Previous Speakers
2025
Amy Golding
CEO • Steven Bartlett’s Private Office
Amy Golding, widely regarded as one of the UK’s most dynamic business leaders, made history as she reportedly became “the youngest female CEO of a $100 million turnover company”, when she took the helm at Opus Talent Solutions in 2017. Under her transformative leadership, the company soared to global prominence in technology and renewable energy recruitment, culminating in a high-value private equity sale in 2021. This milestone confirmed Amy’s exceptional talent for scaling and exiting market-leading businesses.
As CEO of Steven Bartlett’s Private Office, she is responsible for overseeing the investment strategy across the portfolio, leveraging her expertise in tech, talent, and investment to drive sustainable growth.
Amy is also on the Board of Flight Story, Bartlett’s media and investment company, where she acts as a link between Steven’s private office team and FlightStory leadership.
Christian Owens
Founder • Paddle
Christian Owens founded Paddle in 2012 when he was 18. He led Paddle as CEO for 11 years, scaling the business to 4,000 customers, completing a $200M acquisition of US-based ProfitWell, and a $1.4 billion valuation.
In addition to Paddle, Christian invests in 5-10 seed-stage startups per year. He's been named in the Forbes 30 Under 30, and is a Thiel Fellow. Since stepping down from Paddle in 2024, Christian has been working on a new company which is currently in stealth.
This session is in Partnership with Isio.
Steve Hewitt
CEO • Gymshark
Steve will be talking about the inside story of one of the UK’s most successful-ever start-ups: Gymshark. In nine years as its CEO and Executive Chairman, he oversaw sales growth from £5m to £500m. Powerful entrepreneurial thinking – and learnings – throughout.
Steve is the ex-EMEA Commercial Director of Reebok/Adidas; a Changemaker with BCH / Partner with St. Basils charity; and the Founder of Whanau – an advisory / investment organisation that supports the fast-growing SMEs.
He's also a (very) proud Geordie.
This session is in Partnership with AMBITIOUS.
Eleanor Thatcher
Fifth Generation Cider Maker • Thatchers Cider
Born and brought up at Myrtle Farm, where cider has been made since 1904, she has farming truly in her blood. Early memories of walking through the apple orchards with her grandfather are held very dear to her. Eleanor’s initiation into the cider making business started in 2018. Since then she has worked throughout the company, gaining valuable experience from the ground up and an in-depth knowledge of every part of the business.
Eleanor’s passion is protecting the environment and ensuring sustainability of the business for future generations, reducing Thatchers’ carbon footprint and protecting biodiversity.
James Courtney
Co-founder • LUX Rewards
Lux Rewards, a UK-based loyalty tech startup founded by University of Bath alumnus and current Executive MBA student James Courtney, has been acquired by global rewards giant Enigmatic Smile in an eight-figure deal. It’s a remarkable turnaround story—just a few years ago, the company was weeks away from shutting down. Now, it reaches over 105 million cardholders worldwide and is a leader in card-linked rewards
This story may be particularly relevant, as James’ journey from growing up in Bristol to becoming a leading entrepreneur is truly inspiring. After excelling academically, he went on to win the University of Bath Business Plan Competition twice and was also recognised by winning the EntreConf Award— for his entrepreneurial achievements. He now leads one of the UK’s fastest-growing loyalty tech startups.
Alex Lloyd
Partner • Burges Salmon
Alex is a partner in the firm’s Corporate and M&A team, working in all areas of corporate finance, and is also a member of the firm’s Technology sector group. Alex has a particular focus on technology sector M&A, venture capital and private equity and leads the firm’s Emerging Companies practice at the firm, supporting high-growth businesses and their investors.
Ali Rohafza
CEO • Altered Carbon
Altered Carbon is giving computers the ability to smell. By using a graphene chip that mimics a dog's nose, and machine learning to give the hardware intelligence to know what it's sensing, it turns current sensing complexities into simple actionable data. Ali is enthusiastic about the potential to advance the medical industry, save planet resources, improve global productivity, and increase safety. altered Carbon is currently raising investment.
Agatha Yerbury
Founder & CEO • revflo
Currently Founder & CEO of revflo, Agatha is a strategic commercial leader and qualified lawyer with deep experience from senior management roles in leading global organisations in media and gaming. With a strong track record in scaling businesses globally and broad experience across the creative industries, she has a passion for supporting creators.
