Gareth John is a dynamic host and experienced business professional with a talent for bringing people together and keeping conversations engaging.

Gareth is Policy Director with national training provider First Intuition, who specialise in delivering professional education programmes, including apprenticeships, in accountancy, digital & data and leadership & management.

Gareth also chairs the Skills Working group of Cambridge Ahead and the Financial, Accountancy and Legal sector forum of the AELP, sits on the Education & Training Board of the ICAEW and the East of England regional council of the CBI. He is also co-chair of the IoD’s Education and Skills Special Interest Group.

Olivia has been Head of Corporate Affairs for British Sugar since May 2022 where she is responsible for British Sugar’s wider Corporate Affairs strategy, including external affairs, advocacy and media relations, as well as internal communications and communications with sugar beet growers.. Before that, she worked for the National Farmers’ Union where she spent five years as Head of External Affairs.

Having started her career as a Political Researcher in the Westminster office of The Rt Hon Theresa May MP, she has worked in multiple communications roles in the agriculture sector, including at Dairy Crest Group and the Countryside Alliance.

Outside of work, Olivia has been a trustee for a number of charities, including the Farming Community Network since 2017.

Jason Mashinchi is the founder of Cambridge Kinetics, the firm behind Kinabase – a software platform streamlining modern business operations. He holds a first-class degree in Computer Science and a distinction in Industrial Systems, Manufacturing, and Management from the University of Cambridge, and sits on the Board of the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce.

Jason established the company at just 24, with a mission to empower organisations to achieve more through user-centric software.

In 2024, he was named Young Business Person of the Year at the SME National Business Awards.

Tim is the inaugural Dr John C Taylor Professor of Innovation at the University of Cambridge, Head of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), Head of the IfM’s Centre for Technology Management (CTM), and a Fellow of Churchill College.

His research, teaching, and industry and policy engagement activities are focused on the links between manufacturing, innovation, and skills.

Tim is a member of the board of directors for IfM Engage Ltd and the Møller Institute Ltd, and Chair of Trustees of the Foundation for Young People’s Mental Health (YPMH).
YPMH is a mental health charity dedicated to improving the lives of young people through innovative solutions.

He is a recipient of a University of Cambridge Pilkington Prize for Teaching Excellence and a Royal Academy of Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award.

In 2025, his first ‘popular science’ book entitled Your Life is Manufactured: How we make things, why it matters, and how we can do it better was published by Faber&Faber. This book was shortlisted for the 2025 Royal Society/Trivedi Science Book Award.

A molecular bioscientist, Kathryn has had a distinguished career in diverse leadership and strategic roles across the public and private sectors.

Kathryn has played a pivotal role in shaping inclusive innovation landscapes, building cross-disciplinary virtual and physical communities and creating novel models to remove barriers to success.

This includes a decade building and leading the innovation strategy for NC3Rs, a UKRI Research Council where Kathryn founded and directed a new challenge-led open innovation platform, CRACK IT which increases cross-discipline and cross-sector industry/academic partnerships in applied research.

Kathryn also co-established the Milner Therapeutics Institute at the University of Cambridge, providing a physical hub for translational science and collaboration between industry and academia.

Most recently, prior to joining Innovate Cambridge, Kathryn directed the innovation strategy at the Babraham Research Campus, launching LiveLabs incubator space and leading the Campus accelerator, entrepreneurship and innovation activities.

From humble beginnings as a paperboy on a Peterborough council estate, Mike Greene went on to become a self-made millionaire, building businesses from startups to global enterprises. Many will recognise him from Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire, where his return to his childhood community inspired a new mission: to combine entrepreneurial success with meaningful impact.

Today, Mike is an investor, property developer, and board member for more than 40 companies, while also dedicating his time to mentoring thousands of business owners. In his keynote, he shares candid lessons from a lifetime in business - from scaling companies and navigating challenges, to giving back and finding purpose beyond profit.

Mike’s story is one of resilience, ambition, and generosity - and his insights will inspire entrepreneurs and leaders to achieve growth while making a lasting difference.

Louise is a Sony Award winning journalist, TV & radio presenter, documentary maker and author. She is the Regional Afternoon presenter on BBC Local Radio across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, after presenting Friday and Sunday breakfast during the pandemic.

Louise published her first book, Stolen Lives, on human trafficking in the UK (Sandstone Press).

Louise will be interviewing Barry Tong, our next guest speaker.

Barry Tong is the founder and CEO of Sol Retail Ltd, a prominent UK-based e-commerce company that has evolved into one of Amazon's largest beauty businesses globally.

Starting with a £10 investment in 2010, Tong transformed a small-scale online venture into a £15 million-a-year enterprise without relying on loans or external investments.

His journey has been recognised with accolades such as the Great British Entrepreneur Award and recognition as a Department for International Trade Export Champion, where he mentors other businesses on global expansion.

