Meet our speakers
Thought-leaders from across business and education will be sharing their views and sparking the debate.
Keynote Speaker
Michael Wooldridge FBCS
Ashall Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Oxford.
He has over 30 years of research experience and has published over 450 scientific articles on the subject. He’s a Fellow of ACM, AAAI, and EurAI, and has served as president for the European Association for AI and the International Joint Conference on AI. He’s received multiple prestigious awards and has published two popular science introductions to AI: the Ladybird Expert Guide to AI (2018), and The Road to Conscious Machines (2020).
Conference speakers
EUR ING Alastair Revell CEng CITP FBCS
President - BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
EUR ING Alastair Revell CEng CITP FBCS is the 64th President of BCS The Chartered Institute for IT and holds board appointments with other IT bodies, including the Institution of Analysts and Programmers and the Trustworthy Software Foundation, as well as being a trustee of the Engineering Council.
He is the Chairman and Managing Consultant of Revell Research Systems, a management and technology consulting practice that he established in 1985. The firm provides advice and IT services to professional service firms and smaller corporates.
Alastair is an ardent advocate of chartered professionalism and the compelling need for it in providing assurance to the public, especially in the wake of recent high profile scandals. He contends that chartered registration independently assures relying parties that a registrant is both practising to the highest of ethical standards and is a highly competent professional.
He is keen to promote this concept in the 40th anniversary year of the Institute receiving its Royal Charter form HM Queen Elizabeth II, and in relating how this is an important part of making IT good for society. He is also keen that the Institute continues to encourage the inclusive and diverse profession that society needs to realise the benefits of the digital era.
Nadia Abouayoub
Strategist in Innovation for Financial Services
Committee Member BCS AI Specialist Group
Nadia Abouayoub is a strategist and specialist in innovation for the financial sector with over 15 years of experience within fields such as Risk Management, Product Control and Technology in Trading Applications. She started her career at JP Morgan and has since held the role of Director of AI Mobilisation for BSI Regulatory Services. She is involved in various prestigious committees, such as the British Computer Society's AI Specialist Group Committee (S.G.A.I) and the IET's Expert Digital Panel. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). Nadia is passionate about AI education, organizing events like the International Machine Intelligence Competition and advising the Cambridge University Library's Strategic Advisory board. She has also lectured on Data Science at the University of London. She is the founder of AIFINAI, an educational platform which aims to transform the financial sector through AI and is currently writing her first book on the impact of AI.
Leanne Allen
UK Head of AI - KPMG LLP (UK)
As the UK Head of AI (Advisory) at KPMG, I partner with organisations to navigate the complexities of artificial intelligence, helping them unlock its potential while ensuring safe and ethical deployment. My focus is on demystifying AI, guiding clients through the development of AI strategies that are deeply aligned with their business objectives and risk appetites.
At KPMG, we leverage AI to reimagine core business functions, re-shape operational models, and drive workforce transformation through upskilling and adoption strategies. With a particular emphasis on designing and enhancing risk management and governance frameworks, I ensure that organisations scale their AI capabilities with proportionate and robust controls in place.
Julia Adamson MBE FBCS CITP
Managing Director of Education and Public Benefit - BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
Julia’s mission at BCS is to give every young person the digital skills they need to succeed in life and work. Under her leadership, the Computing at School (CAS) teachers’ network has grown in influence and now has over 25,000 teacher members. BCS’ Barefoot scheme, which supports primary teachers with learning materials and lesson plans, has so far reached 3.3 million children across the UK. Julia played a lead role in establishing and managing the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE), an £84 million government-funded programme to upskill teachers to deliver world-class education in computing in schools. In 2023, Julia was awarded an MBE, for Services to Education.
