Confirmed Speakers
We are delighted that a variety of speakers, including MPs, diplomats, leading academics, business people, athletes and artists, joined us on the day to showcase the strengths of Nottingham and the region to key policymakers and stakeholders.
- Dr Phoebe Abe, GP, Abe Foundation
- Dr Virginia Acha, Executive Director – Research, Medical and Innovation, ABPI
- David Askew, Director of Evidence, Natural England
- Kate Aubrey-Johnson, Director of the Youth Justice Legal Centre, Just for Kids Law
- Sat Bains, Michelin-starred Chef, Restaurant Sat Bains
- Professor Kevin Bales, Contemporary Slavery, The University of Nottingham
- Emma Bates, Financial Inclusion Support, Advice Nottingham
- Jo Beall, Director, Education and Society of the British Council
- Alistair Beaton, Writer and political satirist
- Rt. Hon. John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons
- Garry Birtles, former Nottingham Forest footballer
- Andy Boston, Head of Analysis Team, Energy Research Partnership
- Charles Bradshaw-Smith, CEO, SmartKlub Ltd
- Professor Holger Breinlich, International Economics, The University of Nottingham
- Philip Bretherton, Actor
- Jamie Bristow, Associate, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Mindfulness
- Paul Brodrick, Head of Connected Communities, Siemens
- Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE, former Vice-Chancellor of Aston University
- Jeremy Browne, Special Representative to the EU, City of London Corporation
- Chris Bryant MP (Rhondda)
- Darren Budd, Commercial Director UK & Ireland, BASF
- Hillary Burrage, Advisor, FGM Guardian Global Media Campaign
- Annette Byron, Freshfields
- Rt. Hon. Sir Vince Cable, Honorary Professor, The Universityof Nottingham
- Mark Campbell, Associate Director - Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence - NICE
- Neil Carmichael MP, Chair, House of Commons Education Select Committee
- Sarah Champion MP, Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
- Steven Chapman, Head, The Ingenuity Lab, The University of Nottingham
- Chris Clark, Managing Director, Experian EMEA
- Darren Clark, Chief Executive, Medilink East Midlands
- Frank Clark, former Nottingham Forest footballer
- Rt. Hon. Ken Clarke MP (Rushcliffe)
- Kinsi Clarke, Health Project Manager for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum
- Matthew Clemence, Senior Scientist, Philips Healthcare
- Andrew Cliffe, Managing Director, East Midlands Airport
- Tony Cocker, CEO, E.ON
- Councillor Jon Collins, Leader, Nottingham City Council
- Jeff Counsell, Managing Director, Trent Barton
- Stella Creasy MP (Walthamstow)
- Giles Croft, Artistic Director, Nottingham Playhouse
- Rt. Hon. Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde
- Chris Dearden, Author of The True Cost of Austerity report
- Gloria De Piero MP (Ashfield)
- Tim Desmond, Chief Executive, Galleries of Justice
- Nick Ebbs, Chief Executive, Blueprint
- Dr Catrin Evans, Director of Global Engagement, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences
- David Evans, Managing Director, DHE Solutions
- Elizabeth Fagan, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Boots
- David Falzani, CEO, Polaris Associates
- Professor Harry Ferguson, Social Work, The University of Nottingham
- Professor Steve Fielding, Director of the Centre for British Politics, The University of Nottingham
- Chief Constable Sue Fish OBE, QPM, Nottinghamshire Police
- Matt Forde, Comedian
- Mark Fowles, Managing Director, Nottingham City Transport
- Barry Gardiner MP, former Shadow Minsiter for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Professor Seamus Garvey, Dynamics, The University of Nottingham
- Jo Gilbert, Independent Consultant, Robin Hood Energy
- Professor Mark Gillot, Sustainable Building Design, The University of Nottingham
- Dr Sara Goodacre, Nottingham Lead, Open Air Laboratories (OPAL)
- Dr Paul Greatrix, Registrar, The University of Nottingham
- Professor Sir David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Nottingham
- Lydia Greenway, former England cricketer
- Lilian Greenwood MP (Nottingham South)
- Tom Gribbin, Founder & Chief Executive, BOOST
- Nia Griffith MP, Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Modern Languages
- Professor Robin Grimes, Chief Scientific Adviser, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Professor Ian Hall, Director, Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre
- Terri Harman, Godiva Law
- John Harvey, Author
- Ayesha Hazarika, Comedian
- Toby Hiles, Head of Strategy & Planning, Transport Systems Catapult
- Peter Homa CBE, Chief Executive, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Professor Joanne Hort, Sensory Science, The University of Nottingham
- Ollie Hynd, Paralympian
- Martin Ivens, Editor, The Sunday Times
- Melanie Jeffs, Centre Manager, Nottingham Women’s Centre
- Jo Johnson MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science
- Dr Jo Judge, Chief Executive, National Biodiversity Network
- Emma Kelly, CEO, Energy Research Accelerator
- Dr Vicky Kemp, Law, The University of Nottingham
- Sir Peter Kendall, Chair of Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
- Professor Richard Kneller, Economics, The University of Nottingham
- Professor Todd Landman, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Social Sciences, The University of Nottingham
