Theme: Transformation in Uncertain Times

We live in times of unprecedented change that can and will continue to impact this world we all live in. The questions raised for society are many.

How do we manage artificial intelligence and what is the impact on society and the individual?

How do Global and Local policies sit together to benefit society and the individual?

How can education be used to co-create modes of teaching and learning both within and outside of the classroom and what is the impact of this on the learner and the community?

Birmingham City University
The Parkside Building
5 Cardigan Street
Birmingham, Birmingham, B4 7BD
United Kingdom

Ashley Zeal

Ashley was born and raised in Birmingham, England where he realised his talents and decided to pursue them. Ashley is a singer-songwriter with a Hip-Hop & R&B sound. His aim is to express and impress through the use of his talent and passion. Music allows him to share his views and feelings in a unique and personal way as the content he includes within his art is truthful and relevant to him. As well as this his musical content is a reflection of him as an individual

Cliff Dennett

Head Of Business Development for Innovation Birmingham

Cliff Dennett drives revenue, tenant and partner growth for the UK's largest campus dedicated to digital technology businesses, Innovation Birmingham. Cliff founded his own technology businesses, signed deals with major rock bands and raised significant investment money and so assists the growth of the campus' tenants, with a focus on investment and growth strategies across a wide range of technical businesses. He has also held senior positions in global IT companies (Orange, AT&T and EDS) and helped LEGO develop its first ‘serious play’ product. Cliff has done keynote speeches around the world on technology, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. He is a founding member of the ‘Future Work Forum’ an international network of experts in the world of work and also a member of the ‘Long Now Foundation’. He is co-author of ‘Conquering the Digital Overload: Leadership strategies that build engaging work cultures’, which explores challenges of leadership in a digital age

Herman Stewart

Author, Speaker, CEO

Herman Stewart is the founder and CEO of Every Child Needs a Mentor. He is a pioneering, award winning mentor, an author, speaker, strategist, volunteer and a passionate campaigner for young people. Herman was a mentor for 20 years before he launched Every Child Needs a Mentor in May 2013. Herman and his team support school leaders internationally, using mentoring, training and inspirational speaking to improve the well being of children, parents and staff. Herman is regularly invited to speak to and inspire groups including, Cambridge University, Oxford and Harvard alumni, school associations, senior civil servants and numerous head teacher conferences. His expertise has been sought by many organisations both nationally and internationally, including government, businesses and education establishments. He was the city of Birmingham’s lead mentor; his work has been rated as ‘High Quality’ by Ofsted and his Mentoring Programme – received an award for closing the achievement gap.

Ian Thomas

National Project Development Officer & Social Work Student

Ian Thomas works for an independent fostering agency as a National Project Development officer using his experience and insight personally and professionally to improve the quality of care children and young people receive. Ian is also a second year Social Work BCU student. Has supported the The Oxford Rees Centre with numerous blogs that have been published. Has been Spoken at both national and international conferences on child care and the looked after sector, whilst also appearing live on the BBC Victoria Derbyshire speaking about how the children in care are over represented in the criminal justice system and more recently on the topic of Social Work.

Joanne Goodman

Senior Partnership Officer

Jo served as the BCUSU President for 16/17 and supported the development of the new strategic plan. As President, Jo was also the Chair of the Trustee Board, the Senior Executive Officer and a member of both the University Executive Group and the Board of Governors. Jo was also a keynote at the European First Year Experience Conference 2017 and spoke on the need to support student transition. Recently, she was elected as a student director for the NUS UK Board and continues to support the work of students' unions in a changing political landscape. Jo continues to work within the Higher Education sector and is the Senior Partnership Officer for Aspire to HE at the University of Wolverhampton

Lauren Williams

Lauren Williams is a Poet, Actress and Singer from Birmingham. She was fortunate to become the 9th young Birmingham Poet Laureate in 2013 a role that has allowed her to share her passions in places like Parliament, the Birmingham Library and various schools around the Midlands. Lauren will be sharing a specially commissioned piece which fits with the theme of Transformation

Martin Glynn

International Educator, Lecturer, Theatre Director & Dramatist

Dr Martin Glynn is an experienced and internationally renowned educator, theatre director, and dramatist who has written for theatre, radio, and television. He has also published many poetry books, alongside building a growing reputation as an author of children’s books. As a renowned criminologist, Dr Glynn has over 3 decades of experience of working in criminal justice, public health, and educational settings. He has a Cert. Ed, a Master’s degree in criminal justice policy and practice, and gained his PhD at Birmingham City University (Feb 2013). Dr Glynn is also a Winston Churchill Fellow (2010) and was awarded the prestigious ‘Pol-Roger’ award from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (2012) for outstanding service to the field of. Martin is a also full member of both the Writers Guild of Great Britain and EQUITY, the actors union. Dr Glynn is the founder and creator director of PLATFORM- DATA VERBALIZATION LAB.

Michelle Mills-Porter

Managing Director - Ethos Development Ltd

Michelle is an award-winning business woman, a celebrated author, behaviour profiler, CEO, and one of the most highly recommended people worldwide on LinkedIn. But most of all she is a conduit to creating empowerment in people. She was brought to this through her involvement in the biggest natural disaster in our living history, where she discovered what it at the core of humanity. It’s this lesson that took Michelle on a whole new trajectory. Dedicating her life to unleashing human magnificence she now works with organisations to help to create Empowered, Engaged Workforces, from Premiership Football Clubs, to SME’s, the message is the same… Michelle will explain how re-awakening the tools we were born with is the key to not only future proofing ourselves but also the key to humanity.

Navdeep Chouhan

Senior Lecturer - Business Management

Nav is currently a Senior Lecturer in Management at Birmingham City University, here Nav teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Nav’s research focuses on how the creation and sustainability of ecosystems can support student / graduate start-ups. In addition to this, Nav is also a Special Inspector for the West Midlands Police. Within this volunteer role, Nav manages and leads 25 warranted officers who provide vital support in dealing with the challenges of society.

Richard Fallon

Managing Director - Marketing Consultancy

Richard Fallon is the MD of a marketing consultancy which works with professional service providers and technology companies. His business develops marketing strategies and plans, writes the copy and content they require and manages the implementation of their marketing. He studied physics at Durham University before doing a MSc. in Electronic Engineering at Nottingham University and completing his PhD. in Photonics at Aston University in 1998. His love of travel took him to work as a Business Analyst for British Airways before moving back to Birmingham to work for npower in 2002. Richard started his own management training company in 2004. Developing accredited marketing courses and delivered the CMI’s qualifications to a range of businesses. In 2010, he moved into the marketing sector and transformed into the Marketing Engineer. He brings a systematic engineering approach to marketing as well as an understanding of technical subjects which is unparalleled in his field.

Sally Eaves

Founder and Global Strategic Advisor on the application of disruptive technologies for both business and societal benefit

Sally combines a depth of experience as a Chief Technology Officer, Practising Professor of FinTech, Founder and Global Strategic Advisor, consulting on the application of disruptive technologies for both business and societal benefits. She is an award-winning thought leader in innovation, digital transformation and emergent technology, notably blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics. A member of the Forbes Technology Council, Sally is an accomplished author with regular contributions to leading business, technology and academic publications and a new book scheduled for release in 2018. She is an international keynote speaker and respected online influencer across multiple channels and consistently rated in the top 10 for blockchain and social media influence worldwide. Sally strongly believes in technology being an enabler for social good which is reflected in her recent shortlisting for the UK IT Woman of the Year Business Role Model Awar