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.

 

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.

 

Professor Malcolm Press

Professor Malcolm Press CBE DL was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University in 2015, having previously held positions at the universities of Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester and UCL. Malcolm is also President of Universities UK (UUK).

Malcolm is an ecologist who has studied the impacts of climate and environmental change in northern Europe and the Arctic, the regeneration of tropical rain forests in Malaysian Borneo, and the impact of parasitic weeds on subsistence farming in sub-Saharan Africa.

Malcolm is currently a trustee of the British Council.

Previously, he has served as president of his subject association, the British Ecological Society, and has also served as a trustee of UCAS, the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and WWF-UK, a council member of the National Trust, and a board member of the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education (IfATE).

 

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.