- Professor Pete Licence, Director, GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory, The University of Nottingham
- Claire Light, Greater Manchester Police
- Helen Lincoln, Executive Director for People Operations, Essex County Council
- Professor Andy Long, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Nottingham
- Ashley Long, Managing Director, Paul Smith Ltd
- Lew Lukens, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy London
- Ron Lynch, Regional Director, Institute of Directors
- Maria Machancoses, Director, Midlands Connect
- Sandeep Mahal, Director, Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature
- Allan Marriott-Smith, CEO, Human Tissue Authority
- Dr Carol McCormick, FGM Specialist Midwife, Nottingham University Hospitals
- John McGovern, Nottingham Forest European Cup winning captain
- Rt. Hon. Lord Tom McNally, Chairman of Youth Justice Board for England and Wales
- Brendan Moffett, Chief Executive, Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
- Professor Jonathan Montgomery, Chair of the Health Research Authority
- Professor Steve Morgan, Biomedical Engineering, The University of Nottingham
- Councillor Jackie Morris, Sheriff of Nottingham
- Professor Hervé Morvan, Director of the Institute for Aerospace Technology, The University of Nottingham
- Professor Simon Mosey, Director, The Haydn Green Institute, The University of Nottingham
- Professor Louise Mullany, Sociolinguistics, The University of Nottingham
- Cecily Mwaniki, Co-Founder, Utulivu Women’s Group and Founder CM Network
- Judy Naake, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire & Entrepreneur, Founder of the St Tropez tanning brand
- Jeremy Nicholas, Compere, writer and broadcaster
- Liz Nicholl, Chief Executive, UK Sport
- Valentine Nkoyo, Director, Mojatu Foundation
- Professor Aoife Nolan, International Human Rights Law, The University of Nottingham
- Rachel O'Connor, Wise Self Wellbeing Consultancy
- Professor Sarah O’Hara, Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor for Education and Student Experience, The University of Nottingham
- Sir John Peace, Chair of the Midlands Engine and Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire
- David Pearson CBE, Corporate Director, Adult Social Care, Health and Public Protection, Nottinghamshire County Council, and Sustainability and Transformation Lead for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
- Professor Edward Peck, Vice-Chancellor, Nottingham Trent University
- Ling Peng, Musician
- Dr Elvira Perez Vallejos, Computer Science, The University of Nottingham
- Jess Phillips MP, Vice Chair for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery
- Belinda Phipps, CEO, Science Council
- Veronica Pickering, Deputy Lieutenant, Nottinghamshire
- Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff, Chemistry, The University of Nottingham
- Ade Potts, Managing Director, SME, Experian
- Rt. Hon. Baroness Prashar CBE, Deputy Chair, British Council
- Vicky Pryce, former Joint Head of the UK's Economic Service
- Lisa Pursehouse, Chief Executive, Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
- Phil Quinlan, Director, UKCRC Tissue Directory and Coordination Centre
- Becky Ramsden, Policy and Campaigns Officer, Advice Nottingham
- Professor Stephen Regel OBE, Clinical Director, Centre for Trauma, Resilience and Growth, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- John Rishton, former CEO, Rolls-Royce
- Antoinette Sandbach MP (Eddisbury)
- Sir John Sawers CMG, former Head of MI6
- Louise Scull, Chair, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Professor Sarah Sharples, Associate Faculty Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research & Knowledge Exchange, The University of Nottingham
- Phil Sheppard, National Grid plc
- Beverley Smith, Associate Solicitor, Shakespeare Martineau Solicitors
- Helen Sneddon, Head of Green Chemistry, GSK
- Rt. Hon. Anna Soubry MP, former Minister of State for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise
- Dr Debbie Sparkes, Agronomy, The University of Nottingham
- Mark Spencer MP (Sherwood)
- Sir Keir Starmer MP, former Director of Public Prosecutions
- Debris Stevenson, Founder, Mouthy Poets
- Gavin Stokes, Head of Technology Solutions, E.ON
- Mark Stuart, Political Researcher, The University of Nottingham
- Professor Mark Sumner, Electrical Energy Systems, The University of Nottingham
- Sura Susso, Musician
- Nalayini Thambar, Director, Careers and Employability, The University of Nottingham
- Professor Ellen Townsend, Psychology, The University of Nottingham
- Professor Zoe Trodd, Co-director of the Rights and Justice research priority area, The University of Nottingham
- Pascale Vassie, Executive Director, National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education
- Professor Nigel Vincent, British Academy
- Gordon Waddington, CEO, Energy Research Accelerator
- Dr Henner Wapenhans, Head of Technology Strategy, Rolls-Royce
- Baroness Diana Warwick
- Chia Wei Wen, Deputy High Commissioner of Singapore to the UK
- Holly Wicks, Research Team Leader, ComRes
- Rt. Hon. Lord David Willetts, Chairman of the Resolution Foundation
- Sir Andrew Witty, Chief Executive Officer, GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK)
- Iain Wright MP, Chairman, House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee