Leadership Speakers

Rt Hon Lord (Andrew) Adonis

As Transport Secretary, Schools Minister and Head of the No.10 Policy Unit, Andrew has been an architect of public service reforms from academies to policing. He also prepared the plan for HS2, before leading a review of regional growth strategies. As Chair of the new commission, he is now assessing the UK’s future infrastructure needs. In presentations Andrew looks at change management and policy implementation in complex organisations – and difficult conditions.

Eniola Aluko

The former Juventus, England and Chelsea striker was a natural goalscorer and a leading talent in the women’s game. She won Super League and Serie A titles as well as FA Cups, and played over 100 internationals. She served as Aston Villa Women's sporting director. Off the pitch she’s a lawyer, having qualified in the US and worked in the City. She's a regular pundit and commentator on both the men's and women's game, becoming the first woman pundit on Match of the Day. She hit the headlines with her stand against the discrimination, outdated behaviou...

Christine Armstrong

Communications and management expert, and acclaimed author, Christine considers what modern, values-driven, inclusive organisations should look like and how they should operate. Touching on work-life balance, workplace culture, 'hybrid work',  management and mental health, she examines the new challenges to old ways of doing business. From remote working to diversity strategies, she points out the misleading assumptions and dares organisations to think differently about what they do, how and where they do it. She was named sixth out of the top fifty Future of Work influ...

Ed Balls

Noted as one of the leading economic voices in the Labour governments of the 1990s and 2000s, Ed was a key architect of policies from the independence of the Bank of England to the minimum wage. Having left frontline politics his new life has encompassed academia in the US and UK, presenting documentaries, analysing the big stories alongside George Osborne on Political Currency, and, of course, a celebrated turn on Strictly Come Dancing.

Jose Manuel Barroso

As President of the EU’s executive and legislative branch, José Manuel dealt with the expansion of the Union, the fallout from the financial crisis, and closer integration of member states. He is also a critic of all sides in the Brexit debate and believes the EU could have done more to avoid it.

Dame Inga Beale

After working in senior global leadership roles in some of the world’s largest insurance companies, Inga took over the helm of the 330-year-old City financial institution. Taking on many of the traditions that had held the organisation back, Inga expanded their global markets, and introduced strategies including the Lloyd’s Innovation Lab, and the Dive In Festival, an industry-wide, international diversity and inclusion event. She considers the balance struck between history and modernisation when implementing change, the vital importance of inclusion in the workplace, and co...

Cally Beaton

After joining the board of ITV, setting up her own company and serving as SVP in charge of International Sales at media giant Viacom, Cally has also started a parallel career in comedy. She brings humour and energy to workplace insights ranging from how to foster a creative, positive environment to how to inspire and lead through change.

Carl Bildt

Once UN High Representative in Bosnia, Bildt challenges Europe and the US to find a common vision to meet the threat to world order. Now that we are endangered by weak states and shadowy structures, how can we prevent a clash between fundamentalists and reformers within a civilisation becoming one between civilisations?

Rt Hon Lord (David) Blunkett

As Home Secretary David was in charge of security, immigration and policing. He is now Chairman of a multi-Academy Trust and an advisor to easyJet. As well as sharing insights on cyber-crime and crisis management, David considers how leaders can best engage with the public and counter the widespread sense of grievance. He argues for business to take a lead: “You are a part of our communities, not just employers of people with certain skills.” After dinner he takes a lighter look at a life in politics - both highs and lows – from The Queen offering to cut up his meal, to...