Andy Salmon
Pro-Vice Chancellor External Affairs • Bath Spa University
Professor Andy Salmon, moved to Bath four years ago from Cambridge, currently focusing on regeneration, social cohesion, place making, and the development of human and social value through the ISTART and other projects. Roles include: pro vice chancellor External Bath Spa University, chair of corporation at Bath College, director of the London Film Academy, tutor for the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education.
Ben Masheder
Team Manager • Innovate UK Business Growth
Ben manages delivery of funding and finance support for Innovate UK Business Growth across the South West. Ben’s focus is on providing impactful tailored grant, debt and equity advice for innovative high growth businesses. In the last 12 months contributing to £225m in finance raised by local innovators.
Bob Mytton
Founder • Mytton Williams
Bob co-founded Mytton Williams, a strategic, creative studio, in 1996. Projects have encompassed all aspects of branding, working with global brands to ambitious SMEs. His work has been recognised in national and international design awards and publications. Client experience includes: Clarks, Millfield, National Trust, ReMind UK, Thermae Bath Spa and Waitrose.
He is an Associate Lecturer at Bath Spa University and co-founder of: West of England Design Forum; Werkhouse, an industry-led design education programme; and Bath Unlimited, an initiative to promote Bath businesses. He also wrote and designed a book and exhibition called ‘Made in Bath’, celebrating makers and craftsmanship, which led to the ‘Meet the Maker’ podcast.
Bruno Oliveira
Director of the MSc in Entrepreneurship • University of Bath
Bruno, a serial entrepreneur and Director of the MSc in Entrepreneurship at the University of Bath, researches how AI transforms venture creation, growth, and scaling. He empowers entrepreneurs and business professionals with actionable, tech-driven strategies, blending academic insight with cutting-edge AI tools for real-world business success.
Dan Fallon
Co-Founder • Floresco
Dan Fallon has founded & grown several businesses including SearchStar and ZapMap. He is a non-exec of several businesses and most recently co-founder of Floresco Media. His most significant exit was SearchStar which he founded in 2005 & sold in 2019 to Welocalize.
Evie Andrews
Community Manager • Square Works
Evie is the Community Manager of Square Works, the only flexible workspace with a private members' club in Bristol. From its founding in 2019, Square Works has rapidly expanded to occupy three Georgian townhouses, offering a multi-award-winning experience for members. Evie has led the space from strength to strength in a multi-faceted role, diversifying the events programme with bespoke women-focused events, overseeing a huge growth in sales, and cultivating a dynamic community where both companies and individuals thrive.
Furqan
CEO • Sora Aviation
Furqan is the CEO of Sora Aviation, a Bristol based startup developing a 30-seat electric aircraft. He holds a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, is a Fellow of the IMechE and served as the Technical Authority for electric aircraft at GKN where he led multiple electric, hybrid and hydrogen aircraft programmes.
This session is in Partnership with Harbourside Corporate Finance.
Gillian Ridley Whittle
Founder • Peachaus
Gillian Ridley Whittle is a visionary leader, creative force, and unapologetic changemaker in the world of fashion and wellness. After decades at the top of the corporate retail game, with leadership roles at Marks & Spencer, Topshop, Debenhams, Target & Myer Australia, she made the bold move to start again, founding Peachaus, a purpose-led underwear and lifestyle brand grounded in ethics, confidence & community.
Gillian leads with heart and fierce conviction. She believes fashion should feel good, on the body, the planet, and the soul. Her work is deeply rooted in empathy, and her initiatives (like bra fitting and wellness experiences) reflect her desire to bring comfort, confidence, and care to everyone she reaches.
Known for her creative intuition, disruptive thinking, and tenacity, Gillian is reimagining what modern retail can be, an experience that’s educational, agile, inclusive, and grounded in real human connection.
She’s not just building a brand, she’s building a movement.
Giovanna Laudisio
CEO and Co-Founder • Naturbeads
Giovanna Laudisio is the CEO and co-founder of Naturbeads, a UK startup pioneering biodegradable cellulose microspheres to replace microplastics ingredients. She holds a PhD in Materials Engineering and an MBA and has over 25 years in R&D and technology commercialization. Giovanna is passionate about sustainability, innovation and clean technologies.
Jethro Binns
Founder & Co-CEO • LevelTech
Jethro Binns is a former professional squash player and co-founder of LevelTech, SquashSkills, and BadmintonSkills. He drives innovation through performance data, player ratings, and digital coaching tools, with a focus on long-term impact and global growth across racket sports.
Kyle Poyer
CEO & Co-Founder • Integrevise
Kyle Poyer is CEO & Co-Founder of Integrevise, an AI-powered platform helping universities verify what students truly understand. Based in Newport, he’s building tools that lower barriers to fair, scalable assessment — aiming to protect academic integrity, support genuine learning and prepare students for an AI-driven world.
