private sector clients such as Transport for London, Department for Work and Pensions, Royal Mail and Microsoft. She has extensive experience leading insight-led, multi-channel campaigns that change customer behaviours, increase brand engagement and generate measurable business outcomes.
In her current role, Lucy has spearheaded a number of TfL’s key customer safety communications. These include playing a critical role in TfL’s Covid-19 response to help keep Londoner’s safe during one of the most challenging periods in TfL’s history, as well as leading campaigns to tackle violence against women and girls, hate crime and staff abuse.
She is passionate about impactful creative that helps drive meaningful change.
Alana Ballantyne
// Panning Director, VCCP
Alana is a Planning Director at VCCP, currently working on Transport for London. I've worked on Cadbury, easyJet, Audi, Virgin Media and many others. Before joining the world of advertising, I was an academic researching medieval literature and history.
Abby Dixon
// Director and Founder, The Whole Marketer
Abby Dixon is the founder, author and podcast host of The Whole Marketer. An award winning marketer and marketing consultant with 25 years experience step changing the growths of brands & businesses. An accredited trainer, marketing and capability consultant, coach and mentor. She is passionate about ensuring the marketers behind the brand and businesses have successful and fulfilling careers, in our challenging yet rewarding profession. She strives to achieve this through supporting and empowering marketers with the with the inspiration, clarity and holistic skills (technical, human/soft, leadership and personal understanding) and behaviours to grow the brand and business of tomorrow. Bringing light to many of the unspoken issues of our profession especially burnout. Recently awarded Campaign 40 OVER 40’s and she is coloumnist for Marketing Week.
Jonathan Norman
// European Marketing Director, Edgewell Personal Care
Jonathan is the European Marketing Director for Edgewell Personal Care, leading the marketing teams across a portfolio of brands that includes Wilkinson Sword, Intuition, Bulldog Skincare and Hawaiian Tropic.
Prior to joining Edgewell a year ago, Jonathan spent 12 years working within the beer industry with the last 10 years at Asahi / SABMiller across a variety of Global and local leadership roles on brands such as Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Asahi Super Dry and Grolsch where he was dedicated to reimagining and building premium beers across an ever changing and highly competitive landscape.
Damon Westbury
// SVP Enterprise Sales & Growth, native
Damon Westbury is SVP Growth at native, where he helps brands like Lloyds Bank, Lounge Underwear and Hobbycraft build real-world connections with Gen Z - on campus, in culture and at the moments that actually matter.
Before joining native, Damon spent two decades in leadership roles at Microsoft, Clear Channel and Pearl & Dean - helping brands navigate the shifting media landscape, leading market expansions, reviving legacy brands, and building partnerships that deliver impact.
These days, his focus is on solving one big challenge: how brands can earn attention - not just impressions - in a world where Gen Z sees right through the sell. Expect bold thinking, a bit of myth-busting, and a fresh take on what it really means to engage the next generation.
Deborah Dolce
// SVP Group Director Marketing & Corporate Responsibility, TK Maxx & Homesense (TJX Europe)
Deborah began her career in journalism and marketing agency-side.
Excited by the unique offprice business model of brands and quality for less, she joined TJX Europe for the launch of the first TK Maxx store in England in 1994. The company now operates 2 brands (TK Maxx & Homesense), over 700 stores and 3 e-commerce sites across 6 markets in Europe.
Having held roles in Marketing, Business Development, Buying and E-commerce, for the last 13 years Deborah has sat on the European Executive Committee.
Deborah leads two departments - Brand & Marketing and Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability - for TJX Europe, as well as participating in a number of global TJX initiatives.
Deborah retains her passion for the offprice model and the special culture of TJX. She is proud to be part of a company with a long heritage of operating responsibly, in which the core values of honesty, integrity, and treating each other with dignity and respect are woven throughout the organisation.
Deborah also sits on the Board of Directors for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and an Advisory Group for the King’s Trust.
Christian Möllerström
// Marketing Director, TheFork
Christian is the Marketing Director at TheFork, a Tripadvisor company. TheFork is Europe's top online platform for restaurant booking, discovery, and restaurant management. Christian has spent well over a decade in the tech and marketing industry, with experience ranging from tech companies like Google to leading marketing agencies.
Ed Abis
// CEO, Dizplai
Jo Redfern
// Founder, Futrhood Media
Tim Edwards
// Head of Sports Partnerships, TikTok
Maria Giacobbe
// SVP, Business Development, Epsilon
With over a decade of experience in digital marketing, Maria has helped brands across industries turn media strategy into meaningful, one-to-one customer connections. At Epsilon, she’s proud to be part of a powerhouse team of tech, data, creative, and measurement experts, all united by a single mission: to prove the true value of every marketing pound. She is especially passionate about the rise of retail media and its role in reshaping how brands engage, convert, and grow loyal audiences.
By championing transparent, outcome driven measurement, Maria empowers marketers to invest with confidence and perform with purpose, making sure performance doesn’t just look good, it is good.
Angelique Miller
// VP, E Studio, Expedia Group
Angelique is the Vice President of Media Studio, leading brand partnerships and integrated marketing programmes at Expedia Group globally and overseeing Media Solutions’ full service, in-house commercial creative agency. She has over 15 years experience at the forefront of global creative advertising teams within media and technology organizations like Disney and ESPN, blending creative vision and strategic commercial acumen to drive impactful results. Her passion for storytelling is the cornerstone of her approach, aiming to weave engaging content and creative narratives that inspire travel and resonate with travellers around the world.
Originally based in New York, she now resides in London with her husband and two children.
Mary Keane-Dawson
// Chair, BIMA
Hannah Mirza
// CEO, Responsible Marketing Advisory
Andrea Evans-Bilham
// Internet Commission Director, Trust Alliance Group
Theo Gentilli
// Co-Founder, Warm Street
Ramon Isaac
// Head of Social Media, EMEA, Adobe
Ramon Isaac is a global marketing leader with over a decade of experience in social, influencer and creator marketing. Currently Head of Social, EMEA at Adobe, he is at the forefront of the creator economy, leveraging culture, innovation and data to combine the power of social-first content with tangible business results.
Kandace Williamson
// Culture & Entertainment Lead, Don Julio Tequila
Andre Bogues
// Global Luxury Culture & Entertainment Lead, Diageo
Nadia Kokni
// Chief Marketing Officer, Hugo Boss
Dan De Frietas
// Culture Strategy Director, No Soldiers Left Behind
Orla Keefe
// Editorial Director, Warm Street
Sita Shah
// Creative Director, Warm Street
Benedict Townsend
// Writer, presenter and comedian, Speaking on behalf of Snapchat
Benedict is a writer, presenter and comedian born and based in London.
Following the completion of a Law degree in 2015, Benedict started at the prestigious media company Global, where, after working on several successful creative projects, he was given the role of Senior Development Creative.
In 2018 he hosted the live interview show Popbuzz Presents, a joint venture between Global and Twitter.
The show Scroll Deep (formerly YouTuber News) is created, written and hosted by Benedict. It has a global audience on Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube. The show has over 1.8 million followers on Snapchat Discover alone.
Through Scroll Deep, which attracts millions of views a week, Benedict has become known as a trusted authority on the world of social media, viral trends, and the online habits of Gen Z.
Benedict has over 400,000 followers on his personal social accounts and has gone viral many times.
His debut stand-up hour sold out in 2023. His first Edinburgh Fringe stand-up show ‘Friends with Benedict’ sold out all performances in 2024.
Benedict started presenting on Radio X in 2024 and is now regularly on air nationally.
Lee Peart
// Comedian, actor, and presenter
Lee Peart is a comedian, presenter, and actor known for his sharp wit and infectious energy. Before comedy, Lee worked both on and off the field in event promotions, giving him a unique insight into live brand experiences.
He’s a familiar face on the UK comedy circuit, performing at top venues and supporting major acts like Jason Manford and Judi Love. Lee has also hosted large-scale events including Manchester Pride’s Big Weekend and Disneyland Paris Pride, blending his comedy skills with live event hosting.
With TV writing credits, radio appearances, and popular podcasts under his belt, Lee brings warmth, humour, and authenticity to every stage, making him the perfect voice to explore what it really means to be authentic in today’s live experiences.
Andy Crysell
// Cultural Strategist
Christian Stindt
// UK Marketing Director, Jägermeister
Peter Kennedy
// UK Marketing Manager, Jägermeister
Joe Sheppard
// UK Managing Director, Elevate Global
Joe Sheppard, Managing Director UK at Elevate Global, has over 20 years’ experience in event staffing and brand activations. Passionate about people, he believes that carefully selected teams are essential to creating authentic and memorable brand experiences. Joe has been instrumental in securing major projects for global clients like Waitrose and BMW, helping brands deliver stand-out moments that resonate with audiences. His focus is on building event teams that truly connect, bringing energy, authenticity, and impact to every activation.
Georgie Gough
// Head of Brand Marketing, Joseph Joseph
Georgie Gough is Head of Brand Marketing at Joseph Joseph, bringing over 13 years of experience with leading international brands including Urban Outfitters, Ann Summers, and Hush. She specialises in brand strategy, PR, partnerships, and storytelling, with a strong track record of delivering impactful campaigns and engaging content across owned and earned channels. Georgie is passionate about crafting narratives that build brand presence and create genuine connections with audiences.
Sally Henderson
// High-Stakes Leadership Mentor, Sally Henderson Ltd
Sally is a trusted leadership mentor to C-suite executives & senior teams at world-class organisations. With +25 years of experience, she brings a rare combination of sharp strategic insight, deep emotional intelligence & commercial acumen to leadership mentoring.
Leaders turn to Sally to master their personal HOW of leadership; navigating career-defining moments, high-pressure decisions, and the unspoken challenges of leading at the top.
Before dedicating her career to high-stakes leadership mentoring, Sally founded and led a highly successful executive search firm. This gave her an insider’s understanding of the relentless pressures and expectations facing senior leaders, shaping her ability to help them lead with greater clarity, confidence, and impact. Her framework The REAL Method equips executives to accelerate performance, build resilience, and thrive in high-stakes environments.
She has worked with global brands such as Accenture Song, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, NatWest, and M&C Saatchi, earning a reputation for her direct, results-driven approach, offering the challenge leaders need, balanced with the care they deserve.
As an author (The How of High-Performance), keynote speaker, and sought-after leadership mentor, Sally partners with CEOs and senior leaders who aren’t just looking to perform but to excel. Whether advising 1:1, mentoring leadership teams, or shaping conversations on high-performance, Sally is a trusted guide for executives determined to lead at their best.
Dipesh Patel
// Chief Digital Officer - Beauty & Wellbeing, EMET & ANZ, Unilever
Gill Huber
// Managing Partner, Ingenuity+
Catriona Mantle
// Marketing Director - Butter, Cheese & Cooking, Arla Foods
Claudia Nicholls-Magielsen
// Chief Customer Officer, Simplyhealth
Robin Wright
// Founder, The Ideas Foundation
Ally Owen
// Founder, Brixton Finishing School
Stuart Goldsmith
// Comedian + Climate Activist
Ian Gibbs
// Insight and Planning Director, The Data and Marketing Association (DMA)
With twenty years experience in media and marketing measurement Ian Gibbs divides his time between the DMA as their Director of Insight and Planning, JICMAIL as their Director of Data Leadership and Learning, and a diverse range of independent clients. Ian is the chief architect of the DMA's Effectiveness Databank - an advertising effectiveness database of over seventeen hundred campaigns, and he regularly speaks at industry events and publishes work on the value of measurement, creativity and customer engagement.
