Speakers
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Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom, Office for Students
Dr Arif Ahmed joined the Office for Students as Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom in August 2023.
Previously Arif was Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Gonville and Caius College. He has held visiting posts around the world.
Before taking up his present appointment, Arif was a Commissioner to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Until recently, he was a trade union representative and caseworker for the University and Colleges Union.
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Co-chair, Creative Industries Council
Sir Peter Bazalgette chairs the Royal College of Art and is Chancellor of the University of the West of England. He is also co-chair of the Creative Industries Council.Peter previously chaired Arts Council England and the broadcaster, ITV. He was a TV producer for many years, inventing and exporting entertainment formats. His books include ‘Billion Dollar Game’ and ‘The Empathy Instinct’.
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Founder and CEO, Tiro, and IHE Board Member
Charlotte Blant is known for her expertise in apprenticeship development, educational reform, and business leadership within the science and technology industry.
Charlotte is a trailblazer in organisational and staff development, implementing innovative strategies that drive success. She has contributed to the growth and vision of major global employers like Balfour Beatty, The Institute of Cancer Research, The Open University, and leading pharmaceutical and chemical companies across the UK.
Charlotte’s work with Tiro involves pioneering degree apprenticeship programmes in applied chemical, materials, and bioscience. Her experience ranges from working with small and medium-sized enterprises to FTSE250 companies.
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Partner, Keystone Law
Nichola Carter is an immigration solicitor and Partner at Keystone Law, a leading law firm based in central London. Nichola specialises in advising colleges, higher education providers and independent schools on sponsor licence compliance, student sponsorship and UKVI audits.With nearly 30 years’ experience, Nichola is widely recognised for her deep expertise in education sector immigration and is listed in the Legal 500 ‘Hall of Fame’. She regularly contributes to policy discussions, legal publications and national media. Nichola also chairs the annual Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association Sponsor Licence Law Conference.
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Policy Advisor (Immigration),UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)
Deepa Chadha has worked at UKCISA for over 16 years. Her role involves monitoring, analysing, and interpreting legislation and policy that impact international students and their family members, advising and presenting on the UK’s immigration law and policies as they relate to students and their family members, and representing relevant sector issues at meetings with the Home Office and UKVI.
Her career spans roles in university immigration advisory services and in the legal sector, giving her a deep understanding of both policy and practice.
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Senior Partner and Director, Counterculture
James is an expert in public policy and higher education with a strong background in business and strategy development. He was Head of Sustainability, Policy, and Civic Engagement at the University of Liverpool, leading sustainability strategy and civic engagement. He has worked with clients on business development, strategy, and stakeholder engagement. At NUS, he led governance reform and published a book on universities.
He holds a Master’s of Public Administration, focusing on public sector resilience post-Covid. James specialises in civic projects, policy development, and place-based analysis, and is an Associate Editor for Research and Innovation at Wonkhe.
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Chief Reputation & Stakeholder Relations Officer, University of York
Joan Concannon was appointed as the University of York’s first Chief Reputation and Stakeholder Relations Officer in August 2025. She is responsible for reputation and brand management, stakeholder engagement with a particular focus on driving advocacy and income diversity, and the whole communications portfolio.
She also leads the York Festival of Ideas, one of the largest free festivals of its kind in the UK, which she co-founded in 2011. Her board-level leadership extends to regional economic development partnerships and higher education sectoral issues. Prior to this, she was the university’s first Director of External Relations.
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Director, Ailsa Crum Consulting Ltd
Dr Ailsa Crum is an independent consultant with over 30 years’ experience including as QAA Director of Membership, Quality Enhancement and Standards with responsibility for re-developing key sector reference points, including the UK Quality Code, subject benchmarks, credit frameworks and External Examining Principles.
She led sector-wide projects on topics including student transitions and engagement, addressing awarding gaps, reassessing assessment and tackling the opportunity and challenge of generative AI.
Ailsa was an architect of the Quality Enhancement Framework in Scotland and retains extensive international links through review and enhancement activities in Ireland, Norway, New Zealand, South Africa and Chile.
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Chair, Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology
Mary Curnock Cook CBE is an independent education expert serving in non-executive roles on several Boards. From 2010-2017, she was Chief Executive of UCAS. As a non-executive director with Pearson Education, Mary chairs its Qualifications Committee and the governing body of the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology. She is also a non-executive director at the Student Room, a Trustee at HEPI, and recently served on the Student Loans Company Board. Additionally, she is Network Chair for Emerge Education.
Mary received an OBE in 2000 and a CBE in 2020 for services to education. She is an honorary Fellow of Birkbeck and Goldsmiths and holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Gloucestershire.
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Chief Executive Officer, AD Education UK, and IHE Board Member
Steffan Davies serves as the Chief Executive Officer for AD Education UK, and led on the strategic merger of the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP) and SAE Institute (SAE), both recognised for their position as two of the largest independent higher education providers of music and creative media education.
Steffan brings a wealth of strategic, regulatory and operational experience from previous roles across a range of global education institutions in the UK, Europe, Australia and the US.
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President and Vice Chancellor, Richmond American University London, and Vice Chair of the IHE Board
Professor Phil Deans has been President and Vice Chancellor of Richmond American University London since 2020 and, before that, was Provost for eight years. He led the successful TDAPs application and registration with the Office for Students (OfS) and oversaw the creation of Richmond’s unique dual degree award.
Phil has worked and studied in China and Japan as well as the UK. He has dedicated his career to furthering international education opportunities and promoting diversity and international perspectives on learning, teaching and curriculum development and content.
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Executive Dean, LCK Academy
June Dennis is Executive Dean at LCK Academy and has held senior management roles in both UK universities and independent higher education organisations. She has experience of collaborative academic partnerships from both sides of the fence and has established and managed multiple international and local partnerships. She is past Chair of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and currently Chair of University Centre Leeds and a board member of Luminate Group.
June holds a doctorate in education policy that researched the process of securing a collaborative partnership from the perspective of the franchisee.
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Managing Director of Higher Education and Research, Jisc
Liam Earney leads Jisc's strategic engagement with the higher education and research sectors. He has worked in the higher education sector for over 25 years, with a long standing background in digital licensing. His portfolio includes Jisc’s extensive digital content and software licence negotiations, as well as its work on digital transformation, research management, and consultancy.
More recently, he has overseen Jisc's research into the opportunities for efficiency through greater sector collaboration and shared services as well as collaborative approaches to the provision of digital research infrastructure, where his teams work with UKRI and the UUK Transformation and Efficiency Taskforce.
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Director of Policy and Development, Independent Higher Education
Joy Elliott-Bowman leads IHE’s policy development and public affairs activity, as well as facilitating good practice across the independent sector.
Before joining IHE in July 2015, Joy spent over 10 years working in the British and Canadian education sectors, working from within universities, independent providers, students’ unions, and national student and higher education sector organisations.
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Founder and CEO, Blackbullion
Vivi Friedgut is Founder and CEO of Blackbullion, the award-winning student money platform driving social impact through financial empowerment. Partnering with almost 100 higher education institutions and companies, 400,000+ students have developed better money skills through their app.
Blackbullion has grown into a widely adopted solution and platform leveraging behavioural and financial data to drive better decision-making.
Vivi is a former wealth manager and recipient of FinTech Magazine’s Standout 45 Women. A three-time published author, her third book ‘Financial Adulting: how to grow your money to build a sustainable future’ was released in September 2025.
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President & CEO, Global Institute of Sport
As President and CEO of the Global Institute of Sport (GIS), Sharona Friedman is responsible for shaping and delivering the strategic vision of the world’s leading destination for sport education.
Before taking the helm at GIS, she served as Chief Marketing Officer at the University Campus of Football Business (UCFB). Her earlier career included time at globally renowned institutions such as Imperial College London and The University of Chicago, where she contributed to internationalising education and building globally connected learning environments.
Throughout her journey, Sharona has remained passionate about student-centred education grounded in global best practice.
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Director, Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology
Professor Beverley Gibbs currently leads the Dyson Institute, the first higher education provider to be granted full degree-awarding powers through the NDAPs process. She is a senior leader in engineering education, known for driving institutional transformation through strategic governance, accreditation, and sector-wide innovation.
Beverley’s leadership style is collaborative and future-focused, enabling cross-sector partnerships and inclusive educational models that respond to evolving societal and industrial needs. She has successfully led organisations through complex regulatory milestones and her influence extends across policy, practice, and pedagogy, shaping national conversations on engineering education, widening participation, and neuroinclusion.
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Co-Director of Student Welfare and Support Services and Head of Counselling, University of Oxford
Jane is Co-Director of Student Welfare and Support Services and Head of Counselling at the University of Oxford. Prior to this, she was the Head of Student Counselling and Wellbeing at the University of Leeds.
Jane is a UKCP-accredited psychotherapeutic counsellor (Mst, University of Oxford) and an organisational Reflective Practice group convenor (Diploma, IGA).
Jane is the outgoing Chair elect of HUCS (Heads of University Counselling Services), Co-chair of the Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education Group, hosted by Advance HE, a member of the Department for Education’s Mental Health Implementation Taskforce, and the Governance Group for Student Space.
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BH Associates Education Consultants, and Professor Emerita, Technological University Dublin, Ireland
Professor Ellen Hazelkorn is a leading international expert in tertiary education policy, governance, skills development, quality assurance and rankings, and science and innovation. She is Professor Emeritus at Technological University Dublin and Joint Managing Partner at BH Associates Education Consultants.
She has advised global bodies including the European Commission, OECD, UNESCO, and numerous national governments. She authored the report which led to the formation of Medr, Wales.
A prolific author and speaker, she serves on several international expert panels and is Joint Editor of Policy Reviews in Higher Education. She previously served as Vice President, Dublin Institute of Technology (now TU Dublin), overseeing research, innovation, and enterprise development.
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Director of Strategy, UCAS
Ben Jordan has been at UCAS for over a decade, and is described as a leading figure of higher education admissions policy, with his knowledge in this area second to none.
During his time at UCAS, Ben has led the response and engagement around every major political event that could impact on student progression, including Brexit, admissions reform, qualification reform, Brexit, Scottish independence, general elections, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, which involved forming part of three separate ministerial taskforces.
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Associate Dean of Academic Engagement and Partnership, ASU London
Peter Kay has led complex academic teams and curriculum innovation, overseeing significant change in the higher education institutes he has worked in, including new programme development and curriculum redesign.
He champions inclusive pedagogy, practice-based learning, and technology-enhanced teaching, resulting in improved student satisfaction.
As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Neurodiversity Champion, Peter is committed to advancing educational excellence (particularly within engineering), equity, and staff development.
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Deputy Chief Executive Officer, TASO
Eliza Kozman is Deputy Chief Executive at Transforming Access and Student Outcomes (TASO). She oversees all areas of TASO’s work, with a particular focus on research and evaluation activities.
Before joining TASO, Eliza worked at the Behavioural Insights Team where she designed and implemented research projects with a focus on reducing inequality in education.
Eliza holds a PhD from University College London. In her academic work she uses experimental methods to test ways of improving education outcomes for disadvantaged students. Eliza has a strong interest in social mobility and a background in higher education policy.
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Lifelong Learning Lead, The RSA
Dr Patrina Law is Lifelong Learning Lead at the RSA and oversees the UK Digital Badging Commission, researching and advising on policy around digital credentials.
Formerly head of The Open University’s OpenLearn, she grew the platform to 14m+ learners a year. In 2023 she received the Open Education Global Leadership Award. Her work focuses on learner motivation, sustainable open-education models, and credentials that support under-represented learners.
A Principal Fellow of the HEA, she is a trustee of Cumberland Lodge, serves on the RSA Journal editorial board, and is a Reader for the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education.
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Early-career Fellow, Institute of Advanced Study, University of Warwick
Dr Yanyan Li holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Warwick, a Postgraduate Award in Interdisciplinary Pedagogy, and an MA in Applied Linguistics from University College London. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Dr Li is an interdisciplinary researcher with interests spanning multimodal communication, conversation analysis, human-human interaction, human-AI interaction, and digital and public health.
She is the Project Lead of the AI for Study Purposes project, funded by Warwick International Higher Education Academy (WIHEA) during her WIHEA Fellowship (2024–2025).
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Chief Executive Officer, SP Jain London School of Management, and IHE Board Member
Marion is the Chief Executive Officer for SP Jain London School of Management, the London branch of the SP Jain Global group, which aims to provide transformative global education opportunities for its students. In her role, Marion has worked with colleagues to gain new degree awarding powers as well as operationalise the School’s vision.
She has worked in a number of universities in a variety of roles including University Secretary, Registrar and as project manager for a merger.
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Chair, Escape Studios
Anne Morrison is Chair of Escape Studios, a specialist provider of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in animation, VFX and games. She chairs Sheffield DocFest and has won BAFTA, RTS and Grierson Awards.
She led BBC factual TV departments for over 20 years and was the founder of the BBC Academy, with a long-standing interest in creative education and talent development. She is co-author of a review of the BBC’s portrayal and representation of UK communities.
Previously, she was CEO and Creative Director at Nevision and was the second woman to chair BAFTA in its 70 year history.
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Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central
Abtisam Mohamed MP has been serving as the Labour MP for Sheffield Central since July 2024 and she is the first MP of Yemeni origin to be elected to the House of Commons.
Prior to entering Parliament, she was a Labour councillor for Firth Park (2016-2024) and cabinet member for Education (2019-2021) on Sheffield City Council where she worked to expand remote learning, reduce exclusions, and set up the Sheffield Race Equality Commission.
Outside of politics, she worked full time in community development for 17 years as well as practising as a solicitor in asylum and human rights law.
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Director, Neil Mosley Consulting
Neil Mosley is a higher education consultant and market analyst specialising in online learning, distance education and digital education. He works with universities, colleges, companies, training providers, and arts and cultural organisations, advising on strategy, capability development, course and programme identification, learning design, marketing and partnerships.
His consultancy helps institutions build and enhance online portfolios and navigate the evolving education and edtech landscape.
Neil previously worked at Imperial College London and Cardiff University and is a Fellow of the Centre for Online and Distance Education (CODE) at the University of London.
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Chief Executive Officer, QA Higher Education
Simon Nelson is Chief Executive of QA Higher Education, a leading UK education provider delivering university programmes in partnership with UK institutions.
A digital pioneer, he previously founded and led FutureLearn, growing it into Europe’s leading social learning platform, and earlier held senior BBC roles, where he helped shape the corporation’s digital strategy across TV and radio, including the launch of on-demand services such as BBC iPlayer, BBC RadioPlayer and podcasting.
With over 25 years’ experience at the intersection of media, technology, and education, Simon is passionate about widening access to higher education and using digital innovation to create more flexible, inclusive learning experiences.
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Head of Institution, Academy of Live Technology, and IHE Board Member
Rachel Nicholson has been Head of Institution at the Academy of Live Technology (ALT) since 2018. Based on Production Park, near Wakefield in West Yorkshire, ALT specialises in vocational subjects relating to the live events industry.
After gaining a degree in lighting design, Rachel pursued a successful freelance career as a lighting designer and technologist, before returning to the education sector permanently in 2006.
Rachel is currently a member of the Creative Industries Council Education and Skills Working Group.
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Senior Education & Policy Researcher, Edge Foundation
Josh is a Senior Researcher at the Edge Foundation, specialising in the past and present of higher and vocational education in liberal societies.
His work spans tertiary collaboration, liberal and general studies in further education, and research on Degree Apprenticeships, T Levels, and new higher education institutions.
His first monograph ‘Universities and the Purpose of Higher Education: Expansion and Development in Post-War Britain’ is forthcoming in 2026 (SRHE/Routledge).
He completed his PhD in History in 2021 and was subsequently a Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning (IATL) at the University of Warwick.
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Chair, Office for Students
Professor Edward Peck has many years’ experience in the higher education sector. He acted as Vice-Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University for over ten years and has held multiple other senior higher education roles.
He was the first Higher Education Student Support Champion at the Department for Education and Chair of the HE Mental Health Implementation Taskforce between 2022-2025. In addition, he held chairing roles with UCAS between 2020-2025.
Edward is Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Nottinghamshire and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. He was made a CBE in the 2021 New Year Honours List for Services to Higher Education.
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Managing Director, Higher Education UK & Europe, Study Group, and Chair of the Board, IHE
James Pitman joined Study Group in 2007. He has held a variety of senior international roles in the music industry and education publishing.
James is a member of the British Council’s HE Sector Group, a founding member of Destination for Education, and founding advisor to the APPG for International Students.
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Chief Executive, Independent Higher Education
Alex oversees IHE’s strategic development, manages its day-to-day activities, and represents members at external meetings and committees. He was also a Trustee of UKCISA, the UK Council for International Student Affairs, for 10 years.
Before taking the helm at IHE in 2011, Alex worked in IT and as communications manager at the British Accreditation Council for Independent Further
and Higher Education.He holds a Bachelor’s in Music and a Master’s in Philosophy.
LinkedIn
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Vice Principal (Academic Quality), Nazarene Theological College
Dr Peter Rae has served as Academic Dean and Vice Principal at Nazarene Theological College for some twenty years. He holds a BA and MA in English Literature, a PGCE, and an MEd and PhD in Education, specialising in theological education. His PhD dissertation examined issues of institutional identity as it relates to academic accreditation and validation.
He has been a QAA reviewer for over a decade, been regularly involved as an external examiner and validation panel member, and has been part of a range of bodies that lobby and inform government and regulatory bodies.
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Independent Student Board Member and Chair of the Student Advisory Board, IHE, and Student, University of Buckingham
Musa is an aspiring barrister currently reading Law on an Accelerated LLB at The University of Buckingham. He serves as an executive member of the university's Law Society and as leader of the Debate Society, reflecting his strong foundation in advocacy, public speaking, and student leadership.Musa has supported vulnerable individuals as an Appropriate Adult and volunteers as a supervisor at the Milton Keynes Citizens Advice Bureau, advising members of the public on a range of legal and social issues. He begins the Bar Practice Course at BPP University in January 2026.
Musa is Chair of the IHE Student Advisory Board (SAB).
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Interim Senior Advisor: Regulatory & Compliance, University of the West of England
Mike Ratcliffe has been an academic registrar at several universities, each time with a different portfolio of responsibilities in academic administration.
Collaboration with partner institutions has been part of every role he’s had. He has an interest in regulation and was the specialist advisor to the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee for their inquiry into the Office for Students in 2023.
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Practice Lead, Education, GatenbySanderson
Julia Roberts is Partner and Practice Lead for Education at GatenbySanderson, where she leads strategic leadership and non-executive appointments across higher education. A member of the Senior Leadership Team, she is known for delivering complex assignments with insight and integrity.
Julia is a regular contributor to HEPI, shaping sector debates on governance, leadership, and digital transformation. Her work spans UK and international institutions, and she is trusted by clients for her deep sector knowledge and global perspective. Julia’s reputation for excellence is reflected in her enduring client relationships and sector-wide influence.
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Director of Oxford University Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE)
James Robson is Director of SKOPE and Director for Research at the University of Oxford’s Department of Education.
He is also a member of Skills England’s Expert Analytical Group and Chief Scientific Advisor for delivering inclusive growth, a skilled workforce, and fair employment at the Oxford Policy Lab, focusing on regional economic development and skills alignment through joined up, place-based tertiary education policy.
James’ research covers the nexus of education and employment, the critical study of skills supply and demand, and tertiary and innovation policy.
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Partner, Head of Education, Skills and Productivity, KPMG UK
Sam Sanders has over 20 years’ experience working with high profile public sectors clients, delivering large scale organisational redesign, merger, financial sustainability, operational improvement, core systems replacement and change management projects.
The work that Sam and his team are currently delivering, in partnership with a broad range of UK universities, is helping these important institutions survive and thrive in an ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment.
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Dr Adam Saunders
Director, Oxford Data TechnologiesDr Adam Saunders and his team at ODT have developed Skills Concierge, an AI-powered platform that enables education and training providers to grow their B2B and B2C business by matching their course content and teaching capabilities to real-time skill demand from employers and adult learners.
Following a national pilot co-funded by the UK automotive industry and HM Government, Skills Concierge is expanding into new industries to tackle cross-sector skills gaps with precision and scale.
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CEO, Microlink PC (UK)
Nasser Siabi has made significant contributions to the disability industry for over three decades. With a passion for empowering disabled learners and employees, Nasser has enabled over half a million individuals to achieve their best in education and workplaces.
