Andrea has a career spanning 25 years in further education and local government, focusing on inclusive growth, employment, and skills. A qualified teacher and assessor in further education, Andrea has direct frontline experience teaching 14-16, 16-18, and adult learners. Andrea has held various leadership positions, including Head of Apprenticeships, Employment and Skills, and Alternative KS4 provision, and has led a college as Deputy Principal and Principal for an Adult and Community Learning College in Berkshire.

Andrea has directed local skills and employment policy across the work and health agenda and has extensive experience in tackling NEET. Andrea served as Head of Skills for Suffolk County, where she was responsible for leading the County’s NEET Strategy, developing youth employment hubs, and designing and delivering the Work Well Suffolk program. Currently, Andrea leads the Skills and Employment Team at Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority. Andrea specialises in policy and provision for the unemployed, those with SEND, and young people NEET, as well as sector skills development linked to local and regional economic growth.

Steven Lynch MBE is a seasoned strategic leader with over a decade of frontline experience in international trade, public policy, and government affairs. He served as Managing Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in China, where he spent 12 years in Beijing leading UK–China business engagement and strengthening bilateral commercial ties.

Recognised for his outstanding contribution to British business overseas, Steven was awarded an MBE in His Majesty the King’s 2024 New Year Honours List. Upon returning to the UK, he has held a series of influential leadership roles, including Director of the Eastern Powerhouse, Director of Beijing to Britain, and Chairman of the Institute of Directors (IoD) China Group.

Steven holds an MSc in Business Strategy from Warwick Business School and continues to advise across sectors on global market strategy, stakeholder engagement, and international expansion.

Head of Economic Growth and Development at Peterborough City Council and Chief Executive of Opportunity Peterborough, the city’s economic development company

Tom has been working as part of the team driving forward economic growth, investment, and job creation in Peterborough since 2014. Tom joined Opportunity Peterborough from Cambridgeshire County Council’s Economic Development Unit, and prior to that had a diverse career within the private sector covering logistics, IT, construction, and recruitment, providing him with invaluable insights into business challenges.

Al Kingsley MBE has over 30 years’ experience in the technology sector, predominantly with his work on IT Asset Management, educational and instructional technology and digital safeguarding.

For the last 25 years, Al has been the Group CEO of NetSupport, an international software company developing market-leading software solutions with over 22 million users, designed to support the effective use of instructional technology in classrooms, alongside eSafety technologies to safeguard students online.

He was awarded the honour of “Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)” by His Majesty the King in his 2025 New Year’s Honour’s list for services to education.

Kim is the Flight Chief of the Policy, Plans and Programs Flight, 48th Contracting Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath. Ms Baker began her career in procurement as a Contract Specialist with the 48th Contracting Squadron, Royal Air Force Base, Lakenheath, in 2014. She leads a team of contracting professionals responsible for establishing policies and procedures for efficiency and compliance of federal and local policy and regulations. She provides policy guidance on all acquisitions stages to include planning, solicitation, negotiation, source selection, award, administration, and termination of contracts. Additionally, she provides management oversight to key programs within the squadron, including the Quality Assurance Program, Government Purchase Card Program, and Services Management. She has filled various roles and positions within the contracting career field such as Contract Specialist and Acting Flight Chief. She has been recognized multiple times for her outstanding work performance, including being named 48th Contracting Squadron Civilian of the Year, Mission Support Group Civilian of the Year, and 48th Fighter Wing Civilian of the Year in 2015.

Robert is the Director of Business Operations (DBO), 48th Contracting Squadron, Lakenheath Royal Airforce Base (RAFB). He started his Air Force (AF) civil service in April 2001. He began his career as an aircraft electrical equipment repairer, overhauling, repairing, and reverse engineering aircraft generators. He began his career in procurement as a Contract Specialist in November 2008. Mr. Maughan was appointed as a Contracting Officer, Unlimited as to dollar in June 2012. He completed Air Command and Staff College (ASCS) in December 2014. He served as the Technical Services Section Chief in May 2015, the Joint Technical Services Branch Chief in April 2018, and the Enterprise Contracting Branch in February 2019. During this time, he managed two multi-billion-dollar SCAT-I Source Selections and a multi-billion-dollar contract portfolio. In May 2022, Mr Maughan began teaching as an adjunct professor at Weber State University (WSU) in Ogden, Utah. He taught the Principles of Contract Management course within the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program for two semesters before moving to the UK. During the summer of 2022, Mr Maughan published his first graduate level university curriculum. Prior to his current position, Mr Maughan served as the Specialized Contracts Division Chief, AFTC/PZS, Hill AFB.