Julia is a Trustee of The Blackdown Education Partnership a Multi Academy Trust, in Mid Devon. Julia began her career in education 26 years ago as a teacher in Cheshire. In 2006 she joined Liverpool-based company, MGL, developing her vision for tech in schools, and how it could transform outcomes for learners. She joined Exeter-based South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) in 2009, supporting its work on online safety and education. Later joining BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT in 2017, holding a number of leadership roles, and is now Managing Director, Education and Public Benefit.
Alex Bardell
Founder, SDAdvocate
Chair - BCS Green IT Specialist Group
Alex has over 30 years' experience working in technology and in the role of lead architect for enterprise technology projects. He is a recognised expert in the delivery and migration to cloud computing.
Alex has delivered IT strategy, architecture, transformation and emerging technology projects across a wide range of industries including banking and finance, manufacturing, the public sector, healthcare and the MOD.
Alex has extensive knowledge of implementing many frameworks and methodologies including TOGAF and Zachman Enterprise Architecture, PMI Project Management, ITIL Service Management, Agile Development and Change Management.
He is an experienced team leader and has a track record of building the architectural and technical teams required to deliver complex, multi-regional technology projects.
Matthew Bellringer
Director, Meaningbit
Matthew is a neurodiversity and innovation specialist, working with neurodivergent business owners, organisations who want to get strategic benefit from their diverse perspectives, and organisations delivering digitally-enabled services to a neurodiverse audience.
Alongside their private practice, Matthew is Chair and Co-founder of NeurodiverseIT, a group for neurodivergent IT professionals within BCS, the Chartered Institute of IT and the organiser and founder of the Curious Being community. Matthew has a background in systems development, psychology, research and education, and is a late-diagnosis autistic ADHDer.
Professor Alan W. Brown
Professor in Digital Economy - University of Exeter
Alan W. Brown is a Professor in Digital Economy at the University of Exeter, an experienced business executive and a strategic advisor. He has spent more than thirty years in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom driving large-scale software-driven programmes with commercial high-tech companies, leading R&D teams, building state-of-the-art solutions and improving software product delivery approaches. He has written several books on enterprise software delivery and digital transformation, most recently Surviving and Thriving in the Age of AI: A Handbook for Digital Leaders. He is a Fellow of the BCS, a member of FTAG, and recently completed his role as a fellow at the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for data science and AI.
Mark Butcher
Director - Posetiv Cloud Ltd
Mark leads Posetiv, a company dedicated to pioneering GreenOps, FinOps, and DevOps across IT, from data centres and infrastructure to end-user devices, cloud services, and software development. With a focus on helping large enterprises modernise their IT services, Mark brings extensive experience in guiding organisations toward ambitious net-zero targets and significantly reducing digital carbon emissions.
Richard Corbridge FBCS
Chief Information Officer, SEGRO
Member BCS Fellows Technical Advisory Group (F-Tag)
Richard is the Chief Information Officer for Segro as of November 2024 where he has responsibility for digital, data and the use of these to transform the organisation.
Richard had been the Director General for Digital at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) previously. At DWP he had responsibility for technology and data across the entire department including the technical capability in 850 Job Centres and the management of all payment systems, benefits systems and analysis of these daily. The digital team was over 5000 colleagues supporting the most vulnerable people in the UK through the application of many different digital solutions.
He is a globally recognised expert in digital technology and its application to a diverse set of business. He has over 25 years’ experience in diverse CIO roles across the healthcare, research, and retail sectors. Richard has a passion for innovation, business change and benefits management. As a leader he insists on a focus on engagement and benefits being brought to all technology implementations.
In 2019 he was appointed as the first Director of Innovation at Boots UK, with a remit to deliver a transformed high street pharmacy and health and beauty experience for customers across the UK. In 2020 he was promoted to the Boots Executive as Chief Information Officer with responsibility for technology throughout the business. In 2022 he took on responsibility for data, science and insight within his CIO role and was asked to also lead the IT transformation of the No.7 Beauty Company.
