Sheridan, 2022 Forward Ladies Business Woman Of The Year, is a leader in Technology Innovation at PwC, and Founder and Co-CEO of charity Tech She Can. Sheridan set up the charity to improve career opportunities in technology for children and women. She’s a thought-leader on technological innovation and its contribution to productivity in the UKO.

Professor Nigel Lockett is a senior academic, experienced mentor, serial entrepreneur and community leader. Currently an Emeritus Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Strathclyde, mentor to founders of innovative startups in the TwinklHive business accelerator and contributor to the Qualitas GP Pathway to Partnership programme. Nigel is also a Fellow and past President of the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship and to raise awareness he blogs as The Dyslexic Professor. He also has more than 30 years’ experience as a company director, with a track record in managing start-up, joint venture and social enterprises.

Recently retired Customer Experience Director, Small Business Banking, HSBC UK Debra White has been a Retail and Commercial Banker with HSBC Group for the last 40 years and in September 2016 took on the national role of Customer Experience Director for Business Banking Small Business. Previously Debra was the Regional Director for Small Business in the North region.

Debra spent three years as a Retail Area Manager developing a team of twenty Branch Managers in West Yorkshire and leading the Premier and Wealth proposition. Following this Debra was a Retail Branch Manager at key flagship branches in Huddersfield, York and then became a Branch Director in Leeds City delivering strategy and leading a customer service ethos. In her retirement Debra is now the secretary and volunteer at a local foodbank and NHS Responder.

Group General Counsel, Company Secretary, and C-Suite Executive at WorldRemit, a digital payments service that provides international money transfer and remittance services in more than 130 countries and over 70 currencies.

An experienced solicitor with a demonstrated history of working in Fintech, the financial services sector that is skilled in regulatory, payments, enterprise risk management, consumer protection, small medium enterprise, offshore, and commercial banking. Co-opted Member, Committee on Benefactions External and Legal Affairs (CBELA), University of Cambridge. A Non-Executive Director, Plan International UK, Shaw Trust, and PensionBee Group plc. A Contributing Editor, LexisNexis Encyclopaedia of Banking Law and a Member of the Consulting Editorial Board, LexisPSL©.

A Fellow of The RSA and ‘Business Woman of the Year’ & ‘Corporate Leader’, 2018 FL National Awards. Ranked in The Lawyer Hot 100 2021. 2022 ‘Woman in Legal’ winner of the Women4Africa Award. Formerly, General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer, Contis, legal director at Klarna, senior legal counsel at Barclays and BAE Systems, a divisional counsel at RAC, a legal director at HBOS (Lloyds Banking Group), and Group Head of Legal at Lex (Lex Autolease).

Also a barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and a law graduate (LL.B Hons)  of the University of Lagos with an LL.M in Comparative Company Law.

Lisa assumed the role of Head of BTC UK & Ireland in January 2016. She is also a member of the BASF Plc Leadership team. Having a strong passion for diversity & inclusion, Lisa represents BASF with WISE (Women in Science and Engineering). She also currently Chairs the Executive Committee for BACS (British Association for Chemical Specialities)

Her working career started as a Laboratory Technician at Magnesium Elektron (part of British Alcan) and then as a Sales Correspondent at Degussa Ltd.

Having joined the Fine Chemical Sales business at BASF plc in 1989, Lisa was delegated to Switzerland between 2001-2004 where she was North Europe Aroma Chemicals Manager. On her return to the UK she became Head of Sales Detergents & Formulators for BTC UK, BASF’s in-house chemical distribution company.

Professor George Lodorfos is Dean of Leeds Business School at Leeds Beckett University.
He is an electrical and electronic engineer by first degree, he holds Masters degrees in Automation and Control as well as in Innovation and Technology Management, and a PhD in Strategic Management of Research and Development. In addition, he has supervised to completion and he has examined many PhDs both in the UK and Europe and is an external examiner for two UK universities.

He has extensive practical and academic experience in the field of Strategic Management, R&D and Adoption of New Technologies and Innovation. In addition, he has done extensive research and enterprise work in the areas of buyer behaviour with particular interest in online purchasing and the use of technology to enable the sustainable growth of businesses.

Ajaz Ahmed is best known for being the founder of Freeserve, which was once the UK’s largest ISP and is now known as Orange broadband. He came up with the idea when he bought a computer and nobody in the store could tell him how to get into the internet, the rest, as they say, is history. He persuaded Dixons to launch Freeserve and it was eventually sold by Dixons to France Telecom for ￡1.6bn.