Recruiting the right people, building inclusive workplaces, and nurturing strong cultures are the foundations of sustainable business success. This panel brings together leaders from award-winning organisations, talent and recruitment specialists, and experts in workplace culture and inclusion.

Together, they’ll share practical strategies and real-world insights on attracting, retaining, and empowering talent - and why putting people first is the ultimate driver of growth. Attendees will leave with fresh ideas and actionable takeaways to strengthen their own teams and workplace culture.

An accomplished and inspirational senior leader, Andrea is the Assistant Director for Skills and Employment, bringing over twenty years of experience across further education and local government. Her career has been dedicated to driving inclusive growth, improving employment opportunities, and shaping skills systems that empower people and communities to thrive.

Recognised as an outstanding collaborator and influencer, she is known for her ability to bring people together, building strong, purposeful partnerships across sectors to deliver real and lasting impact. With deep expertise in skills and employment policy, adult education, and inclusive economic development, she has successfully led cross-functional teams and translated ambitious strategies into action that changes lives.

Throughout her career, she has worked across business and employment regulation, post-16 education, apprenticeships, higher education, and work and health integration. Her strong political awareness and extensive local government experience enable her to navigate complexity and deliver meaningful outcomes for diverse communities.

A qualified teacher, executive leader, mentor, and coach, she is passionate about developing others and fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration. Known for her energy, authenticity, and commitment to going above and beyond, she continues to champion sustainability and inclusive growth in all that she does.

Sarah Stones is a Motivation Specialist, coach, and founder of Plain Sailing Motivation. With over 20 years’ experience in HR and recruitment, she helps organisations attract, retain, and engage diverse talent by focusing on what truly drives people.

Living with cerebral palsy, Sarah brings both professional expertise and lived experience of disability to her work—highlighting why inclusion must sit at the heart of recruitment and retention. She shows businesses how to build environments where people feel valued, motivated, and able to contribute at their best.

Her approach is practical, people-focused, and rooted in motivation psychology. Whether supporting leaders, teams, or individuals, Sarah leaves her audiences with clarity, confidence, and actionable strategies to create workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Transforming confused and cautious managers into confident and capable leaders.

You’re a forward thinking leader wanting to speak confidently about today’s culturally sensitive topics...
Katie is an industry leading inclusion coach who specialises in creating safe and confidential spaces for you learn what you need to do exactly that.

Kevin Doherty founded CODEM Composites in 2009, growing it into one of the UK’s leading specialists in advanced composite manufacturing. With experience across defence, aerospace, and motorsport, he has overseen the company’s move to a purpose-built 30,000 sq ft facility equipped with the latest technologies. Kevin is passionate about teamwork, apprenticeships, and supporting the industry’s journey to Net Zero through sustainable solutions. He also spent three years on the board of Nottingham Technology Ventures, helping launch spinout companies from university research. Outside work, Kevin is training for his Light Aircraft Pilot Licence and enjoys time with his dogs, Ralph and Archie.

Sandra Wiggins is Co-Founder and CEO of Women On Boards CIC®, serving as Secretariat to the APPG on Equitable Governance.

With over 40 years’ experience across engineering, logistics, SME manufacturing and hospitality, she understands how equitable leadership and organisational culture drive performance and opportunity.

Her work focuses on embedding equity into governance, leadership and culture, aligning beliefs, accountability and action.

In partnership with the London School of Economics, Women on Boards CIC® has launched a national report on gender equality for Women Entrepreneurs in leadership and board positions across UK SME sectors, providing the evidence base that underpins the work of the APPG on Equitable Governance.

Sandra advocates that when equity sits at the core of leadership, cultures thrive, people stay, innovation grows, and organisations deliver stronger, more sustainable results.

Emma is the Low Carbon Housing Director at Octopus Energy. Her career has centered on leading high impact, high innovation projects in real estate, with a particular focus on housing, energy performance and green energy production. Her practical experience includes starting her career in rural surveying and estate management moving into award-winning housing and regeneration developments.

Emma is a passionate advocate for change, community resilience and sustainability solutions for all. She established and led the UK’s first fossil fuel-free district heating scheme in her village, Swaffham Prior. Her work regularly features in trade, national and international press & media.

Claire Williams is widely recognised as one of the most influential women in motorsport. As Deputy Team Principal of the Williams Formula 1 team, she led one of the sport’s most iconic brands through a decade of change, driving innovation, resilience, and results in one of the world’s most competitive environments.

In her keynote, Claire shares powerful lessons on leadership, building and sustaining high-performance teams, and fostering diversity and inclusion within organisations. Drawing on her unique experience at the highest level of global sport, she provides invaluable insights into leading under pressure, managing change, and unlocking team potential.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business leader, or aspiring manager, Claire’s session will inspire you to rethink what it takes to create winning teams and inclusive cultures that thrive in challenging times.