Speakers

Professor Nic Beech

Professor Nic Beech, FAcSS, FBAM, FCIPD, FRSA, ANZAMDF, CCMI is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Salford and was previously Vice-Principal at the University of St Andrews, Provost of Dundee University and Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University. 

Nic is Chair of the Quality Council for UK Higher Education, Treasurer and on the Board of Universities UK and a board member of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). He is also Chair of the National Union of Students Steering Committee on Tackling Antisemitism. He was previously Treasurer and on the Board of the Academy of Social Sciences and Chair of Access HE. Nic is currently a member of the Secretary of State’s Curriculum and Assessment Review panel for England.

Nic’s academic field is business and management and his research focused on identity, organisational change and educational leadership. He has a particular interests in social mobility and educational quality and has worked for many years on improving equity. His awards from Learned Societies include, at a national level, the Lifetime Achievement in Research Award and at an international level, the Exceptional Service to the Field of Management Worldwide Award. He was the longest-serving president of the British Academy of Management.

Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham was first elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester in May 2017, re-elected for a second term in May 2021 and a third term in May 2024.

Responsible for shaping the future of Greater Manchester, Andy’s priorities for his third term include continuing to build a London-style integrated transport system, ending the housing crisis by 2038, offering a new technical education pathway as an alternative to university and creating a new Live Well service, making Greater Manchester a great place to grow up, get on, and grow old.

Before being elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy was MP for Leigh from 2001. In government, Andy has held Ministerial positions at the Home Office, Department of Health and the Treasury. In 2008 he became Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, before returning to Health as Secretary of State in 2009.

In opposition, Andy has served as Shadow Education Secretary, Shadow Health Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary.

Andy lives in Leigh, Greater Manchester, with his wife and three children.

 

Dr Lisa Dale-Clough

Assistant Director, Economy, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

Lisa’s role is to manage the economic portfolio and team of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, ensuring the right policies, investment and delivery is in place to achieve the city-region’s economic priorities and ambitions. This includes overseeing the implementation of the Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy – including driving innovation-led growth across Greater Manchester - the Good Work and Real Living Wage campaigns, and the commissioning and management of business support programmes.

Dr Nick Fowler

Dr Nick Fowler is Elsevier’s Chief Academic Officer. He leads Elsevier’s Research Networks group which liaises and collaborates with leaders of the world’s universities, funders, and policymakers. He has been instrumental in setting up collaborations with universities to address topics such as the future of academic assessment, advancing inclusion and diversity in recruitment, and measuring societal and economic impact - including the Fourth Generation University initiative.

Nick is also Elsevier’s head of Policy and industry Relations. He serves as Elsevier’s representative on the Council of the UK Publishers Association, and is a former President of the PA. From 2018-2023 he was a Board member of STM, the global trade association for Science, Technical and Medical Publishers. He was STM’s Chair from 2021-2023.

Before joining Elsevier, Nick was an Engagement Manager at management consultancy McKinsey & Company based in Stamford Connecticut. He has a PhD in Anthropology from Cornell University, a Masters in the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago as a Fulbright Scholar, and a BA in Geography from Oxford University. 

 

Purusha Gordon

Guinness World Record Breaker Purusha is living proof that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things, given the tools to develop a positive and resilient mindset.

An ambassador for adventure and cult-status brands like Sweaty Betty, DAME, dryrobe and Finisterre, Purusha is a sought-after public speaker, sharing her story, breathwork and wellness expertise with businesses and schools across the UK.

Purusha transformed her health, wellbeing and self-belief 10 years ago, inspiring her mantra that it’s never too late (or too early!) to make a change, confront our fears and develop an ‘I can and I will’ approach to life.

In 2021, with no prior rowing experience, she started Ocean Sheroes rowing team. Together they went on to break the Guinness World Record for the fastest all-female team of four to row across the Pacific Ocean. For 35 days at sea, Purusha rowed: two hours on, two hours off, 24/7 from San Francisco to Hawaii - enduring sea sickness, acute fatigue, biting winds and biblical storms. To this day, the team maintain it was Purusha’s guidance, strong values, positive mindset and culture of kindness that got them through it all, even managing to shave 15 days off the previous record.

Purusha is unstoppable and a passionate motivational speaker, breathwork practitioner, helping others thrive through her wellbeing business.

 

Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE 

Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE is a recognised and respected thought-leader, voted the most influential woman in tech in the UK of 2020 by Computer Weekly, is featured among the top 50 women in tech, globally, by Forbes Magazine and served as President of the British Science Association from 2022-2023.

She was also the temporary Arithmetician for 60 episodes on Channel 4’s Countdown, the world’s longest-running game show, and serves as the Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University, Co-Chair of the Institute for the Future of Work and Chair of UD Music Foundation. Her first book She’s In CTRL was published in September 2022.

In 2017, Anne-Marie was Awarded an MBE for services to young women and STEM sectors. She has been awarded Honorary Doctorates from the Open University, Glasgow Caledonian University, Kent University, Bristol University, Coventry University, Royal Holloway, University of London and Bath University as well as an Honorary Fellowship at Keble College, Oxford. She is a sought-after media commentator with media appearances on Sky News, the BBC and Bloomberg to name but a few.

