Danny Kelly
Head of Innovation
Danny joined the Vodafone UK Business Executive Board in March 2017. He is currently the Innovation Director, responsible for emerging technology consideration and incubation, including 5G and IOT. Prior to this, Danny was the Business Product Director for a period of 2 years.
With over 15 years of experience in the telecommunication industry, Danny has previously led commercial teams with responsibility for Pricing, Propositions, GTM and Public Sector Frameworks. Danny joined through the acquisition of Cable & Wireless, where he led the SME and indirect channel’s commercial strategy for the Voice and UC portfolios.
Georgie Williams
Student
Georgie is a deferred-PhD student of University College Dublin, specialising in non-cisgender identities from a transnational perspective. They are an LGBTQ+ rights and women’s rights activist and has worked with organisations such as Mermaids, Sisters Uncut and Chrysalis, as well as activist groups across the world including the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, WAIFU, and PKBI Indonesia. In 2019, they launched /Queer, an accessible educational platform providing resources and insight into gender and sexuality variant communities around the world - primarily disseminated through a podcast. Doubling as an oral histories archive, /Queer has been archived in the Kinsey Institute and has a listener-base in 122 countries around the world.
Julia Belle
Political Podcast Host
Julia Belle is a podcast host, explaining politics in a more accessible way, whilst also working on BBC 5 Live. Graduating from Warwick University with a BA (Hons) in Politics, she has grown her career in the media industry, from presenting to producing, to being nominated at the British Podcast awards!
Liam Chennells
CEO
Liam Chennells is the founder and CEO of detected, the global mark of trust for eCommerce.
Liam is a forthright entrepreneur known for his bold ideas and people-first leadership. Prior to detected, Liam held senior roles at eBay UK, Anatwine (now part of Zalando) and Tryzens. Before launching detected, his most recent role was as Managing Director of Silicon Valley software company EasyPost in San Francisco.
Liam began his career in rugby, playing for internationally-renowned teams in England and New Zealand. An early sporting career developed Liam’s natural qualities of discipline, teamwork and performance-led mindset, attributes that have served him equally well in business.
Liam is an established co-founder and advisor in early-stage start-ups. He holds Non-Executive positions and investments in organisations ranging from fashion brands and events businesses to food and drink companies.
Mike Howells
Exec Board
Mike joined Pearson in December 2020. He is responsible for developing Pearson’s global strategy and further strengthening its corporate and educational partnerships as the company aims to expand and enhance its direct-to-consumer offering.
Prior to joining Pearson, Mike was HM Consul General in Los Angeles, promoting trade and investment, scientific cooperation, creative and media collaborations and educational partnerships between the UK, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii. He has more than 20 years of international business and global affairs experience, having held senior leadership positions in the British diplomatic network and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, as well as working in international development, human rights law, the UK tech sector, and at HSBC.
Mike holds a masters degree in International Law from the University of Nottingham and an Anthropology degree from University College London.
Noga Levy-Rapoport
Climate Activist
Noga Levy-Rapoport is a 20-year-old student, climate justice activist, volunteer and organiser with the UK Student Climate Network, where they’ve been responsible for organising the climate strikes across the UK as part of the global YouthStrike4Climate campaign under Fridays For Future. They’ve confronted corporate leaders directly at International Petroleum Week, and have spoken at, organised, and led several marches and events to demand urgent climate action, including at the International Maritime Organisation and in Parliament. As part of their work for UKSCN and for Labour for a Green New Deal campaign, they’ve been named one of the most influential Londoners of the year by the Evening Standard and a Forbes Top 100 UK Environmentalist for their work on youth empowerment, educational reform, and systemic change from the grassroots to the global level through a Green New Deal, and are a recipient of the 2021 Diana Award.
Paul Daniels
Business Developer and Facilitator
Paul is an active and enthusiastic business developer and facilitator with a wealth of experience over sixty years, spanning several trade and industrial sectors. His key skills are chairmanship, mentoring, deal making and empowering good ideas and bright people to succeed.
Paul attributes his success to his days competing with huge multi-nationals like Nestlé and Unilever and selling to very powerful retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, etc. He and a business partner founded and developed nine start-ups, covering a diversity of trades and industries. Several of these companies were sold and moved on to second generation management for fast track development. Two were recapitalised for further expansion through the sale of minority stakes to VCTs and another has been retained.
Paul has taken a more traditional Chairman role but continues to influence the entrepreneurs of tomorrow through his podcast series focussing on business start-up advice.
Sam Andrews
Paralegal
Sam is a 25 year old paralegal for the law firm Powell Gilbert and is currently training towards becoming a barrister.
He has completed the BPTC and GDL from the University of Law, as well as completing a degree in Biological Sciences from University of Leeds.
His time spent in the legal industry has taught him important lessons about dealing in facts and ignoring all forms of bias. This experience has provided him with the foundations of his talk. He will shed some light on the unconscious bias that leads to more polarised views, and how you can learn to view things objectively.
Sofija Venckute
Degree Apprentice
Sofija is the State of the Nation Manager for BT’s Health Division. In her role, she explores the pivotal role technology has to play in transforming the healthcare industry. Since joining BT in 2018 she has held a number of roles across software development, customer relationship management and propositions.
Prior to this she successfully launched two start up’s including an award-winning sustainable tea business that she set up in Lithuania at the age of just 17. She also launched a national early careers networking group within BT, helping 500 community members network and develop their careers.
Sofija has a real passion for sustainability and how technology, including immersive presentations, can help drive better customer experience.
Talia Grantham
COO
What does ‘being successful ‘even mean? Having spent the last 4 years working across multiple startups of varying sizes and industries, all whilst balancing a full time degree, Talia has come full circle in seeking out the elusive goal that is ‘success’. She’ll be exploring how to design personal success templates, and how we can all shift our narratives on being truly successful.