Tony Miller
// Interim CMO, Direct Line Group
Tony Miller is CMO, marketing and digital transformation consultant, Non-Exec Board Chair for the DMA (Data Marketing Association), and most recently appointed as Interim CMO for Direct Line Group. He is a proven and highly regarded business leader specialising in brand building, performance marketing, and digital transformation with significant experience managing scaled, fast growth, complex, global businesses - across all channels and industry sectors.
He's spent life on the agency side as Managing Partner before moving to client side as VP Digital Marketing, EMEA for The Walt Disney Company, CMO for Weight Watchers, and Interim CMO for Hargreaves Lansdown.
He's been awarded Top 20 in The Performance Marketing World 100 Powerlist, Marketing Week’s Top 100 Most Effective Marketers in the UK, and Data IQ's Most Influential People in Data.
Ekaterina Golovanova
// Digital Director, L'Oréal
With 14 years at the forefront of digital innovation, Ekaterina Golovanova has launched 20+ D2C platforms, scaled marketplace strategies, and led omnichannel transformations that moved the needle - growing teams 5x and unlocking market share gains through new revenue streams. growth mindset and smarter execution.
Becky Hipkiss
// New Business Director and BD100 Rising Star 2025, We Are Futures
Becky Hipkiss - New Business Director, Social Impact Specialist, BD100 Rising Star
Becky is an award-winning New Business Director with a background in client services and a mission to drive social change. Recently named the BD100 Rising Star, she’s known for her ability to turn purpose into performance - helping brands connect meaningfully with young people and their influencers while tackling real-world issues.
With over a decade of experience and a particular passion for breaking taboos around female health and sport, Becky brings energy, clarity, and Monica Geller-level organisation to everything she does. Whether she’s pitching a big idea or championing girls in sport, Becky is all about impact - and making the business case for doing good.
Katie Mitchell
// Managing Director, Seen Studios
Katie is a seasoned leader in the creative retail space, with over 17 years of experience bringing global brand stories to life through bold digital and physical design. Her award-winning agency, Seen Studios, is driven by a simple ambition: to create human-centric, future-facing experiences that connect brands with communities in meaningful, lasting ways.
Insight-led and culturally tuned-in, Katie collaborates with brands to elevate the consumer journey, crafting standout moments that resonate. Her career has seen her partner with some of the world’s most iconic names, including Nike, Converse, Selfridges, Timberland, and Topshop, delivering projects that span continents and cultures. From launching flagship stores in the US to producing immersive brand experiences in the Middle East, Katie’s work consistently blurs the lines between creativity, culture, and commerce.
Meagan Wells
// Content Creator & Brand Owner
Meagan Wells is a UK-based fashion and lifestyle influencer known for championing midsize style, authentic beauty standards, and cultivating a safe, inclusive space for her online community. Through her platform, she empowers women to embrace their bodies and dress with confidence. With over 575,000 followers on Instagram (@_meaganwells), Meagan shares a vibrant blend of fashion inspiration, beauty tips, and glimpses into her everyday life.
Originally from Newcastle and now living in southern England, she began her social media journey in December 2020 with a focus on fitness and wellness. As her audience grew, she transitioned into fashion, driven by a desire to provide representation and style guidance for curvier women. In 2024, she expanded her creative reach with the launch of Bonny Design—a stationery and gift brand featuring her own original patterns.
Bharat Sharma
// COO, Affinity Global Inc.
Bharat is a tech entrepreneur with 15+ years experience in global ad-tech. He is the Co-founder & COO of Affinity Global Inc, which encompasses several companies including mCanvas, Siteplug, VEVE, Yield solutions, Opinary and Nuclueslinks.ai
Jono Brain
// Technical Director, Anything Agency
Jono Brain is the Co-founder of Anything, the Headless CMS agency behind the MAD//Fest website. With over two decades of experience across agency and client-side roles, including at Bank of America and as Technical Director at Netmums, Jono specialises in bridging the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders, making sure digital solutions don’t just perform well but are also easy to manage and built to last. From scalable platforms to complex integrations, he focuses on solving real business challenges with modern, maintainable tech.
Paul Norris
// Organic Media Director, Journey Further
Paul has been delivering Organic Media and search excellence for 15+ years for the likes of Dior, Barbour, Adobe and Dr. Martens. He leads Journey Further’s Organic Media proposition, where attention & intention meet. Consisting of Organic, Social Search, LLM discovery, Digital PR and Content. Making your brand found, not forced.
Alastair Goode
// Cognitive Scientist, Dragonfly AI
Dr. Ali Goode's work connects the divide between media and academic research working with clients such as ITV, Thinkbox Sky and numerous major brands. He pioneered applying two process thinking to ad effectiveness, and is an expert in attention, memory and consciousness. His work has won over 30 awards and has been a judge for the IPA awards. His recent focus has been on attention, debunking myths, working with professors of psychology from major UK universities.
Steve King
// CEO, Dragonfly AI
Steve King is a visionary leader and an accomplished executive in the technology and AI industry.
In 2019, Steve co-founded Dragonfly AI and now, as CEO, he brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of innovation and leadership. Steve holds a profound passion for the transformative power of data, AI, and technology to drive positive change in the world.
Dragonfly AI is a creative intelligence and optimization platform that seamlessly integrates into any global CPG brands creative process. It provides the power to predict the performance of any visual asset, across any context.
At Dragonfly AI, Steve is dedicated to advancing the company's mission of transforming how businesses leverage AI for data-driven insights.
Will Lion
// Chief Strategy Officer, BBH LONDON
Will has been BBH’s Chief Strategy Officer since 2020 after being Head of Strategy from 2015. During that time BBH became the IPA's Effectiveness Agency of The Year 2018-2022 and WARC’s Most Effective Agency in the UK and Europe 2022.
The strategies he’s led on Audi, helped create over £2bn of incremental revenue and returned the brand to no.1 on desire and technology perceptions. This won advertising’s most prestigious IPA Grand Prix award in 2018 and Cannes Effectiveness prize in 2019 and IPA Gold for Long-Term Thinking in 2020. Will also heads up BBH’s Brand Experience team.
Before BBH, Will worked at Anomaly and Digital Agency of the Decade, Dare, and studied Experimental Psychology at Bristol.
Charlene Kale
// Head of Growth, Storyblok
Venetia Byles
// Head of Digital Marketing, Monsoon Accessorize
Venetia is a media and growth specialist who has worked in D2C digital for eight years including Astrid & Miyu and Sweaty Betty. Venetia has experience breaking into international markets (which includes living and working in the US), carving out customer strategies and building high performance marketing teams.
Robin Garton
// Sky Group ECD - Advertising, Sky
Robin is Group ECD of Advertising for Sky - responsible for the creative output from both their internal agency and their network of external partners. At the start of his career, he got a job in account management - by mistake. But made a move to the creative department more purposefully. He then worked at a number of big agencies and a couple of small ones, and helped set up an in-house agency at NewsUK before moving properly in-house at Sky. He has recruited soldiers to the Army and readers to The Times, sold breakfast cereal and beer, laptops and loo cleaner, launched new brands and reinvigorated old ones. He likes to spend his time either in or on water (preferably salted or frozen) is a life-long Liverpool fan, and is now learning about food from his wife, fashion from his daughter, politics from his eldest son and strangely about advertising (again) from his youngest - a lockdown spent next to his Dad on teams calls means he is now the greater authority.
Sam Shave
// Managing Partner, ThinkBeyond
Dawn Spencer
// Former MD and CMO - Coca-Cola and Kerry Group
Kimberley Berkin
// Managing Director, Charlie Oscar
Ruby Raut
// CEO and Co-founder, WUKA
Ruby Raut is a Nepali-born environmentalist and the co-founder and CEO of WUKA (Wake Up Kick Ass), the UK’s first reusable period underwear brand. Growing up in Nepal, where menstruation was surrounded by stigma and harmful traditions, she witnessed firsthand the challenges many face during their periods. These early experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to menstrual equity and sustainability.
Through WUKA, Ruby is on a mission to challenge single-use period products and break the silence around menstrual health. She has designed innovative, eco-conscious alternatives that empower individuals and protect the planet. Her work lives at the intersection of climate action, social justice, and gender equity—driven by a deep dedication to creating real, lasting change through both business and advocacy.
Stef Sword Williams
// Speaker, F*ck Being Humble
Stef Sword-Williams is a TEDx speaker, founder, and author of F*ck Being Humble—an empowering movement and consultancy dedicated to inspiring individuals to embrace their achievements unapologetically and conquer the fear of self-promotion. Recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in Europe, Stef's impactful talks have reached audiences in over 50 countries and have been sought after by global brands including Apple, Unilever, Google, Nike, Adidas, Microsoft, and The BBC.
Her debut book, 'F*ck Being Humble: Why self-promotion isn't a dirty word,' has resonated with thousands, selling over 10,000 copies. Stef's TEDx Talk on why the world needs to shed its humility has further solidified her position as a thought leader in self-empowerment and personal branding.
Named among the Top 50 Workplace Leaders in the UK, Stef has cultivated a loyal online following of over 170k individuals. Her work has been featured in esteemed publications such as Vogue, BBC World News, The Financial Times, and Forbes.
In recognition of her significant contributions to social impact through F*ck Being Humble, Stef was invited to become a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts. She remains dedicated to reinvesting profits and time into community projects aimed at improving the lives of many.
Stef continues to inspire and empower individuals worldwide to embrace their worth and celebrate their successes boldly
Izzy Morris
// Paid Social and Programmatic Lead, VodafoneThree
Izzy has spent over a decade helping brands crack the code of today’s complex media landscape, specialising in Paid Social and Programmatic strategies that deliver real results. From tech startups to beauty giants and entertainment powerhouses, she’s driven growth across diverse industries. Currently leading Paid Social and Programmatic at Vodafone, Izzy combines deep industry knowledge with a passion for empowering others to navigate digital advertising’s ever evolving challenges.
Terricka Beckford
// VP, Head of Services, International, TripleLift
With over two decades of experience in Client Services across the Ad Tech industry, Terricka specializes in building strong client relationships, driving performance, and delivering innovative advertising solutions across both the Demand and Supply sides of the business. Terricka leads Supply-side and Demand-Side Services teams that support global brands and publishers in navigating the evolving digital landscape, ensuring strategic alignment and measurable outcomes.
Alice Dearing
// Olympian and activist, AGND Sports Management ltd
Alice Georgina Nana Dearing is an Olympic Marathon Swimmer and global diversity advocate. She became the first black woman to swim for Great Britain at an Olympic Games in 2021, representing a milestone moment for diversity in the sport in the UK.
Her commitment to ensuring swimming is for all led to her cofounding the Black Swimming Association – a charitable organisation that seeks to advocate water safety and inclusion for Black and Asian minorities within swimming. Her work has seen her recognised globally as an advocate for change, including being awarded The Sunday Times Changemaker Of The Year award in 2022 and in 2023 she was announced No.3 on the BBC Woman’s Hour Power list.
Away from water, and surprisingly to some, Alice is a serious gamer, and when not swimming or focusing on her advocacy work, you’ll likely find her playing the latest PC or PS5 title!
Olympic marathon swimmer
World and European Junior champion
3rd on BBC 2023 Woman’s Hour Power List
First Black Woman to represent Team GB at an Olympic Games in swimming
Co-Founder, Black Swimming Association
Sunday Times Changemaker of the Year Award Winner 2022
Advisory Board, British Esports Federation
British Elite Athletes Association Ambassador
Sports Journalist of the year award 2022 (Kick it out award for Equality and inclusion)
Thomas Kolster
// Author, Goodvertising + The Hero Trap
Lauren MacCallum
// Founder, Dig where you stand
Lauren MacCallum (she/her) is a climate leader, author, BBC broadcaster and strategist working at the intersection of environmental justice, culture and systems change. As former CEO of Protect Our Winters UK, she scaled the organisation from grassroots beginnings to a nationally recognised voice in climate advocacy, building campaigns that shifted both public narrative and policy. With deep experience in stakeholder engagement, strategic communications and movement-building, Lauren now leads Dig Where You Stand — a consultancy she founded to help organisations turn values into bold, actionable strategies rooted in equity, purpose and impact. She is also a Board Member of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, where she advocates for community-led, nature-based solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises. Lauren is known for her direct, values-driven approach and works with brands, institutions and movements ready to move from performative to transformative.
Matt Barr
// Writer, Journalist + Co-founder, All Conditions Media
Maninder Paul
// AI Specialist
Hardy Blechman
// Founder, Maharishi
Nick Pringle
// Chief Creative Officer, R/GA
Nick leads the creative vision for R/GA across EMEA, championing the kind of transformational work that defines the agency’s reputation.
A pioneer in embedding emerging technology into the creative process, he’s helped AB InBev use AI to recover abandoned carts, partnered with Google to launch new accessibility tools, and developed an AI-powered pitch mentor to support the next generation of entrepreneurs.
With a 25-year career that spans three continents and some of the world’s top creative companies, Nick brings a uniquely global and cross-disciplinary perspective. The breadth and ambition of R/GA’s output in the region is a direct reflection of that versatility.
Isabella Rogers
// CMO, Godiva
Andy McGregor
// Marketing Director, Porsche
James Bentham
// Head of SEO, Havas Market
Ash Atalla
// Founder Rough Cut Television, Producers of award winning shows, Big Boys, We Might Regret This, People Just Do Nothing, Stath Lets Flats
Nicole Haman
// VP Global Sales, RTL AdAlliance
Carine Jean-Jean
// VP Brand & Communications, RTL AdAlliance
Sumathi Menon
// CEO, Mave Social AI
Sumathi Menon is the Founder of Mave Social, a London based consultancy at the intersection of AI, digital strategy, and inclusive innovation. A former Managing Director at Bear Stearns and Deutsche Bank, she brings, over a decade of leadership in financial services across New York, London, and Delhi. Since 2018, she has helped SMEs and purpose driven organisations navigate digital transformation, and now focuses on helping SMEs and corporates embrace AI affordably, with practical, accessible, and no-code solutions.
Sumathi leads hands-on GenAI workshops customised for non-technical audience ranging from curious individuals, entrepreneurs to executive teams. She is the UK Regional Lead for Women Defining AI, a global community working to diversify who builds and benefits from AI.
As a member of the UKAI, she contributes to panels and participates in roundtable discussions shaping the future of AI legislation. With a Maths degree, an AI Strategy certificate from UC Berkeley, and expertise in automation and AI prototyping, Sumathi combines strategic clarity with hands-on capability.
Gursharan Panesar
// Strategy Lead, Seen Studios
Gursharan Panesar is a lead creative strategist and cultural analyst, passionate about translating insights into impactful brand strategies. With expertise in trend forecasting, consumer research, and strategic foresight, she guides global brands on how to navigate cultural shifts, ensuring their work remains relevant, future-facing, and deeply connected to the audiences that shape their cultural cachet.
Verity Hambrook-Skinner
// Head of Campaigns, Strategic Communications and External Affairs, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Sophie Willett
// Head of Campaigns, Strategic Communications and External Affairs, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Steven Bramble
// VP/GM Europe, Converse
Helen Johnson
// Managing Director, Capture, SMG
Helen Johnson is a Brand builder who spent 19 years at Procter & Gamble, leading 17 brands and working across 11 different markets throughout her tenure. Helen was P&G’s Senior Brand Director for Global Tesco and Northern Europe Commerce Marketing before moving to SMG in 2022 and leading the Media, Insight and Innovation team.
In 2025, Helen became the Managing Director of Capture, bringing the power of brand-led commerce media to brand partners and helping them navigate the fast evolving intersection between data, tech and consumers.
Helen is also a mum to two young children and previous receipt of Timewise's Power Part Time Top 50 Award. She is passionate about helping raise awareness and driving change in the opportunities of balancing career and parenting aspirations. As such she proudly does her role on a 70% schedule.
Rebecca Rowntree
// Founder, Get Sh*t Done
Rebecca Rowntree is a creative consultant, keynote speaker, and founder of Get Sh*t Done - a creative community and consultancy building momentum for brands, teams, and ideas through AI creative sprints, sold-out events, and work that actually makes a difference.
She’s led creative for Nike, Uber, Kellogg’s, PlayStation and Libresse (including the award-winning #Wombstories), and now works at the intersection of tech, culture, and action.
Rebecca’s a regular speaker on creativity, collaboration and AI, with stages from Cannes Lions to SXSW under her belt. Her focus? Getting big ideas out of decks and into the world - fast. She’s also building tools and telling stories that put women’s voices at the heart of the AI revolution. Named a Campaign ‘Top 30 Future Leader’ and one of The Dots’ 100 trailblazers, Rebecca is committed to driving change through creativity, technology, and action.
Gordon Glenister
// Author, Influencer Marketing and Membership Strategy Consultant
Lucrèce Loeb
// Head of Creator Marketing Europe, Amazon
Lucrèce Sicat Loeb, Head of Creator Marketing at Amazon Europe. With over 12 years in brand strategies, e-commerce and affiliate marketing, Lucrèce leads a marketing team acquiring, educating and engaging influencers and publishers across 10 European marketplaces. She's known for her expertise within the creator and affiliate space, brand building, and strategic planning. A frequent industry speaker and podcast guest, Lucrèce brings a global perspective to digital marketing, blending analytical skills with creative strategies to drive business growth.
Laura Harnett
// Founder, Seep
Laura is the founder of Seep, the bold, plastic-free challenger brand shaking up the sleepy world of cleaning tools. She’s on a mission to clean up cleaning – making the everyday more joyful, and a lot less toxic for people and the planet.
Since launching, Seep has landed a deal on BBC's Dragons’ Den, was recently announced as one of the winners of the B Corp x Channel 4 “Storytelling for Impact” competition and a Cartier Women's Initiative Fellow - all a testament to the brand’s fresh energy and powerful purpose.
A former Selfridges exec, Laura blends big business know-how with start-up hustle as she builds THE flagship brand for the dusty cleaning category - one humble sponge at a time!
Pippa Dunn
// Founder, Broody
Bob Sheard
// Founder + Co-owner, Fresh Britain
Guy Hayler
// Co-Founder / CCO, Blue Earth
Guy Hayler is the driving force behind Blue Earth’s commercial vision, partnerships and global community. As Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Guy has played a pivotal role in shaping Blue Earth into one of the UK’s leading platforms for regenerative business and climate innovation.
With a background in purpose-led fundraising, Guy’s career spans the worlds of adventure, sustainability, and commercial growth. His deep belief in business as a tool for good underpins everything he does, from forging industry-leading partnerships to creating spaces where investors, entrepreneurs, and changemakers come together to drive systemic impact.
Guy leads the commercial strategy across Blue Earth Summit, Blue Earth Forum, and BE Ventures, helping brands, founders and mission-aligned organisations plug into a wider ecosystem of capital, collaboration and culture. His work ensures that Blue Earth remains more than an event, it’s a movement.
Annalisa Tedeschi
// Head of Global Marketing Sustainability, Diageo
Pippa Morris
// Head of Strategy, Revolt
Pippa is the Head of Strategy at Revolt, currently working closely with Kraft Heinz and Diageo. Before that, she was at Mother London, helping KFC find its way through lockdown and recovery. While there, she also worked on the wonderful IKEA, made people feel epic with MoneySuperMarket, supported campaigns for global brands like Castello and Stella Artois, and helped launch the MakeMyMoneyMatter charity.
Earlier in her career at AMV BBDO, she encouraged safer driving for the Department for Transport, challenged taboos with Bodyform, put a smile on people’s faces with Walkers and helped BT settle into the mobile world.
Sam Knights
// CEO, SMG
Sam Knights is the CEO of SMG, which includes 6+ Retail Media Networks, the buy-side agency Capture and Plan-Apps, the Retail Media Operating System.
Sam is a retail media revolutionary with over two decades of experience, having begun his career at Procter & Gamble. Driven by his mission to transform the brand-retailer-shopper relationship, he joined SMG in 2012 and became CEO in 2020. Sam was named the 2024 Performance Marketing Leader of the Year by Performance Marketing World for his contributions to the world of retail media.
Passionate about enhancing retail media, Sam envisions it as a sophisticated, measurable marketing channel. Today, SMG dominates the retail media market, working with major retailers and brands in Europe and North America.
Sam's focus on people propelled SMG's growth from a 20-person startup to a thriving enterprise with nearly 400 experts across seven cities and two continents, creating hundreds of retail media jobs. His people-centric approach has garnered accolades, including Top-75 employer and Top-5 marketing agency by Best Companies. Other honours include Lloyds Bank Mid-Market Business of the Year, Sunday Times Fast Track 100 and Financial Times Future 100.
Sam, a 2023 recipient of the Path to Purchase Institute’s Retail Media Award, is a renowned industry innovator and commentator, regularly being tapped to add commentary by the press and to speak at industry events in North America and Europe.
Richard Robinson
// Executive Director, The Ingenuity Group
Richard Bowden
// Marketing Director, No7 Beauty Company
Sara Holt
// Chief Marketing Officer, Center Parcs
Emma Sexton
// Founder & Partnerships, Inside Out Community
Emma is an experienced Entrepreneur and Branding Specialist with over 28 years experience. With such extensive industry experience Emma provides a unique lens on the business of creativity having operated within creative agencies, as a leader of in-house creative teams, and for over ten years as the founder her own strategic branding agency which had clients such as Google and Snapchat. Emma is now the founder of the Inside Out Community - the professional home for in-house creative leaders, and the host of the podcast 'The Future of in-house creative leadership' on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Rory McEntee
// Chief Marketing Officer, Gym Nation
Ben Watt
// Head of Digital & Media for Global Travel, Diageo
Ben Watt is the Head of Digital & Media for Diageo's Global Travel Business, where he spearheads digital strategies and media initiatives to enhance brand visibility and consumer engagement in airports and duty-free environments. With over two decades of experience in digital marketing leadership, Ben has consistently driven innovation and growth for some of the world's most renowned brands.
Before joining Diageo, Ben served as Senior Digital Marketing Director at TPT Digital, leading the CPG & Retail practice. At Bacardi, he played a pivotal role in orchestrating digital transformation efforts that enhanced the global brand presence for likes of Martini and Bombay Sapphire through ecommerce, social media, web platforms, and consumer data. During his tenure at The Coca-Cola Company, Ben contributed to iconic campaigns like ""Share a Coke"" and the World Cup. His career began with transforming The Football League's digital business as Head of Digital, achieving remarkable growth in revenue and fan engagement.
Lauren Barnett
// Head of UK Sales, Samsung Ads
With a distinguished career in sales leadership, Lauren Barnett has made significant contributions to top media and technology companies, including News UK, LoopMe, Seedtag, before joining Samsung Ads. As the head of UK sales, she spearheads a dynamic team during a transformative period in the industry, empowering brands to effectively navigate the complexities of the CTV advertising landscape and maximise their outcomes
Jack Timpany
// UK TikTok Shop Director, L'Oréal
Max Dougall
// Global Head of New Business, SAMY
Max Dougall is the Head of New Business at SAMY, the marketing agency that creates relevancy for brands in a social-first world.
With a decade of experience in business development, Max is passionate about identifying new opportunities that drive growth and deliver commercial impact. He brings a sharp strategic lens to every partnership, combining deep industry knowledge with a relentless focus on client needs.
At SAMY, Max plays a pivotal role in expanding the agency’s global footprint - leading cross-market pitches, building long-term relationships with ambitious brands, and championing solutions that unite creativity, intelligence, and technology.
Elliott Millard
// Chief Strategy Officer, Thinkbox
After a career spent mainly at media agencies including Wavemaker, OMD and Starcom, Elliott made the switch to Thinkbox, the UK marketing body for commercial TV, because of deep seated belief in the effectiveness of the platform and a long standing admiration for the work that they do. In the newly created CSO role, he leads the planning and research team with an ambition of helping agencies and advertisers make brilliant decisions to make the most out of TV advertising in all its forms.
Elliott has worked with some of the most celebrated TV advertisers – from retail and FMCG with Procter & Gamble, Heinz and Lidl to giants of entertainment in Disney or Paramount, and tech / start up brands like Samsung, Uber and Airbnb.
He is a regular industry speaker and judge and is (or was) a regular member of Campaign’s Planner of the Year lists and has won awards including Cannes Lions, IPA Effectiveness and the first ever UK Grand Effie.
When not working, Elliott will read anything that comes near him and enjoys a long walk anywhere with water or trees. And he firmly believes that zombies or vampires improve a TV show.
Rich McHardy
// Founder & Co-founder, McHardy Collective & The BD100
The McHardy Collective is a catalyst for growth. We are the go-to connector for brands and agencies seeking to build lasting, meaningful partnerships that are mutually beneficial.
If you’re an agency leader looking to open up new business opportunities or you’re a brand wanting to connect with the best creative talent around, The McHardy Collective can help you build lasting partnerships and drive growth across all creative disciplines through a single point of contact.
Prior to launching The McHardy Collective in 2012, I spent 15 years sharpening my business development skills for several leading international agencies, including five years at WPP. I have also been the Co-founder of The BD100 since 2017 when it launched as a community, published league table and annual awards event in partnership with The Drum. I'm also proud to be a Guinness World Record holder for mental health awareness.
Claire Jefferies
// Chief Marketing Officer, identi
Claire Jefferies is Chief Marketing Officer at identi, the UK’s largest pet registration database.
As identi’s first CMO, Claire leads a wide remit across Brand, CRM, Proposition, Trading, and IT - shaping the future of a dynamic scale-up at the heart of the fast-evolving pet industry.
With more than one in three UK pets registered with identi, she is focused on unlocking the brand’s full potential through outstanding customer experiences and innovative, data-led propositions.
A specialist in building valuable, long-term customer relationships and delivering commercial growth, Claire brings extensive experience from both entrepreneurial scale-ups and established corporates.
Prior to joining identi, she launched the Global Customer Management hub for Verisure in Geneva, led CRM and Digital Marketing for SSE (now OVO), and oversaw Retention & Upgrades at EE.
She loves to combine strategic clarity with hands-on delivery, always underpinned by a passion for customer centricity and fostering a brilliant team culture.
Hannah Dempsey
// VP Marketing, Jellyfish
Manal Saho
// Regional Sales Director, Preciso
Elli Papadaki
// SVP Global Supply, Onetag
Jessica Aylett
// Head of Sales, UK & Int, GumGum
Nishma Patel Robb
// Cultural Strategists and Chief Sparkle Officer, The Glittersphere
Mays Elansari
// Marketing Director, ex Subway
Mays is a senior award-winning B2C marketer with 20+ years' experience transforming iconic global brands. She brings a unique blend of creativity, commercial acumen and strategic perspective. Her career spans F&B, hospitality, luxury, and retail, where she has held senior leadership roles across both multi-national corporates and entrepreneurial privately-owned businesses in the UK, Europe and Middle East.
Her experience includes building brand and marketing strategies for Subway, Penhaligon’s, and a portfolio of hospitality brands including Pinkberry, Dean & Deluca and Bouchon Bakery at MH Alshaya. Mays began her career agency-side at McCann Erickson, managing blue-chip clients like Reckitt, Johnson & Johnson, Mastercard and Tiffany & Co always with an integrated, creative-led approach to brand growth.
Beyond her core leadership roles, Mays is active in the marketing industry as a judge for leading awards including the Effie Awards, AdForum and Independent Agency Awards. She is a proud member of The Marketing Society and a passionate advocate for female leadership.
Known as the ‘Queen of Events’, Mays has built an engaged community on LinkedIn, sharing honest, real-time insights from marketing events and conferences to help marketers stay informed, inspired and connected.
Karen Stacey
// CEO, Digital Cinema Media
Karen Stacey is CEO of Digital Cinema Media (DCM), overseeing cinema’s transformation into a leading AV medium. Believing in cinema’s power to capture attention and build trust, she has driven DCM to record growth and industry acclaim. She was named Media Leader of the Year at the 2024 Media Week Awards and has won multiple leadership awards. Karen also serves as President of WACL and actively supports the Advertising Association’s Front Foot Committee, NABS and industry initiatives like All In and Ad Net Zero. She brings over 25 years’ media experience from roles at Bauer Media and Channel 4.
Simon Lonsdale
// Head of Brand Engagement, Tesco Media
Simon Lonsdale is Head of Brand Engagement at Tesco Media, where he leads the development of Tesco Media’s brand propositions, following a successful period driving retail media partnerships across Tesco UK. With over 20 years of experience in media and communications, Simon has built a career delivering media value and performance for some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands.
Before joining Tesco Group in 2020, Simon held senior leadership roles at Mindshare, including Head of Media Planning and Global Lead for Volvo. In these roles, he developed innovative planning products, best-in-class practices, and award-winning strategies that delivered measurable business impact across global markets.
A seasoned media strategist and business leader, Simon is recognised for delivering scalable media solutions, building high-performing teams, and driving commercial growth through industry partnerships.
Emma Foley
// Head of Strategic Planning, Tesco Media
Emma joined dunnhumby over 12 years ago, following five successful years at Guardian News & Media. During her time at dunnhumby, she has cultivated a vast wealth of expertise across multiple disciplines through her leadership in various commercial roles across Media, Insights, and Research teams.
Emma has extensive experience working with a vast range of clients such as Unilever, L'Oréal, and Heineken, and possesses deep insights into our retail partner, Tesco, having collaborated closely across Commercial, Customer, and eCommerce functions.
In 2022, Emma established the Strategic Planning team, one of Tesco Media’s first specialist media units, dedicated to partnering with high-growth potential clients to identify and unlock opportunities for long-term success. Her cross functional team delivers customised solutions by integrating Media Planning, Strategy, and Insights, all powered by dunnhumby’s market-leading data platform and unrivalled media network, to drive competitive advantage for clients.
Nina Burrows
// Head of Account Management, Tesco Media
With 15 years retail media experience honed throughout her career at dunnhumby, Nina has vast wealth of expertise which she currently applies to her role as Head of Tesco Media Account Management. She works cross functionally and is accountable for defining servicing excellence, scaling capability and expertise across a team of 45, alongside driving efficiencies and output to ensure a fully consultative and outcome driven client servicing model.
Nina began her career as a graduate in the Tesco Media Planning team where she has extensive experience using data and science to plan, execute and measure full funnel omnichannel media activations for advertisers and Tesco. She then went onto lead the Health, Beauty Wellness and Impulse Media teams, before being asked to build our Growth & Emerging team. Accountable for both scaling a team as well as shaping the strategy and go to market proposition for 500 SMEs. More recently she has held a range of leadership roles where she has successfully built high performing and high engaged cross functional teams, alongside developing strategic commercial partnerships with Tesco and some of the largest grocery brands in the UK, spanning Shopper Marketing, Brand, eCommerce and agency teams.
Lee Roberts
// Head of Sales, Tesco Media
With more than 22 years’ experience in sales, digital advertising, and commercial partnerships, Lee has extensive expertise leading high-performance sales teams, as well as building and scaling new divisions, for large organisations including Snap Inc, Meta, O2 and BBC.
Lee boasts a proud record of establishing, leading, and managing talented sales teams to exceed revenue goals and drive growth, delivering measurable bottom-line impact through the targeted execution of sales and business development initiatives.
Much of his career has been spent in start-up environments which he has developed into successful entities, while Lee has also successfully launched and led new teams and divisions within larger organisations across both the UK and EMEA.
His success has been founded on forging long-term strategic partnerships which significantly scale revenue by monetising new technology and innovation.
Nemat Abdela
// Founder, noted.
With over 15 years of experience in the music industry, Nemat Abdela is a passionate and creative marketing professional who specialises in developing and executing effective and innovative marketing strategies and campaigns for artists and labels. Founder of noted. marketing, a full-service marketing agency that puts artists and music first, and offers tailored solutions to help them launch their careers and build a loyal fan base.
Nemat’s career highlights include delivering over winning Music Week’s Artist Marketing Campaign of the year for Cat Burn’s single ‘Go’, 15M+ single sales at Columbia Records, breaking international artists like Dominic Fike, Childish Gambino, and Tems in the UK charts, and groundbreaking projects like the first pay-per-view concert on PlayStation3 and the first live-in-concert in PlayStation Home.
Elene Hudson
// Creative Commercial Director, Hudson Born
Elene Hudson is a seasoned South African music and events professional with 17+ years of experience spanning artist management, live bookings, event production, A&R, marketing, PR, and label services. She has played a key role in shaping the African music landscape while bridging it with global markets.
As Head of Africa at UK-based Echo Location Talent, she represented powerhouse global artists including Major Lazer, Diplo, Chronixx, Adekunle Gold, Jidenna, and Stefflon Don. Earlier, she worked with influential African acts like Riky Rick, DJ Maphorisa, Ice Prince, and Distruction Boyz.
From 2021–2023, she served as Head of International Partnerships at Event Horizon Entertainment, overseeing sponsorships for festivals like Afro Nation, Piano People, and Rolling Loud Europe.
Today, Elene is Co-Founder and Creative Commercial Director at Hudson Born, a leading global 360 events agency. She represents a diverse roster of festivals worldwide, consults on cultural strategy, books major talent, and drives experiential campaigns for global brands—always with a passion for African music at the core.
Matt Box
// Creative Strategy Director, One Legacy
Brand strategist with over a decades experience in advertising and sport sponsorship at top London agencies. Newly launching a sports and tech agency, One Legacy, creating impactful campaigns, for iconic brands, through the power of athletes.
Ellie Cross
// Senior Marketing Manager, Starling Bank
As Senior Marketing Manager, Ellie leads Starling Banks' partnership activity. With a career to date focussing on shaping brand community campaigns, Ellie joined Starling in 2021 and has since led key high-profile brand projects which have included Sponsorship of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, Principle Partner of Southampton FC Women and talent relationships with the Lionesses.