Co-Founder of Citizen Hub, Managing Director of Cap Air Systems Limited (an SME manufacturer), and Non-Executive Director at Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, Katy is a passionate advocate of manufacturing with a passion for inclusive economic growth, community-led innovation and transforming how we connect people with opportunity. Katy is also a Business Board member of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, also sitting on the Employment and Skills Board, and is a founding Board member of the Women in Manufacturing UK Advisory Board. Self-described skills-hobbyist!

Co-Founder of the Citizen Hub and long-time champion of social equity through enterprise, Alex brings his background in business and civic leadership to build new models that connect community, business and citizens at a town-by-town level. Alex is also the Chair and founder of Inspire 2 Ignite CIC, Chair of the Green Jobs Foundation and is a 36-year-old grandfather (go figure!)

Compering the day’s programme, Ingrid is the Founder of Midlife360 CIC — a social enterprise that supports people in transition, with a focus on career reinvention, confidence and purpose later in life. Ingrid has many years’ experience in recruitment and helping people find the perfect opportunity for them – what better expertise to bring the afternoon together on the subject of talent!

Also compering the afternoon, Eva is a leading voice on community, working across various community and youth organisations in Peterborough and Leicester. Eva is also a part of the skills team at the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and is the driving force behind the region’s Youth Guarantee — ensuring all young people have a pathway to meaningful employment. Eva’s expertise gives her the perfect set of skills to weave us all through the tricky web of talent and skills!

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 – 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝘂𝗯

The Talent Takeover is a bold, interactive feature of this year’s B2B North — spotlighting fresh, community-powered approaches to recruitment, skills and the future of work.

Led by the Citizen Hub team and hosted in partnership with Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, this high-energy area blends live panels, immersive workshops and thought-provoking activities within a creative atmosphere – all curated to challenge old assumptions and open up new pathways into quality local work.

The Citizen Hub is a growing national movement with a simple but powerful mission: to connect community, business and citizens in every town across the UK, starting with Cambridgeshire’s largest town: St Neots. The Hub is built on four core pillars; Community, Skills, Employment and Enterprise. It acts as a locally-owned catalyst for belonging, growth and opportunity. This talent takeover is curated through that same lens: inclusive, energising, and rooted in real, local potential.

We’re proud to be supported by Inspire Education Group (IEG), the event’s Silver Sponsor, who will be leading interactive sessions throughout the day focused on youth employment, green skills, and tech hacks for business. Their presence brings a vital spotlight to the role of further education in preparing the region’s future workforce.

Across the afternoon, you’ll hear from business leaders, community changemakers and people with lived experience who will help you explore themes like untapped talent, alternative pipelines, green and digital skills, and discover ways to recruit differently in a changing world to access skills/traits you didn’t necessarily expect.

What to expect:
• A panel discussion on the potential in the prison - spotlighting the exceptional work taking place inside HMP Peterborough, the UK’s only dual purpose-built prison housing both males and females, presenting a golden opportunity for accessing talent. The panel features key employers, innovative skills providers and the HMP ecosystem who will help you unpack how to access this resilient, hard-working and often-overlooked talent pool right on our doorstep.
• Keynotes on the power of community in skills - exploring how belonging, place-based partnerships and purpose-driven business are reshaping how we attract and retain talent.
• Panels on hidden and unexpected talent - from care leavers and veterans to neurodivergent professionals and grassroots changemakers. Ready to have your mind blown?
• Interactive drop-in sessions led by Inspire Education Group (IEG) - focusing on youth employment, green skills and tech for business.
• The Citizen Hub on Tour, including our famous giant Snakes & Ladders - a playful, eye-opening experience that helps you unpack the journey of taking action in your community to solve challenges and create your own Hub.
• Live employer challenges, micro-workshops and meet the expert sessions, all designed to help you meet new people, hear new ideas, and take away practical tools.
• Youth Trailblazers – Peterborough is the focus of a government Youth Guarantee Trailblazer. We will have the pleasure of hosting an amazing selection of young local talent who will guide you through working with the next generation.