LaToyah McAllister-Jones
Executive Director • Social Entrepreneur
LaToyah McAllister-Jones is a social entrepreneur with over 20 years’ experience in social impact. She supports purpose-led organisations through strategy, coaching, and change management, helping them strengthen communities and improve outcomes. Her work spans frontline delivery to strategic leadership, fostering inclusive, culturally rich environments across Bristol and beyond.
Lauren Couch
Corporate Finance Director • GS Verde Corporate Finance
Lauren Couch, Corporate Finance Director at GS Verde Group, has 24 years in finance, including banking, private equity and venture debt. She is also NED of BBRC and Trustee of Quartet Community Foundation.
Madelaine Thomas
Founder • Image Angel
Madelaine Thomas is the founder of Image Angel, a company dedicated to combating non-consensual intimate image (NCII) abuse online. In response to the prevalence of such abuses, Image Angel developed invisible watermarking technology that embeds unique, unremovable fingerprints into images. This innovation allows platforms to trace unauthorised sharing back to the perpetrator, enhancing user safety and platform accountability. This survivor-led deterrent has been recommended as best practice by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Matt Chandler
Partner • Albert Goodman
Matt is a Partner based in Taunton, specialising in aspects of corporate finance such as company sales, valuations, and financial due diligence as well as the audit of corporate entities.
Matt joined the firm after finishing university, initially training within the corporate services team, and becoming the lead manager for many of the firm’s medium and large groups, developing extensive audit, accountancy, and business advisory skills.
Pursuing his interest in helping business owners achieve their exit goals Matt joined our corporate finance team and is now one of our corporate finance specialists.
Matt is able to draw upon his commercial and technical knowledge gained from each of these specialisms to ensure clients achieve the best outcome.
Matt is also part of Taunton Round Table, which raises money for local charities. In his spare time, he is a keen hockey player, and undertakes the occasional long distance endurance event. He also spends plenty of time catering to his reactive dog’s rather specific behavioural needs.
Olly Cox
Senior Investment Manager • Foresight Group
Olly Cox is Senior Investment Manager as part of Foresight’s new South West team, with 6 years’ experience investing in SMEs. Originally across the UK, and now with a South West focus. Sector agnostic, with a passion for growth investing and working alongside ambitious management teams.
Paul Kelly
Founder • PANDEK Group
From documentary photographer to academic and now entrepreneur, Paul Kelly is the founder of PANDEK Group. He supports organisations to optimise team time through facilitation, training, and coaching. His work centres on co-designing purposeful spaces where people feel valued, heard, and supported to move forward with clarity and a shared vision.
Rosie Bennett
Innovation Lead • University of Bristol’s portfolio of incubators, innovation hubs
Rosie’s current role is to support founding teams as Innovation Lead across the University of Bristol’s portfolio of incubators, innovation hubs
and networks including SETsquared Bristol. She is also an AI/Data consultant with new materials innovation company, Kelpi, and a NED for pioneering medtech, EarSwitch Technologies. Previously, she was Chief Operation Officer at Mystic AI – a Y Combinator alumni company that was an early player in the Machine Learning inference (Generative AI) infrastructure space. She has a professional foundation in media and technology having held senior positions at Liberty Global (UPC) and the BBC.
Simon Jackson
Founder • Molendotech
Professor Simon Jackson is CSO and founder of Molendotech. He developed the technology on which the rapid assessment of microbial water quality is based. The company has a dedicated focus on developing breakthrough technologies that offer soluEons for securing a sustainable environment and preserving human health. Our core commitment is to safeguard both the environment and human health by pioneering the development of userfriendly, portable, rapid assays for pathogen detecEon, suitable for use by non-specialists.
Tim Edwards
CEO & Co-Founder • Network N
Tim is the CEO and co-Founder of Network N - the world's largest independent games media business.
He started his career in 2002 as a journalist reviewing and writing about videogames on PC Gamer magazine for Future Publishing, eventually rising to Global Editor in Chief of PC Gamer, on the way launching PCGamer.com, the world's largest PC gaming website.
In 2012 he left Future Publishing to co-found Network N with his friend and former boss, James Binns. Network N is a global games media business, that creates and runs its own portfolio of sites, monetises independent games media properties, and creates brand content for some of the world's largest and well known games publishers. Network N employs 140 people worldwide.
He still thinks PC games are the best thing on the planet.