Dr Sam De Silva FBCS CITP
Partner & Global Co-Head of the Commercial Practice Group - CMS
Board Member - BCS Influence Board
Chair: BCS Legal Specialist Group
Dr Sam De Silva is a Partner & Global Co-Head of the Commercial Practice Group at the Top 10 global law firm, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP (CMS). Sam specialises in advising companies (from the FTSE 100 to start-ups) and the public sector in complex and strategic technology and outsourcing projects and regularly advises on AI, data protection, and cyber-security issues.
Sam was the former Law Society’s representative on the EU Commission’s Expert Group on Cloud Computing Contracts and is the current UK solicitor representative on the IT Law Committee of the Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE). Sam was an elected Trustee of the BCS from 2019 to 2024 and was on the BCS Council from 2016 to 2024. Sam has been the Chair of the BCS Legal Specialist Legal Group since 2020.
Charlene Hunter MBE
Founder and CEO - Coding Black Females
Charlene Hunter MBE is the CEO and founder of Coding Black Females, an organisation dedicated to empowering Black women in tech. With a BSc in Mathematical Sciences and an MSc in Computer Science from the University of Birmingham, she has over 15 years of experience as a software developer and technical architect.
Charlene founded Coding Black Females in 2017 to address the underrepresentation of Black women in tech. The organisation offers mentorship, role models, and professional development opportunities, collaborating with major corporations and institutions.
Recognised for her contributions, Charlene was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2022. She is a sought-after speaker at tech conferences, advocating for systemic change to create inclusive environments. Her commitment to diversity and inclusion in tech is unwavering.
Joanna Masraff
Founder - Green PO and Pirate Jo
Based in the Greater Edinburgh Area, Jo Masraff is a Fractional Sustainability Transformation lead, using her Agile and Sustainability Coaching skils on a mission to help individuals and small businesses through their sustainability metamorphosis. Her passion for sustainability and diversity in tech and business, combined with her belief that the power of small changes make a significant impact, Jo not only delivers value but also enables others to improve continuously in a way that benefits the people and planet, while enhancing overall happiness. She is lucky that she is able to do this within her role mix at AND Digital and as founder of PirateJo.
Bill Mitchell OBE FBCS
BCS Influence Board Member
Bill was awarded an OBE for services to Computing and to Artificial Intelligence Education in the 2020 New Year Honours List. He is a life Fellow of BCS, member of the BCS Influence Board and member of the DSIT College of Experts, which is an advisory group to the DSIT Chief Scientific Advisor.
In the fourteen years as an executive director at BCS Bill worked on several national programmes to advance computing education in both schools and higher education. These include working with the Office for Artificial Intelligence to establish industry supported ethical AI MSc courses in 2019, and in 2013 being invited by the Secretary of State for Education to coordinate development of the now statutory computing curriculum for schools in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Prior to working at BCS he spent over twenty years researching into the mathematical foundations of computer science both in academia and industry. He has a PhD in pure mathematics from the University of Manchester.
Nimmi Patel
Head of Skills,Talent and Diversity - Tech UK
Nimmi Patel is the Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK. She works on all things skills, education, and future of work policy, focusing on upskilling and retraining. Nimmi is also an Advisory Board member of Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (digit). The Centre research aims to increase understanding of how digital technologies are changing work and the implications for employers, workers, job seekers and governments. Prior to joining the techUK team, she worked for the UK Labour Party and New Zealand Labour Party, and holds an MA in Strategic Communications at King’s College London and BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester. She is currently taking part in the 2024-25 University of Bath Institute for Policy Research Policy Fellowship Programme.
Gill Ringland
Emeritus Fellow - Sami Consulting
Secretary - BCS IT Leaders Forum
Gill Ringland is an internationally recognised foresight and IT strategy consultant, experienced CEO and author. She wrote Scenario Planning (used on the Harvard MBA course) based on her experience in the IT industry. She was a member of the EC’s High Level Expert Group on Foresight and served on the UK Economic and Social Research Council. She co-chaired (with Professor Ed Steinmueller) the BCS Service Resilience Working Group. Her most recent book is Resilience of Services: reducing the impact of IT failures. She is Secretary of the BCS IT Leaders Forum, a Life Fellow of the BCS, a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science, Emeritus Fellow of ICL and of SAMI Consulting.