Tom McGowan
// Influencer
Gabriella Neudecker
// Marketing Director, easyJet
Phil Warfield
// Marketing Director, Mondelez
Claire Young
// CEO, Girl&Bear
Sam Benton
// Director of Sales + Digital Training, MAD//Masters
Danny Holmes
// Consulting Partner, Media + Agency, Experian
Danny is an industry expert with a background at leading digital publishers and in consulting across data strategy and transformation projects. As Consulting Lead for Marketing Solutions at Experian, Danny helps our clients navigate the digital landscape and advises on how to harness the power of data in their marketing endeavours.
Irem Alp Mainwaring
// Group Brand and Portfolio Director, innocent drinks
"Irem Alp Mainwaring is the Group Brand & Portfolio Director at innocent drinks, overseeing brand and portfolio strategy across Europe. She connects consumers with innocent's healthy drinks through consumer-led innovations and compelling brand experiences. Irem is also responsible for driving the group's digital and media strategy, ensuring consistent and engaging consumer interactions across all platforms. Irem's drive is inspiring everyone in the organisation to put the consumer at the heart of everything by defining the long-term European brand and portfolio strategy for scalable and profitable growth. innocent is Europe's leading healthy drinks brand. Launched in 1999, the business has grown from a small West London start-up, to a multi-faceted business now present in over 18 markets across the world. Committed to being a force for good, innocent is B Corp certified and gives 10% of profits to good causes. Prior to innocent, Irem has more than 15 years of experience in global and regional brand and product marketing roles in Turkey and Europe, previously working on for companies such as Pladis, Mattel and Nicoventure.
"
Myreete Stanforth
// Head of Growth and Marketing Global Markets, Ketchum and BD100 Rising Star 2023
Myreete oversees Ketchum’s global growth network overseeing a multi-million-dollar pipeline for global markets. As Head of Growth and Marketing, Myreete works closely with Ketchum's global markets and affiliate partners to ensure our client experience with multi-market business is seamless, educates teams on all Ketchum can offer in partnership, and continues to bring innovation and Force For Good work to the industry.
During her decade-long Ketchum tenure, Myreete has brought in hundreds of new clients, operationalized the business development function, brought AI into the process, established global reporting, driven lead gen development, and conducted professional trainings for her team.
Prior to being in the business development function, Myreete wrote the media strategy and led IAT integration for National Safety Council’s 2018 Cannes Lion winning program “Prescribed to Death,” which garnered 2.5 billion impressions and distributed more than one million Warn Me labels to begin the end of the national opioid crisis. The work has won more than 77 industry awards.
She was honored as ALF Insight Sales and Marketing BD100 Rising Star in 2023 and remains on the BD100 list for top Business Development professionals in the UK. She’s the 2021 Milestones in Mentoring Emerging Leader award winner through The Plank Center and was honored as PRNEWS’ PR People & Rising Stars 2020.
Ira Xhelili
// Country Manager, UK, Comscore
Amil Shah
// Vice President Digital Advertising Sales & Brand Partnerships, Paramount Global
Alex Packham
// CEO, JAAQ
Seb Inglis-Jones
// Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Maeving
Seb is the Co-Founder, and Co-CEO, of Maeving: Britain’s first electric motorcycle manufacturer.
He started his career working in two tech start-ups which, between them, provided excellent templates as to how to/how to not run a business, whilst solidifying his desire to eventually start a venture of his own. He then entered the world of FMCG; transitioning through a variety of Sales and Marketing management roles within Reckitt Benckiser, and eventually Danone. Throughout his career he has directly managed brands and product portfolios collectively worth over £250m, including Durex, Vanish, Veet, Aptamil, and Cow & Gate; building and executing national and global brand strategy.
Maeving was born from a desire to combat climate change, a passion for motorcycles, and a belief in the promise of removable battery technology as an antidote to inadequate charging infrastructure. With a factory based in the heart of the West Midlands, the birthplace of British motorcycling, and a team producing industry-leading products (outperforming the likes of BMW and Kawasaki, alongside all the Chinese players), Maeving is leading the charge in driving the two-wheeled electric revolution.
Nichola Elgie
// Senior Account Director, Drummond Central
Nichola, named North East Marketer of the Year in 2021, is a Senior Account Director and Board Member at Drummond Central. This recognition stems from her impactful work with clients like Greggs, Prime Video, and KitKat. At Drummond Central, Nichola is instrumental in leading her team to deliver world-class, fame-driving work for both clients and the agency.
Her leadership has driven highly successful projects and client relationships, including the award-winning Greggs and PlayStation collaboration, lauded by GQ as the ‘coolest thing of the week’ and a multiple award winner. Nichola also played a crucial role in the team behind the region’s impactful Covid, Thank You North East campaign and led the creation of a launch campaign for The Rings of Power for Prime Video in partnership with KitKat.
A proud North East native and seasoned marketeer, Nichola is a strong advocate for developing regional talent and passionately believes regional agencies can and absolutely do produce world-class work.
Gordon Giles
// CMO, Creed
Ross Curle
// Client Partner, Havas Play
Leile Rees-Evans
// Global Marketing and Sponsorship Director, Asahi
Sally Horrox
// Chief of Women’s Rugby, World Rugby
Shaunagh Brown
// Ex England Women’s & Harlequins Player
Ruth Tyrie
// Brand Lead, Surreal
Really hate writing these things. Imagine a few sentences of me talking myself and my experience up so as not to seem like a huge imposter amongst some real BNOCs. Brand stuff, marketing stuff somehow managed to go really hard on protein early doors in my career, think RXBAR, Misfits, Surreal. Favourite Surreal stuff; making Cardi-o's with Gymshark, putting sex toys in cereal with Lovehoney and once Richard Branson commented on a post of my cat on Linkedin.
Mikey Robinson
// Senior Creative, Gymshark
Adam Edelshain
// Business Director, MediaSense
Adam is Business Director at MediaSense, where he provides assurance and advisory services to media and ad tech clients.
Adam's primary focus is to help build trust across the media industry. He works with a number of industry bodies to help solve global challenges; these include working with Origin on cross media measurement and with AdnetZero on making advertising more sustainable.
Adam spent 17 year at PwC where he specialised in supporting businesses in better understanding, reaching and monetising their audiences. This included testing compliance, efficiency and effectiveness of ad tech businesses, as well as verifying reach, frequency and demographics of global audiences for media owners.
Adam started his career as a journalist, before moving into editing and newspaper production. He then became business manager of a publishing company before joining PwC.
Adam is a qualified chartered accountant (FCA) and is currently chair's the ICAEW advisory group for Entertainment, Media and Sport.
Mark Goldbridge
// Presenter + Co-owner, The United Stand
Margaret Jobling
// Chief Marketing Officer, NatWest
Vicky French
// Media & Planning Consultant, Dell Technologies
Vicky French leads Media & Planning for Dell.com Europe at Dell Technologies, where she’s responsible for shaping media strategy across the mid and lower funnel to drive digital performance and revenue growth.
With over a decade of experience working with global technology brands, Vicky brings deep expertise in integrated planning, media transformation, and audience-led strategy. Known for her ability to cut through complexity and deliver clear, results-driven solutions, she’s a trusted partner to senior stakeholders navigating the fast-evolving digital landscape.
Alexia Nakad
// VP Brands and Commerce Media UK & MEA, LiveRamp
Alexia Nakad is a globally recognised leader in ad tech and data-driven marketing, with over 18 years of experience driving strategic growth, international expansion, and transformative partnerships across EMEA, APAC, and LATAM. As Vice President of Brands for the UK and MEA at LiveRamp, she leads high-performing teams and delivers impactful, data-led solutions shaping the future of the media and advertising ecosystem.
Throughout her career, Alexia has launched and scaled operations in over 30 markets, brokered large-scale deals with global brands including TikTok, Coca-Cola, Disney, and L’Oréal, and led regional turnarounds following major corporate acquisitions. Notably, she spearheaded a landmark five-year strategic partnership with a leading Middle Eastern conglomerate, solidifying LiveRamp’s footprint in the region’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
Her expertise spans data commercialisation, omnichannel media measurement, go-to-market strategy, and operational restructuring. With a deep understanding of diverse cultural and business environments, Alexia excels at navigating complex, cross-market dynamics to build trusted, long-term partnerships on a global scale.
Rachel Moss
// Retail Media Director – Beauty Business, THG Beauty Media
As Retail Media Director, Rachel Moss leads the strategic direction and execution of retail media initiatives across THG Beauty Media’s three core beauty websites: Lookfantastic, Cult Beauty, and Dermstore. Rachel oversees the full retail media operation, including media sales, activation, and strategic planning; while also driving the development and optimisation of TBM’s martech portfolio. Rachel is responsible for shaping a forward-thinking, data-driven retail media strategy that enhances the online performance of our beauty-endemic partners fuelling overall business growth.
Richard Shotton
// Author / Founder, The Choice Factory / Astroten
David Brewerton
// Growth Marketing Director, Monzo
Meet David Brewerton, Growth Marketing Director at Monzo, the voice of marketing sanity in a chaotic world. Starting in the digital trenches at Tesco Mobile, he sharpened his skills at Metro Bank before jumping into fintech as a key player at Monzo. A Marketing Academy Scholar, David is a recognised modern marketing leader.
Featured on podcasts like The Whole Marketer with Abigail Dixon and The Places We'll go with Mark Evans where he champions “owning your career,” perception over projection, authentic personal branding, feedback culture, bouncing back from redundancy, and mapping a marketing career that’s as intentional as it is rewarding.
A frequent LinkedIn fixture with over 5k followers, he drops weekly commentary on viral ads, future marketing leaders, and creative storytelling - each sprinkled with his signature mix of insight and cheek.
David’s toolkit? A mix of strategic acumen, authenticity, and a knack for turning everyday marketing moments into lessons worth sharing. Whether he’s riffing on why marketers need market insight or celebrating Monzo’s latest wins, he’s equal parts educator, provocateur, and cheerleader.
Luke Fenney
// SVP, Publishers & Platforms - International, LiveRamp
Luke Fenney is SVP, Publishers & Platforms International at LiveRamp, where he leads the company’s strategies outside of the US to create publisher and platform addressability to enable brands to buy on LiveRamp.
Luke brings more than 18 years experience across the ad tech and publishing ecosystem with roles at Rubicon Project, MySpace, and REA Group. Prior to joining LiveRamp, Luke was VP, Sales at Index Exchange, responsible for driving publisher adoption of Index’s publisher technology globally.
Hailing from Australia, Luke has been based in London for more than 15 years.
Joe Connors
// VP, Programmatic & Advanced Advertising, DAZN
Joe Connors is an experienced leader in the advertising sector, currently working as VP of Programmatic & Advanced Advertising at DAZN - the world’s leading sports entertainment platform. At the group, he develops and executes programmatic monetisation strategy. Previously, Joe held senior roles at Yahoo, focusing on buyer development and programmatic sales across multiple markets. With a strong background in revenue generation and team management, Joe has developed key initiatives in programmatic solutions and audience engagement.
Pierre-André Gautier
// Head of Strategic Partnerships, International, LiveRamp
Pierre-André Gautier is a digital marketing and data strategy expert with over a decade of experience in helping brands and publishers unlock the full value of their data assets. As Head of Strategic Partnerships International at LiveRamp, he leads strategic collaborations with major platforms, including TikTok, Meta, Spotify, Snapchat and Pinterest outside of the US.
Throughout his career, Pierre-André has held key roles at companies such as Acxiom and Weborama, where he specialised in digital product development, audience monetisation, and integrating offline and online data strategies.
A regular contributor to industry events, Pierre-André has spoken on topics ranging from social media and data activation to the evolving role of first-party data in a cookieless world.