Gillian is Head of Philanthropy for The Open University and brings over 11 years’ experience in fundraising for the higher education sector, working with a diverse range of trusts and foundations, corporate organisations and private indivdiuals. Gillian grew up near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire and is passionate about supporting the local area, having served as trustee to a local youth mental health charity, as a school governor and editor of her villages parish magazine. She lives in a small village near the city, with her partner and Kira the dog.

Erica is a fellow of the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) with over twenty years’ professional services experience, working with Accenture, PricewaterhouseCoopers, RSM and now Grant Thornton. Erica is the Director of the Business Process Solutions practice and has significant expertise in business process improvement and change management. She has led several outsourcing implementation projects for mid-sized businesses and specialises in advising clients with implementing digitally enabled onshore and offshore outsourcing solutions that help them to optimise operations and manage cost and risk mitigation.

She is also a busy mum of 2 boys and is passionate about supporting women to excel in the workplace.

As Chief of Staff, Jhumar is aide, adviser and problem-solver to the Vice-Chancellor, focussed on communications, external relationships, and special projects, assisting with achieving his objectives and responsibilities towards the success of the University. She is also Director of Development ensuring alumni, donors and partners are at the heart of the OU family along with our staff and students.

Jhumar was responsible for delivering the University’s first fundraising campaign, surpassing the target, raising £60m, and running a year-long integrated campaign to celebrate The Open University’s 50th anniversary across the four UK nations and internationally. She has a background in major gifts consulting and practice in the not-for-profit sector and advising individuals and families on shaping their philanthropy.  She is an Executive coach, public speaker, mentor and trainer. She sits on the Board of the GSR Foundation and on John Lewis Partnership’s Happier Futures Strategic Advisory Board.

She is an alumna of the University of Oxford – Said Business School, the University of Westminster, The Open University and the University of Mumbai, and a member of the Chief of Staff Association, Chief, CASE and Chartered Institute of Fundraising. She is passionate about equity and inclusion, developing talent and education.  She is mum to 11-year-old Ryder.

Emma Wright leads the Technology, Data, and Digital team at Harbottle and Lewis. She excels in bridging law and business, specializing in AI, cyber, digital infrastructure, and Ofcom regulation. Her expertise extends to advising on emerging tech, online safety, cyber security, and legal tech, with notable speaking engagements and advisory roles, including with UNESCO. She is also a co-founder of the Inter-parliamentary Forum on Emerging Technology and has received numerous awards for her contributions to the tech industry, including Transformational Leader Of The Year and Business Woman Of The Year for the Novi Awards 2023 and recognition in Computer Weekly’s Most Influential Women in Tech list.

Naomi Begum-Inglis is the Global Sales Lead for the Accenture Microsoft Business Group and the Global Sovereign Lead. With a strong background in software engineering and technology, Naomi has excelled in delivering innovative solutions to clients. Her expertise lies in leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing to drive digital transformation and enhance business outcomes. 

Naomi is celebrated for her ability to move at a rapid pace, earning trust and respect as she leads the charge in a multi-billion dollar business, where her exceptional skills facilitate seamless client transformations to the cloud, offering valuable expertise and guidance that empowers clients to make impactful and informed business decisions. 

Naomi’s dedication and commitment to her work have earned her recognition as a reliable and results-oriented leader. She is known for her ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams, enabling successful implementation of complex projects. Her exceptional problem-solving skills and strategic thinking have contributed to the success of numerous high-profile initiatives. 

Beyond her technical prowess, Naomi is also passionate about diversity and inclusion, actively promoting an inclusive work environment where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive.  Naomi is also a guest lecturer at Oxford University on technology topics. 

Her strong interpersonal skills and empathetic approach make her a valued mentor and team player. Naomi is an exemplary global leader who possesses a profound understanding of various cultures, local nuances, and is exceptionally adept at ensuring her strategies incorporate a local approach while maintaining a global essence. 

Scarlett Allen-Horton is a highly accomplished recruitment leader, BBC Apprentice Finalist, innovative entrepreneur and founder of the multi-award winning Harper Fox Partners. Scarlett is also a keynote speaker, business mentor, business partner to Lord Sugar, RFC board advisor and voluntary ambassador for numerous charitable and purpose driven organisations.