Andy Stanford-Clark
Lead Quantum Ambassador - IBM
Andy Stanford-Clark is an innovation leader in IBM Research, accelerating innovative and transformative technology projects with Clients. He is an IBM Distinguished Engineer, a Master Inventor with more than 40 patents, and leads IBM’s Quantum Ambassador team in the UK. Andy is based at IBM’s Hursley Park laboratories near Winchester, and has been working in the area we now call the Internet of Things for more than 25 years. He has a BSc in Computing and Mathematics, and a PhD in Computer Science. He is an Honorary Professor at the University of East Anglia, a Visiting Professor at the University of Newcastle, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southampton, and a Fellow of the British Computer Society.
Steve Sands
Information Security Consultant and Data Protection Officer - Synetics Solutions
Chair - BCS Information Security Specialist Group
Steve Sands is a risk and compliance professional with expertise in information security, IT management, and data protection. Formerly the Chief Information Security Officer at Synectics Solutions Ltd., he now serves as an internal security consultant and Data Protection Officer. A Chartered IT Professional, Steve is a Fellow of BCS and a member of several security bodies, including MCIIS, ISSA, and ISACA. He has been Chair of the BCS Information Security Specialist Group since 2021 and is a qualified ISO27001 Lead Auditor. Steve also represents BCS on the BSI committee for developing information security, cybersecurity, and privacy standards.
Sathpal Singh
Chair - BCS Agile Methods Specialist Group
Sath is the Chair of the BCS Agile Methods specialist group and a passionate technology and agile leader with 25 years of experience. He has worked with a number of international clients and global brands, transitioning from engineering to leadership roles in both public and private sectors. Currently, he leads global initiatives to develop engineering capability, culture and communities in the financial services sector. Sath holds several professional credentials, including Chartered IT Practitioner (CITP), Chartered Manager (CMgr), a diploma in Digital Marketing and several Agile certifications. He is Fellow of both BCS and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Along aside his role as the Conference and Convention Planning Officer on the BCS’s Community Support Committee he is the organiser of the global online meetup, The Future of Work Scotland and an international keynote speaker.
Jo Stansfield
CEO and Founder - Inclusioneering Ltd
Jo is CEO and founder of Inclusioneering, and an inclusive innovation consultant. She holds several voluntary roles, including Trustee of BCS, co-chair of BCS Women, board member of the AI ethics charity ForHumanity, and advisory board member for TechUp Skills Bootcamp. Originally an engineer, developing enterprise software for sectors like power and aerospace, Jo transitioned to Business Psychology, earning an MSc with research focused on gender and racial diversity in technology. She leverages her deep understanding of engineering culture and her lived experience in the field to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Professor Ed Steinmueller
Emeritus Professor – Science Policy Research Unit - University of Sussex
Ed Steinmueller is Professor Emeritus of Information and Communications Technology Policy, and of the Economics of Innovation, at SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit) in the University of Sussex Business School. He has published four books and more than eighty peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, mostly on the ICT industries as well as on science and technology policy and economic history. His books include Mobilizing the Information Society: Strategies for Growth and Opportunity; Advanced Introduction to Platform Economics, (both with R.E. Mansell); and most recently Resilience of Services:
Reducing the Impact of IT Failures, (with Gill Ringland). He was co-chair (with Gill Ringland) of the BCS Service Resilience Working Group and is a Fellow of the BCS.