Charlotte Skornik
// Head of Client Measurement UK, TikTok
Charlotte Skornik has been at TikTok for the past 5 years and is currently Head of Client Measurement UK. She is part of the Marketing Science department, focusing on Research & Insights, Measurement, and Data Science. The goal is to build advertiser value through measurement and research that can drive behaviour change. Charlotte's team focuses on guiding clients via a consultative approach, measuring the effectiveness of their advertising investment.
Before this role, Charlotte led the measurement team at TikTok for France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. She began her career in ad tech in 2013, working at AppNexus (also known as Xandr) and Quantcast as a Product Specialist, before moving into a Lead Data Analyst position at Quantcast and later Intent, specialising in travel advertising.
Justin Pearse
// Editor, New Digital Age
Dan Holmes
// Senior Sales Director, RTB House
Dan Holmes is Senior Sales Director at RTB House, where he helps leading brands harness deep learning and AI to drive smarter, high-performance digital campaigns. With a strong background in programmatic advertising and strategic partnerships, he focuses on moving clients beyond outdated tactics toward intent-based targeting. Dan is passionate about using technology to deliver more relevant, effective, and respectful advertising experiences.
Luke Morris
Brian Robinson
// Global Chief Strategy Officer & Head of Growth, Havas Health Network
Brian Robinson holds the position of Global Chief Strategic Officer & Head of Growth for the Havas Health Network (HHN), leveraging his expertise to drive the development of modern health brands and navigate the evolving landscape of the life sciences and healthcare sectors. With over two decades of experience in various facets of healthcare marketing and strategy, Brian has demonstrated his corporate and commercial strategic expertise and capabilities as a thought leader in evolving philosophies and models to branding, culture of health evolution, and data-led brand go to market planning. His experience spans engagements with clients and brands of all sizes, across diverse health and wellness verticals.
Prior to joining the HHN, Brian held strategic leadership roles at Omnicom and WPP health agencies. Prior to entering the marketing agency business, his career was focused on corporate and commercial strategy. Brian held posts at UnitedHealth Group as VP of Global Corporate Strategy, and a consultant with Covance Health Economics and Outcomes Research. His background has provided him with a deep understanding of the spectrum of health marketing to navigate complex business, portfolio, and brand strategic assignments.
Brian's track record exemplifies his ability to drive innovation, foster client relationships, and lead transformative initiatives in the health and wellness marketing landscape.
Jack Mizel
// CEO, Pride365
With over 35 years experience in building successful businesses all of which required excellence in both sales and marketing , I am very well qualified to share insights and expertise on what great looks like.
However rather than looking back , My current venture Pride365 is the one that I am most proud of, as it is a very rare beast that enables our clients to be more successful and do good at the same time.
Pride365 is a certification and marketing advisory business that works with clients large and small enabling them to be authentic in their support and positioning to the LGBT+ community all year round.
Our clients are from many different sectors and sizes and include Hilton, Nissan, Utilita,
Marie Curie, Cornish Gems and Basekit.
Our ethos is very simple 'we don't call anyone out we invite them in'
Manohar Anumolu
// Director, MAF Group
I am Manohar Anumolu founder of MAF Group. I started MAF in 2019 with two people now we are 90 people. We work with some of the biggest brands in the Globe. We have presence in UK, India and UAE.
Before starting MAF, I worked in several data positions for global banks, retail organisations, Ecommerce buisnesses, Publishing Companies and Betting-Gaming companies. Over the years I was involved in solving business problems and driving digital Transformations.
At MAF we are focused on solving business problems, Identifying new opportunities for organisations to grow and saving money.
We have built 12 Gen AI applications in marketing space to reduce operational cost and improve efficiency and save Money.
Julie Vuibert
// Account Director, RTB House
Julie Vuibert is an Account Director at RTB House with over 13 years of experience in adtech and SaaS. She partners with leading brands to deliver better outcomes through the use of AI and smarter targeting strategies. Julie is passionate about helping clients connect the dots between data, creativity, and performance to drive real business results.
Paul Gubbins
// VP Sales + Programmatic Partnerships, Tubi UK
Homam Ayaso
// Director of Content, Buzzfeed
Amadeus Driando Ahnan-Winarno
// Co-founder & COO, Better Nature
Leila Fataar
// Business Consultant & Brand Advisor, Founder of Platform13, Author of Culture-Led Brands
Deep strategic and executional creative & cultural brand building expert and a seasoned entrepreneurial business leader with a 30 year wealth of international hands-on experience of lifestyle, FMCG and sportswear brands, both through her own independent practices and in senior positions at adidas and Diageo. In her debut book Culture-Led Brands Leila distills three decades of culture-led approach as an outsider with insider knowledge to building brands, imparting a vision that is as socially conscious as it is commercially successful.
Kelly McKnight
// Executive Director, Verve Vero, Verve
Kelly is an award-winning insight leader at VERVE, pioneering new ways to understand people through Verve Intelligent Personas (VIPs) - simulated audiences powered by real data and built for real-world decisions. With a background in cultural intelligence and a love of the unexpected, Kelly blends tech, empathy and edge to help global brands decode what people really think, feel, and do. She’s a strategist, storyteller and disruptor - on a mission to make insight braver, smarter and infinitely more useful.
Rich Preedy
// Executive Director, Verve Vero, Verve
Rich is a senior insight leader driving the future of research at Verve by fusing AI, Cultural Intelligence, and Human Understanding. With 20 years in global insight and data, he pioneers smarter, faster ways to uncover and activate audience understanding - often without having to ask a single question. Passionate about the possibilities of AI-powered discovery, Rich challenges traditional thinking of what research ‘should be’ and prefers to help brands unlock bold, value-adding opportunities by transforming how insight is found, developed, and used.
Matt Bushby
// Chief Marketing Officer, Rightmove
Mark Evans
// Ex CMO / Advisor / Coach
Mark is an Executive level marketer of 27 years across Direct Line Group, HSBC and Mars, now pursuing a fruit salad career. In his last Executive role he was Managing Director for Direct Line Group.
Mark now combines Executive coaching with a number of non-exec, advisory and trustee roles including Cancer Research UK, The School of Marketing, The Marketing Society, Accenture, The Marketing Academy, The Institute for Customer Services, The UK Sepsis Trust, Save the Children, Vitality, Nottingham University Business School, EMMa3D, OnSide and The GoodNet.
Mark founded the “Sprintathon” marathon charity event in 2016 which has raised over £1m for Cancer Research UK.
Mark was recognised as the Marketing Society Leader of the Year in 2018, and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in 2023.
Ritchie Mehta
// Business Podcast Host & Presenter | Executive Educator | Published Author | Marketing Leader
Ritchie Mehta is the creator and host of The Places We’ll Go Show, a leading marketing and leadership podcast that features candid conversations with some of the world’s most influential thinkers, CMOs, CEOs, creatives and changemakers.
As the Founder of the School of Marketing, Ritchie has built one of the UK’s most impactful career development platforms, dedicated to helping the next generation of marketers thrive.
A published author and trusted voice in business education, Ritchie also serves as a Fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School, where he supports the development of future leaders through mentorship and applied learning.
Driven by a deep belief that careers should be both successful and fulfilling, Ritchie’s work spans broadcasting, education and entrepreneurship, all with a mission to democratise opportunity and inspire meaningful growth.
His podcast, books and training programmes have reached tens of thousands across the world, helping people find clarity, confidence and connection in their careers.
Andre Le Masurier
// Head of Brand & Creative, Skyscanner
Andre Le Masurier, Global Head of Brand & Creative, SkyscannerAndre sets the brand vision for Skyscanner leading brand marketing and creative working in close partnership with product design leadership. Previously he was Chief Creative Officer at R/GA EMEA and before that built Google Brand Studio EMEA, an in-house, award winning creative team based in London. Before landing in London Andre worked at 72andSunny Los Angeles as a Creative Director on Google.He has 20 years of global marcoms, product and design experience, creating award-winning work in both traditional and digital channels for the world’s biggest brands. Andre was an Advisor on the Board for Hubbub and is a Founding Member for the United Nations Creative Nations Collective working to inspire brands and business to embrace change through meeting the UN’s 17 SDG’s.Thanks to many talented collaborators his work has been recognized by the likes of Cannes, D&AD, Clios, One Show, Webby Awards, ADCC, The FWA and Applied Arts to name a few. Andre has lead agencies and creative teams working on national and global brands including Nike, Toyota, Amazon, Netflix, Xbox, Disney and Samsung.
Marilyn Valace
// Global Head, Revenue, Pixis
Marilyn Valace is a seasoned B2B SaaS sales leader and current Global Head of Revenue at Pixis, where she drives growth for the company’s AI-powered marketing solutions. With over two decades of experience at companies like Impact.com, Pacvue, and Epsilon, she blends data-driven strategy with a deep understanding of customer needs to scale high-performing teams. A member of CHIEF and frequent industry speaker, Marilyn is known for her inclusive leadership and passion for advancing women in tech. She holds a master’s in Sociology & Applied Statistics from Tulane University and is based in Denver.
Alexandre Hoffmann
// Growth & Innovation Director, Passion Digital, a Pixis Stellar Agency
Alex Hoffmann is Growth & Innovation Director at Passion Digital, where he leads SEO and content strategy for high-growth brands across SaaS and B2B sectors. With over a decade of experience, Alex specializes in blending creative storytelling with data-driven tactics to drive sustainable digital growth. A graduate of KEDGE Business School and a member of BIMA, he is known for pioneering innovative, human-first approaches to marketing in an AI-enabled world. His work helps brands not just rank—but resonate—by aligning organic performance with real business outcomes.
Karel Juricka
// Co-founder, Webout
Karel Juřička is the co-founder and CEO of Webout, a company developing scalable real-time video personalization technology. With a strong technical background, he previously worked as a full-stack developer and later as a Tech Lead, contributing to dozens of development projects across industries and platforms.As the driving force behind Webout’s core technology, Karel played a key role in designing and building the platform’s real-time video engine. Today, as CEO, he oversees technical leadership, operations, and the company’s strategic direction. He focuses on optimizing processes, controlling costs, and driving sustainable growth. Under his management, Webout has transitioned from an agency model to a SaaS platform, delivered commercial projects for clients such as UNICEF and Erste Group, and continues to expand across European markets.
Michal Orsava
// Co-founder, Webout
I’m a filmmaker at heart. I started shooting videos at 12 with my first phone camera, driven by creativity and humor. I founded my own studio, Filmagix, where I created marketing campaigns for major brands like Hyundai and Erste Bank. I taught myself visual effects to bring my stories to life without limits. My viral videos featured Schwarzenegger fighting the Czech PM or Kevin McCallister lost in Prague – gaining millions of views. Later, my co-founder and I flipped the script: instead of famous characters, we put the viewer into the story. Our James Bond video went viral and was shared by the Czech president. That’s how Webout was born – a platform turning attention into results with interactive, personalized video. We help brands create videos people actually finish watching.
James Levy
// SVP Global Customer Success, XR
As Senior Vice President of Global Customer Success at XR Extreme Reach, James brings almost two decades of expertise in digital transformation and strategic sales. Based in London, James has led significant projects for global CPG brands, including Procter & Gamble and Haleon. Known for his leadership and innovative approach, James has been pivotal in driving success and growth through his innovative approach and strong client relationships.
Eddie Kadi
// Comedian, Actor and Media Personality
Recognised as one of the most globally celebrated stand up personalities, British-Congolese Eddie Kadi continues to dominate the world of comedy, reaching across cultures and continents and performing to huge crowds all over the world.