Ursula Morgan
Co-Founder and CEO • SewShare
Ursula is a seasoned C-suite executive and one of the elite 2% of women leaders to have secured VC investment. With over 25 years of experience in tech, media, and e-commerce across the US and UK, she excels at building scalable, revenue-generating businesses. She has brokered multimillion-dollar deals and led digital transformation on both sides of the Atlantic. As both a current and former CEO and Non-Executive Director, she’s known for deploying technology to unlock growth.
Zara Nanu
Founder • WorkVue & Gapsquare
Zara Nanu, MBE is an award-winning entrepreneur reimagining the future of work through innovation and inclusion. As founder of Gapsquare, she built pioneering tech that’s helped global companies close pay gaps and design fairer workplaces. Zara now leads WorkVue, shaping future-of-work strategies with a bold, data-driven lens. A member of the Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Leadership Board and advisor to CEOs, she’s a sought-after voice on equity, AI, and value in a changing world.
2024
Charlie Bigham
Founder • Charlie Bigham's
An English Literature degree; a stint as a management consultant; a passion for cooking – all stirred up with travel in over 40 countries has proved to be a great recipe for starting a food business. Charlie Bigham’s, founded in 1996, operates out of two large kitchens (in London & Somerset) making a range of delicious oven ready food sold in Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Ocado and Booths.
The company has a team of 700 and annual sales of over £120m and is on a mission to demonstrate that delicious food can be made in a way that puts people and sustainability at the heart of everything.
Evelyn Welch
Vice-Chancellor and President • University of Bristol
Evelyn Welch graduated from Harvard University, receiving her PhD from the Warburg Institute, University of London. She was previously Senior Vice-President for Service, People & Planning at King’s College London, and had been Vice-President (Arts and Sciences) and Provost (Arts and Sciences). She has taught at University of Essex, the Warburg Institute, and held leadership roles at University of Sussex (PVC Teaching and Learning) and Queen Mary, University of London (Dean, Arts and PVC Research and International). As Professor of Renaissance Studies, she has led major research programmes including ‘The Material Renaissance,’ and ‘Beyond Text: Performances, Sounds, Images’. She recently completed a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Award for a project on ‘Renaissance Skin’ and has authored numerous books, including Fashioning the Early Modern: Creativity and Innovation in Europe, 1500-1800 (OUP 2017), and Shopping in the Renaissance (Yale 2005), winning the Wolfson Prize for History.
Margaret Heffernan
•
Professor in Practice Margaret Heffernan was a BBC produced programme producer for 13 years. She then moved to the US becoming a tech/media chief executive, and was named one of the Top 100 Media Executives by The Hollywood Reporter.
The author of six books, Margaret’s Wilful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at our Peril was named one of the decade’s most important business books by the Financial Times. A Bigger Prize: Why Competition isn’t Everything and How We Do Better was itself prize-winning.
Uncharted: How to map the future was published in 2020, and quickly became a bestseller. Her TED Talks have been seen by over 12 million people.
She is a Professor of Practice at the University of Bath, Lead Faculty for the Forward Institute’s Responsible Leadership Programme and, through Merryck & Co., mentors CEOs and senior executives of major global organisations. She holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Bath and continues to write for the FT and the Huffington Post.
Phill Harrison
Vice President and GM • Google
Phil Harrison has been at the forefront of the games industry as a creator, developer, investor and executive for more than 35 years. From the 8-bit home computer revolution in the 1980’s, launching PlayStation in the 1990’s and as President of Worldwide Studios at Sony, investing in leading mobile games company Supercell in the 2010’s, as an executive at Microsoft and – since 2018 – at Google, Phil has enjoyed a unique perspective on the explosive growth of the global games industry and the pivotal role that entrepreneurs and risk-takers play in building the future.
Andy Salmon
Pro-Vice Chancellor External Affairs • Bath Spa University
Professor Andy Salmon, moved to Bath four years ago from Cambridge, currently focusing on regeneration, social cohesion, place making, and the development of human and social value through the ISTART and other projects. Roles include: pro vice chancellor External Bath Spa University, chair of corporation at Bath College, director of the London Film Academy, tutor for the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education.
Yasin Rofcanin
Director • University of Bath School of Management
Professor Yasin Rofcanin is currently director of the Future of Work (FoW) Research Centre at the University of Bath School of Management. Its strategic goal is University to encourage the development of internationally-leading research with global impact and to develop postgraduate research students and early career researchers.
His long standing research focus sits on the intersection of organisational behaviour, human resource management and organisational psychology. Current and recent publications focus on the themes around flexible work practices, employee proactive work behaviours and well-being at work. His research appears in leading international journals.