Check out Ed's Linkedin profile
Advisory group
Sathpal Singh
Chair- BCS Agile Methods Specialist Group
Sath is the Chair of the BCS Agile Methods specialist group and a passionate technology and agile leader with 25 years of experience. He has worked with a number of international clients and global brands, transitioning from engineering to leadership roles in both public and private sectors. Currently, he leads global initiatives to develop engineering capability, culture and communities in the financial services sector. Sath holds several professional credentials, including Chartered IT Practitioner (CITP), Chartered Manager (CMgr), a diploma in Digital Marketing and several Agile certifications. He is Fellow of both BCS and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Along aside his role as the Conference and Convention Planning Officer on the BCS’s Community Support Committee he is the organiser of the global online meetup, The Future of Work Scotland and an international keynote speaker.
Jo Stansfield
CEO and Founder - Inclusioneering Ltd
Committee Member - BCS Women Specialist Group
Jo is CEO and founder of Inclusioneering, and an inclusive innovation consultant. She holds several voluntary roles, including Trustee of BCS, co-chair of BCS Women, board member of the AI ethics charity ForHumanity, and advisory board member for TechUp Skills Bootcamp. Originally an engineer, developing enterprise software for sectors like power and aerospace, Jo transitioned to Business Psychology, earning an MSc with research focused on gender and racial diversity in technology. She leverages her deep understanding of engineering culture and her lived experience in the field to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Gillian Arnold
BCS Immediate Ex-President
Gillian has over 30 years of experience in the IT industry, including 22 years at IBM, where she led various technical, sales, and consultancy teams. In 2010, she founded Tectre, focusing on encouraging women into STEM and promoting inclusive company cultures. Tectre provides diversity, ED&I training, and consultancy, particularly in IT. Gillian also holds voluntary and NED roles, including immediate Past President of the British Computer Society and board member of CEPIS. She has received numerous accolades, including the 'Inspiration of the Year' award at the 2012 CISCO Everywoman in Technology Awards and led the BCSWomen group to a UN award for their work in women in tech.
Nadia Abouayoub
Strategist in Innovation for Financial Services
Committee Member - BCS AI Specialist Group
Nadia Abouayoub is a strategist and specialist in innovation for the financial sector with over 15 years of experience within fields such as Risk Management, Product Control and Technology in Trading Applications. She started her career at JP Morgan and has since held the role of Director of AI Mobilisation for BSI Regulatory Services. She is involved in various prestigious committees, such as the British Computer Society's AI Specialist Group Committee (S.G.A.I) and the IET's Expert Digital Panel. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). Nadia is passionate about AI education, organizing events like the International Machine Intelligence Competition and advising the Cambridge University Library's Strategic Advisory board. She has also lectured on Data Science at the University of London. She is the founder of AIFINAI, an educational platform which aims to transform the financial sector through AI and is currently writing her first book on the impact of AI.
Christine Ashton FBCS
Chief Information Officer - UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
Deputy Chair - BCS F-Tag Group
Christine Ashton is the Chief Information Officer at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). She has extensive experience in the tech and business sectors, having served as Non-Executive Director at Royal Bank of Scotland International since 2020 and held leadership roles at companies like SUSE, Cogventive, SAP, and Thomson Reuters. As a Fellow of BCS, she contributes to its mission to improve IT for society. Ashton has also held global roles at BP, BG Group, Transport for London, and others, and served on various advisory boards, including Pay.UK and the Home Office.
Steve Sands
Information Security Consultant and Data Protection Officer - Synetics Solutions
Chair - BCS Information Security Specialist Group
Steve Sands is a risk and compliance professional with expertise in information security, IT management, and data protection. Formerly the Chief Information Security Officer at Synectics Solutions Ltd., he now serves as an internal security consultant and Data Protection Officer. A Chartered IT Professional, Steve is a Fellow of BCS and a member of several security bodies, including MCIIS, ISSA, and ISACA. He has been Chair of the BCS Information Security Specialist Group since 2021 and is a qualified ISO27001 Lead Auditor. Steve also represents BCS on the BSI committee for developing information security, cybersecurity, and privacy standards.