His signature brand of brilliant, bold and high energy entertainment has won him an ever-growing international fanbase and he was the first British Black comedian to headline the O2 Arena in London.
Eddie’s worldwide reputation has seen him host both the official red carpet show for BET International and BET Africa in Los Angeles as well as being the main stage host for the Afro Nation Festivals across the world. He has hosted the prestigious MOBO Awards and appeared on numerous TV formats including Strictly Come Dancing (BBC), Blankety Blank (BBC), The National Comedy Awards (C4), Tonight with Target (BBC), +44 Presents: The Noughties Podcast, Don’t Hate the Playaz (ITV), and Road to Afro Nation: Davido Live (YouTube).
In 2023 Eddie was nominated for both the prestigious Royal Television Society Best Breakthrough Award and Best Breakthrough Presenter at the Edinburgh TV Awards. He also fronts his own documentary format My Super Rich Holiday for Channel 4.
Eddie is also host of The Official Afrobeats Chart Show on BBC Radio 1Xtra and is a Team Captain on ITV’s multi award winning entertainment format Sorry I Didn’t Know.
In 2025 Eddie launchd his huge Let Me Land nationwide tour.
Lucia Mastromauro
// Global VP of Advertising, Deliveroo
Lucia Mastromauro is Global VP of Advertising at Deliveroo, where she leads the company’s global retail media strategy and the growth of Deliveroo Media. Appointed in May 2025, she oversees advertising strategy, product innovation, and commercial operations across all markets.
Lucia brings over 20 years of experience in digital media, adtech, and data-driven marketing, having held senior roles at Choreograph (WPP), Adform, King, Google, and eBay. Her expertise spans programmatic advertising, client strategy, and digital brand development.
At Deliveroo, she is focused on scaling the platform’s advertising business as it evolves into a key revenue stream, helping brands connect with high-intent consumers in real time. Lucia is passionate about building meaningful brand experiences and driving the next phase of Deliveroo Media’s growth.
Emily Sommer
Daniele Fiandaca
// Founder, Token Man Consulting
Max Whitlock
// Olympic Gymnast + 3 time gold medalist
Freddie Feltham
// Podcast Host, What's Left?
Freddie Feltham is a filmmaker, 'manosphere' expert and host of political podcast 'What's Left?'. After making several documentaries investigating the world of Andrew Tate and his impact on young men, Freddie has written in The Guardian and appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain.
As a political strategist, Freddie was a key part of the Labour Party's digital campaign, creating content in the 'first TikTok election'. He now hosts his own show, with fellow Labour campaigner Jovan Owusu Nepaul, speaking to progressive young men on how to navigate an increasingly polarised and radical political landscape.
Matt Wilké
// Head of Programmatic & Digital Partnerships, Mediaplus UK
Matt began his marketing journey as a copywriter who dipped he's toe's into the Search Engine Marketing swimming pool fell into digital and hasn't wanted to get out. With over a 15 years of expertise in the digital media landscape, he has planned and executed campaigns across search, social, display, video and others. As an early adopter of programmatic media buying, is comprehensive experience encompasses both the selling and buying facets of this dynamic realm, endowing him with a profound understanding of its intricate dynamics. His professional odyssey has seen him contribute to the success of clients not only in the UK, but also on the international stage and his portfolio boasts achievements in sectors ranging from technology and finance to entertainment, alongside B2B, B2C and D2C offerings.
Janet Markwick
// Founder & CEO, J&R Collective and Markwick Consulting Ltd
As a former CFO and Commercial Director, I've seen the 'business of creativity' from many angles - from inside blue chip brands to start-ups, major turnarounds, including how you can maintain positive growth day to day. I now share with others, the commercial leadership skills needed to enable creative businesses to build commercial creative cultures that deliver sustainable growth.With 35 years experience working in Marketing and Advertising inside some of the biggest brands and agencies on the planet. Including: Coca-Cola, Sony, WPP, Grey, VML, The Mill and NED at Creative UK and Chair of The Effectiveness Partnership.Today I work with CEOs, Founders, CMOs and CFOs to drive commercial growth - How to grow, fix declining margins, develop new pricing solutions, build commercial skills using tailor made commercial templates, building commercial strength in teams to critically deliver; actionable, sustainable, transformation and growth that stands the test of time.My approach is practical; working with management teams to create, clear strategic and actionable change programs that regenerate growth, strengthen margins, and help build commercial confidence within the business enabling it to thrive while increasing creativity and commercial shareholder value.I believe in the power of ‘Commercial Creativity’ setting up the IPAs first Commercial Certificate. Co-authoring the IPAs “Price of Success” & “Shift Happens” white papers.
Matt Burt
// VP, Business Affairs and Operations, VaynerMedia EMEA
Matt joined VaynerMedia in January 2024 as part of the agency’s leadership team and leads Business Affairs and Operations in EMEA. His role oversees all business affairs work across creative and production accounts in the EMEA region. He leads the adoption of innovative technology and systems, identifying growth and partnership opportunities, as well as managing sustainability initiatives and EMEA real estate.He has over 10 years of experience working in legal, business affairs and business operations within the media and entertainment sectors. Prior to VaynerMedia, Matt spent five years at R/GA, progressing to Director of Business Operations and Business Affairs. In that role, he dealt with contract and commercial negotiations across multinational client accounts, operationalising the agency’s ‘distributed creativity’ model, as well as leading privacy operations and representing R/GA on the IPG Agency Operational Committee. He has held senior roles at Shutterstock, Viacom International, and YMU Group.
John Rogers
// Studio Producer, VaynerMedia
Studio Producer at VaynerMedia. Development Producer & Acting Series Producer (for 8 epsidoes) of the CNBC series 'IOT - Powering the digital economy'. Followed by Edit Producing an interactive video series for M&C Saatchi & Public Health England. Most recently Post Production Producer at Vayner Media. Former Writer/Producer and Digital & Social Media Manager for Russell Brand. Commissioned artist for London Borough of Culture 2019 & 2020The paperback edition of my book This Other London published by Harper Collins on 8th February 2018Posting regular YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/fugueurMy documentary with author Iain Sinclair, London Overground, premiered at the Rio Cinema in the East End Film Festival July 2016.My documentary - Make Your Own Damn Art - premiered at Rich Mix Cinema in the East End Film Festival. Also screened in numerous venues including Curzon Soho, Institute of Contemporary Arts, MoMA PS1, and acquired by Curzon On Demandhttp://www.curzoncinemas.com/film_on_demand/1004/make-your-own-damn-art-the-world-of-bob-and-roberta-smith/The London Perambulator (2009) - feature documentary premiered at the Whitechapel Gallery. Also screened widely including Curzon Soho
Tim Healey
// Founder, Little Grey Cells
Nathan Coppens
// VP of Growth, Experience and Engineering, DEPT®
David Ryan
// Chief Strategy Officer, Instapanel
David is the Chief Strategy Officer at Instapanel, a people-powered, tech-empowered market research company, that specializes in award-winning video and quant studies. From intimate one on one interviews, shop-a-longs, to campaign measurement and brand lift studies & beyond. At Instapanel, David leads a team that helps shape creative & strategic research approaches, and turn raw conversations and data into powerful, story-driven insights that solve problems. From guiding strategy to leading in-depth reports, David helps make the messy human stuff make sense. David has supported clients from start-ups to some of the largest companies in the world including Amazon, Coca-Cola, Mondelez, Ford and AT&T. Equal parts strategist, translator, and collaborator, David loves connecting the dots between what people say, what they do- and what this means. Prior to Instapanel, David spent a decade at WPP agencies latterly at VML, leading research & brand strategy for a series of Fortune 500 companies, as well as leading VML’s Effie and effectiveness programs. He is a multi-award winning Effie and ARF DO winner, and still learns something new every time. Outside of work, you’ll most likely find him out in a wilderness, a gallery or hard at work in the kitchen trying to create something new.
Doychin Sakutov
// Digital Director | Product, AI, Experimentation, Virgin Media O2
Tom Ollerton
// Founder, Automated Creative
Nathan Higgins
// PR Manager, Lipton Tea + Infusions
Dan Sutton
// Sales Director, UK, Beatgrid
With experience at JCDecaux and Nielsen, Dan is now thriving at the measurement disruptor, Beatgrid, fronting their mission to change the status quo of ad measurement.Dan leads the UK's advertiser & agency relationships to engage with brands on how they can holistically measure their AV campaigns using ground-breaking ACR technology. Think Shazam, but for advertising.Dan strongly believes there's nothing that can't be resolved over lunch.
Zoe Jag-Nathan
// Product & Portfolio Manager, Treasury Wine Estates
I consider myself a seasoned expert in New Product Development (NPD), Innovation, and portfolio optimisation. My core strategic initiatives focus on identifying growth opportunities, driving efficiency, and fostering consistency & efficiency across complex product portfolios. Long-term innovation strategy with practical execution is what I enjoy most, enabling organisations to deliver impactful, market-relevant, consumer centric solutions.
David Beare
// Executive Creative Director, EMEA, Bulletproof
David has worked with clients big and small, established FTSE 100 to start-ups, the global and the national, in a multitude of sectors from luxury to leisure, fashion to fmcg and travel to technology.David's role is all about connecting brands to people: understanding what the brand wants to achieve, where it can go, who it can reach and how it can tap into consumer desires. David acts as the glue between all the smart, creative people needed to make that happen - firing their imaginations and fuelling their aspirations.
James Oates
// Head of Audience Measurement UK, Ipsos
James is the Head of Audience Measurement UK at Ipsos. James joined the Ipsos team in February 2022 as head of iris to deliver on the UKOM endorsed data set before moving to lead the Audience Measurement team in February 2024. James brings over 25 years of industry and client experience working with a range of audience and consumer measurement data through continuous panel and wider market research approaches. James worked previously at Nielsen media leading the Nielsen UK Media team for three years and at Nielsen IQ leading several international consumer panel teams , marketing analytics for Europe and UK client service and delivery teams.
Rose Davis
// Head of Brands, Shepherd Neame
Beginning her hospitality career pouring pints in a Faversham pub, Rose developed her love for all things beer while working as a tour guide at Shepherd Neame.Throughout her near decade with the independent family brewer, Rose has held a variety of roles within the Marketing team, with a particular focus on Brands and Communications. In the last 18 months, she has led the launches of new brands Iron Wharf Stout and Creekside Juicy IPA, along with overseeing the rebrands of First Drop Session IPA and the popular Whitstable Bay Pale Ale and Lager. Rose is also undertaking a Level 5 Operations Manager apprenticeship with HIT Training. Rose is passionate about people, pubs and pints, and is thrilled to take to the stage to discuss two of these favourite topics.
Lydia Hunter
// Business Director, The Good Influence
Nikytta Patel
// Product Manager, Treasury Wine Estates
FMCG Product Manager with a passion for innovation and NPD
Isabelle Stewart
// Head of Original Content, Formula 1
Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock
// Space scientist, broadcaster and author
Elizabeth Marriott
// Associate Marketing Director, MG OMD
Omar Karim
// AI Image and Filmmaker, Creative Director, Founder and Co-Founder, Joy Machine and Lantyn
Joe Parker
// Brand Advertising Lead, OVO
Sasha Jeppesen
// Head of Content and Creative, Charlie Oscar
Gregor Young
// Fractional CPO & Digital Strategy Leader
Kirsty Herbert-Evans
// Senior Retail Media Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Nick Rooney
// Marketing Director, Heights
Nick Rooney is Marketing Director at Heights, helping scale one of the UK’s fastest growing health subscription brands. With over a decade growing D2C startups - including KatKin, Mindful Chef, and five years at Amazon - Nick specialises in blending deep customer insight with creative content that performs. By pairing data-driven experimentation with storytelling rooted in real customer experiences, Nick has helped multiple brands 10X revenue from Seed to Series C and exit. His approach spans paid acquisition, conversion optimisation, and the full spectrum of content - from influencer partnerships to customer advocacy - all designed to create content that resonates, converts and scales.