 

Dave Keeling

Lead Happiness Consultant, Laughology

Dave is a UK based actor, writer and comedian and has been a Lead Happiness Consultant for Laughology for over 20 years.

He has worked both nationally and internationally within business and educational organisations, and has extensive experience of working in theatre, film and television. His credits include ‘Blood Brothers’ in the West End, ‘London to Brighton’ for film and Downton Abbey, Eastenders and Coronation Street for television.

In the world of corporate business, he works creatively as a Presenter/Host and MC. Dave has fronted a vast array of live shows and has facilitated training programmes with a diverse set of companies such as O2, Adidas, Royal Bank of Scotland, Liverpool Victoria, eBay, BT, and Giff Gaff focusing on change management, teamwork, well-being, presentation skills, growth mindset, communication and creativity.

Dave is the Author of, ‘A Rocket Up Your Class, Invisible Teaching, Laughter’ (part of the Independent Thinking On … Series of books) and has contributed his expertise to the Big Book of Independent Thinking.

His dynamic, quick witted and energetic presence create a unique, inspirational, and entertaining experience wherever he goes.

 

Professor Duncan Ivison 

Professor Duncan Ivison, FAHA FRSN, is President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester.

Duncan holds degrees from McGill University and the London School of Economics. With over 20 years at the University of Sydney, Duncan has extensive experience in academic leadership, including roles as Dean and Deputy Vice Chancellor. A distinguished political and moral philosopher, he’s received numerous awards and held visiting positions at prestigious institutions worldwide. Duncan is passionate about public engagement and building partnerships between universities, communities, industry, and governments.

 

Richard Lamb

Richard is Programme Manager for KTP at Innovate UK. He took up this role in April 2018, bringing 15 years of knowledge exchange experience from across the private, public, and academic sectors.

As the current custodian of the KTP programme, Richard is responsible for over 800 projects with over 100 knowledge base partners across the UK and has led diversification of the KTP portfolio. Having developed strong international partnerships, KTP is currently operating in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Qatar, South Africa and Thailand.

Richard’s previous roles encompass experience of both public, private and academic sectors in jobs as varied as regional training Manager for Boots the Chemists, Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Satellite Applications Catapult, Head of Training and Development in the Police Service, Senior Advisor on Climate Change at the Environment Agency, and Research and Knowledge Exchange Manager with the UK Climate Impacts Programme at Oxford University.

 

Sophie O’Callaghan

Sophie is the Senior KTP Manager at the University of Exeter and is currently Chair of the KTP National Forum.

With a background in environmental science and sustainability, Sophie has worked for, and with, businesses of all shapes and sizes during her career predominantly at the fascinating interface between businesses and universities. Before coming back to KTP in 2017, Sophie was delivering sustainability projects for South West Water and Pennon Group. Prior to this she was a Business Engagement Manager at the Centre for Business and Climate Solutions; an ERDF-funded project which helped businesses across the region to reduce their carbon emissions and adapt to climate change. 

 

Professor Steve Rothberg

Steve Rothberg joined Manchester Metropolitan University in January 2023. As Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, he is responsible for planning and academic resourcing, working alongside the Vice-Chancellor, on strategy and delivery. He leads the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellors, and is also responsible for regional and business engagement.

As Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Steve’s research in noise and vibration has included KTP funding and attracted awards from the National Physical Laboratory and the Society of Experimental Mechanics, as well as contributing to Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Optical Engineering and High-Value Manufacturing.            

He holds external roles on the EPSRC’s Research Infrastructure Strategic Advisory Team and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and Skills Strategic Advisory Network, and as a national Panel Chair for Athena Swan gender equality awards. In Greater Manchester, he is a member of the Business, Civic Universities and Innovation GM Boards. 

 

Lemn Sissay OBE FRSL

Spend time  with a master of the spoken word,  seven years a chancellor,  official poet of the London Olympics,  Honorary fellow of Oxford and Cambridge colleges, winner of  2024 Hay festival medal for poetry, and a three times Sunday Times best seller.

Lemn Sissay is a poet, playwright, memoirist and broadcaster. He has performed throughout the world from The Library of Congress in The United States to  the national Theatre of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa to London Palladium in England.  His television documentaries have been nominated for Grierson BAFTA and RTS awards. His work in radio has been nominated for Sony and Palm D’Ors.

 

 

 

 

Karl Ward

Karl is a KTP Manager at Northumbria University and the Vice-Chair of the Forum.

He started his career working at Newcastle University as a researcher on EU funded projects in offshore engineering and shipyard management systems before moving to the UK Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers trade association to represent industry interests in the UK and internationally. 

Karl returned to HE in 2007, where he has worked in various outward facing roles including business development for NCG; Strategic Projects for Newcastle University; and International Relations for the University of York (which he liked very much). He has worked as a dedicated KTP manager since January 2019 (which he loves).