Laura Elwood-Craig
// Producer - Life of Bryony podcast, Daily Mail
Emma Houslander
// Global Retail Media Lead, Mars Petcare
Global leader at the forefront of customer collaboration and innovation for the next frontier of digital advertising; Retail Media. As Global Retail Media Lead for Mars Petcare, Emma partners with associates across the globe to execute retail media strategies, deploy full funnel campaigns and build retailer partnerships, all in service of delivering a more connected Pet Parent experience.
Alex Hill
// Chief Strategy Officer, SAMY
Alex Hill is the Chief Strategy Officer for SAMY, the marketing agency that creates relevancy for brands in a social first world.With over 15 years of focussed experience in social, digital, and intelligence powered advertising, he is a pioneer in the evolution of brand communication, and responsible for the modern success of brands such The North Face, McLaren Automotive, Vans, Philips Hue, Microsoft, and more.He specialises in helping visionary brands truly understand and connect to customers in an ever evolving media landscape, by mixing innovative brand planning with ground breaking campaigns, plans and executions, while driving growth for SAMY by leading its vision, approach, and output.
Alberto Romano
// Global Consumer and Shopping Planning Collaboration, Diageo
Idea Sparker and Future Builder, always seeking inspiration anywhere to deconstruct rigid boxes and morph them into new forms. Always have a 'what if?' up my sleeve. 14+ years of experience in putting people at the centre of the equation, in strategy creation, innovation design or tweaking plans for a perfect brand-consumer fit. Currently Celebrating Life Every Day, Everywhere in Diageo working for the Global Futures & Culture Planning team. Big fan of my Family and Friends, huge believer that food holds the keys to paradise, and boredom's archenemy always looking for something new to do.
Purbasha Mishra
// Global Process Lead, Contents Platform, Haleon
Purbasha Mishra is the Global Process Lead for Content Approval for all externally facing promotional materials at Haleon Consumer Healthcare. Purbasha also oversees the Global Rights Management process, ensuring that third-party rights for models, images, videos, music, and other copyrighted materials are secured and tracked for all relevant uses across media, geographies, and durations.Purbasha has been instrumental in driving innovation through AI and automation and simplifying processes to enhance efficiency at Haleon.A strong advocate for inclusion in the workplace, Purbasha is actively involved in Haleon’s Women’s and cross-generational ERGs. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and volunteering her time to broaden her perspectives.
Paul Hewitt
// Executive Creative Director, Social, The Weber Shandwick Collective
Paul is an Executive Creative Director with over 15 years’ experience leading award-winning creative work across social, digital, and integrated campaigns. With a background spanning journalism, publishing, and digital content, Paul brings a sharp editorial eye and a deep understanding of audience-first storytelling.He has worked with a diverse range of global brands including Google, YouTube, Amazon, Samsung, and Sky, delivering standout campaigns that drive cultural relevance and business impact. His creative leadership has spanned everything from real-time reactive content to large-scale brand campaigns, helping clients connect meaningfully with audiences across platforms.Paul currently leads the creative vision at That Lot, a Weber Shandwick agency, where he is responsible for steering the team’s creative output and helping brands cut through in a crowded digital landscape. Paul will bring a strategic and insight-driven approach to your campaign, ensuring bold, relevant ideas that deliver results.
Laura Thornley
// EMEA Marketing Director, Contentful
Laura leads the EMEA marketing team at Contentful, where she’s on a mission to create bold, human-first brand experiences. With a background spanning both agency and in-house roles, she blends creative vision with commercial impact - and she’s not afraid to rip up the rule book. Known for challenging the status quo, Laura is passionate about finding fresh, unexpected ways to engage customers and prospects. At the heart of her approach is a belief in the power of storytelling: spotlighting real voices, real moments, and real impact.
Lauren Moody
// Head of Social & Influencer, Red Brick Road
Lauren Moody is the Head of Social Media & Influencer at Red Brick Road, an independent creative agency on a mission to Fast Forward brands—accelerating business growth through creative advertising, unmissable PR, and engaging social media. A passionate advocate for creative disruption, Lauren is known for driving campaigns that don’t just spark conversation—but shape it. Her expertise spans platform-first content, influencer partnerships, and large scale earned campaigns, all with a focus on measurable impact and cultural resonance. Lauren takes the stage on behalf of a key agency client Treasury Wine Estates, sharing how they are using social and influencer marketing to drive brand growth in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Lily Bedwell
// Social Media Director, Red Brick Road
Lily Bedwell is a Social Media Director at Red Brick Road, an independent creative agency on a mission to Fast Forward brands—accelerating business growth through creative advertising, unmissable PR, and engaging social media.With a sharp eye for emerging trends and a passion for platform-native creativity, Lily specialises in culture-first content that connects. She leads the creation of socially resonant campaigns that engage communities, spark conversation, and drive meaningful brand relevance.At MAD//Fest London, Lily joins the stage alongside agency client Treasury Wine Estates, exploring how culturally aware, audience-led content is key to unlocking brand growth in today’s ever-evolving social landscape.
Matt Hamm
// Digital Media Planner & Content Manager, Treasure Wine Estates
A creative media specialist with more than 18 years experience across some of the biggest and best loved brands in Live Entertainment and Alcohol
Megan Kelly
// Brand Manager, Treasury Wine Estates
Brand Marketeer with just shy of 10 years experience working in the Drinks industry from Scottish Craft Beer to globally known and loved wine brands. Currently Brand Manager at Treasury Wine Estates, working across lifestyle, innovation and luxury wine brands.
Miles Daniel-Davies
// Technical Account Manager, base
Miles has over 10 years of experience in the broadcast media and distribution industry. He began his career in transmission and VOD distribution before transitioning to focus on business analysis, process improvement, and product ownership. As a Technical Account Manager at base, Miles is dedicated to ensuring that clients have access to the right products and services to achieve their goals. He also ensures that clients can use these tools effectively through comprehensive training and documentation, while providing them with exceptional service from base.
Charlie Dark
// lululemon ambassador, Run Dem Crew
After years of running with a small group of DJs in the middle of the night, Charlie started Run Dem Crew in 2007 as a running club for “people who don’t consider themselves runners.” Grown from a casual run around the neighbourhood to one of the most influential run crews in the world, the Run Dem now has more than 500 members. A former DJ, poet, writer, spoken-word artist and father, Charlie takes to the streets of London in off-hours to look for his meditative flow.
Johan Holmström
// CMO, Camphouse
Johan Holmström is a strategic marketing leader and current CMO of Camphouse, where he helps global brands transform how they plan, orchestrate, and optimize their media operations. With 15+ years of experience at the intersection of creativity, data, and technology, Johan specializes in turning complexity into clarity. From scaling brand platforms to driving demand strategies, he combines a sharp commercial lens with a deep passion for storytelling.
Erfan Djazmi
// Chief Digital Officer, Mediahub
Erfan is the Chief Digital Officer at Mediahub, where he is accountable for the digital proposition and runs a global AI activation group. In plain terms, his job is to grow the agency’s influence, win new clients, and drive commercial success by putting platforms, data, and tech, at the heart of clients and the agency, and to smarter, more strategic use.But his real passion lies in pushing beyond tired, legacy practices and shaping a new kind of media model - one built for an AI-driven, platform-first world. He created Mediahub’s ARC (Attentive Reach and Composition) platform, an attention-led optimiser that drives better performance and better media quality. Beyond that, he’s developed a curation platform that targets article-level context, along with an ethical media algorithm that prioritises responsible, high quality journalism and content.More than anything, Erfan believes innovation happens when you look beyond the obvious, take some risks, and put technology in service of people.
Phil Sumner
// SVP Data, Audiences, Tech, Publicis
Phil sits on the Global Attention Leadership Team at Publicis Groupe. He leads the ground up education on Attention at Publicis and is working with a range of Advertisers to help develop measurement frameworks and learning agendas.Prior to Publicis, Phil was at Teads in various insights/measurement roles and helped launched Teads' Attention Programme and the integration of 3rd party attention metrics natively. Before Teads, Phil worked at Nielsen for 11 years in a range of commercial roles and helped launched industry measurement solutions and products.
Mike Follett
// CEO, Lumen Research
Mike Follett is the founder and CEO at Lumen Research.Lumen Research is an eye-tracking technology company that are advancing our understanding of human attention, and enabling marketers to plan, buy, measure, and optimise their media and advertising investments towards real human attention.
Lee Bofkin
// CEO & Janitor, Global Street Art
A former UK breakdancer with a PHD in Evolutionary Mathematics, Dr. Lee Bofkin is an absolute legend (according to his Mum, his mates, and one or two folks on LinkedIn). Whilst he doesn't take biographies very seriously, he did co-found Global Street Art, Europe's leading hand-painted advertising company. Global Street Art are media owners, with offices in four countries and coverage in 25. They're likely the most creative company you've never heard of. With a mission to 'live in painted cities' they have also delivered more partnerships than a mass-wedding, more than 3,000 public art pieces, and they built a museum in their Old Street offices for kicks. Think of Lee as a ""Budget Nils Leonard"" but a less good kisser.
Daryl Goodman-Gordon
// VP of Sales, Squared.io
Kirsten Pistor
// VP of Operations, Squared.io
Xanthe Pickford-Avery
// Head of Search, The7Stars
Fasal Kamara
// Co-founder, NSLB LTD
Andy (Fem) Ali
// Co-founder, NSLB LTD
Hugo Amos
// Co-Founder & CEO, Black Swan Data
Jason Thomson
// SVP Innovations & Futures Team, Mintel
Isabel Perry
// Global SVP of Emerging Technology, DEPT®
Katie Street
// Founder, Street Agency
Lee Korman
// Director, International Marketing & Communications EMEA,, PGA Tour
Manny Brown
// Content Creator, MB@Manny.Productions
Brand Challenges
Want to see real brand challenges tackled in real time? Then you’ll love MAD//Fest London’s Brand Challenges in partnership with Co:Cubed! This year will see up to £100k invested into start-up pilots from the world’s top brands including:
Given the increasing demand for content creation, how can we develop a scalable strategy that balances authenticity, platform relevance, consumer needs, and environmental sustainability, while fostering genuine engagement and relationships with both creators and consumers?
How do we help kids ‘graduate’ from LEGO DUPLO to the small system bricks (4+ sets) – how do we create that bridge in shoppers’ mind and excite kids to move from big bricks to small bricks?
Perfect city strategy: they target cities of high pop density, sampling, social, in-person activation - how can we win London and do stuff differently in this noisy city?
How might we use AI superpowers to double productivity and enhance our creative ideation and execution?
In a world of new entrants, how does Cano Water stay the brand that stands out and leads the pack?
How do we appeal to Gen Z / younger consumers whilst still maintaining the prestige brand reputation?
In a world where moderation and mindful consumption are key, how can Jack Daniel’s Flavours creatively drive to engage engage the next generation of LDA consumers?
MAD//Insight
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Got an editorial pitch? Email luke@madfestlondon.com
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