As a visionary and co-founder of Microlink, Nasser spearheaded the mission to remove barriers for disabled people through the use of assistive technologies. His work encompasses a wide range of areas, including public policy consultation, steering committees, board of charities and the development of unique solutions to overcome the daily challenges faced by disabled individuals.
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Minister of State (Minister for Skills), Department for Education
The Right Honourable Baroness Smith of Malvern is Minister of State for Skills in the Department for Education (DfE). This role also became part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in September 2025.
Working across both departments, the Minister’s responsibilities encompass Skills England (created in June 2025 to tackle national and regional skills gaps), technical education and apprenticeships, including the Growth and Skills Levy, and the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).
Previously the Labour MP for Redditch from 1997–2010, she has held Ministerial roles in the Department of Health and the Department of Trade and Industry. From 2007 to 2009, she served as Home Secretary under Gordon Brown – the first woman to hold the position.
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Partner, Mills & Reeve LLP
Poppy Short has over 20 years’ experience advising higher education providers on corporate matters, including partnerships, academic arrangements, governance and mergers, and other forms of radical collaboration.
Poppy has led the legal work on the two recent complex mergers in the higher education sector, navigating numerous regulatory, governance and contractual challenges along the way. A New Generation Partner in the most recent Legal 500 directory, Poppy has recently co-authored the UUK-commissioned ‘Radical Collaboration: A Playbook’ with KPMG and is active in the discussion on the future structures of universities.
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Consultant, Governance and Strategic Transformation, Advance HE
Dan works in Advance HE’s governance team and has been with the organisation since 2020. Before specialising in governance, he supported college-based higher education and independent providers to make best use of their Advance HE membership.
He has undertaken numerous governance effectiveness reviews with all types of providers, delivered a range of training and development to governors and governance professionals, and worked on sector-leading projects including Shaping the Future of Higher Education Governance.
Dan is also a charity trustee in his spare time.
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Lead Policy Officer (England), The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)
Helena Vine is Lead Policy Officer (England) at QAA, leading policy and public affairs in England, with particular expertise in regulation, franchising, and lifelong learning.
Previously, she led higher education policy for youth charity, Impetus, and prior to that completed the Charityworks Graduate Programme.
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Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead, OMNES Education Group
Valentina Vlasov is a Senior Lecturer with a proven track record in higher education and curriculum innovation across higher education institutions in the UK, China, and Russia.
She is passionate about transforming learning through technology-enhanced approaches, active learning, and has a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Valentina’s expertise spans digital engagement, AI in education, and decoloniality in curriculum design.
In her previous roles, she has successfully led curriculum redevelopment, assessment innovation, and staff development initiatives at institutions across the UK.
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VP Education, TechnologyOne
Cheryl Watson has extensive expertise in education technology, business development, and strategic advisory roles.
In her current role, she leads initiatives to enhance digital transformation within higher education institutions, focusing on student experience and operational efficiency.
Previously, Cheryl has held multiple leadership positions at a number of education technology providers, driving strategy and market expansion and working closely with institutions to optimise enterprise solutions and gain crucial business benefit.
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President, Resolution Foundation
The Rt Hon Lord Willetts FRS is the President of the Resolution Foundation. He is Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office and of the UK Space Agency. He is a visiting professor at King’s College, London. He served as the Member of Parliament for Havant (1992-2015), as Minister for Universities and Science (2010-2014) and previously worked at HM Treasury and the No.10 Policy Unit.
Lord Willetts has written widely on economic and social policy. His book ‘A University Education’ is published by Oxford University Press. A second edition of his book ‘The Pinch’ on fairness between the generations was published in 2019.
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Labour Market Economist, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Ada Zakrzewska is a Labour Market Economist at the OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs. She led the OECD’s recent work on Individual Learning Accounts.
Her work covers adult learning, employability, and the labour market impacts of population ageing and the green transition. She co-authored the 2025 Employment Outlook, examining the effects of population ageing on employment, and is currently leading OECD’s analysis of labour market shortages in Korea.
Prior to joining the OECD, Ada worked at the London School of Economics and served as an ODI Fellow in the Government of Ethiopia.
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PhD Candidate, University of Warwick
Meifang Zhuo is PhD candidate in Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick, specialising in language teachers’ professional development and well-being. She is a Student Fellow of the Warwick International Higher Education Academy (WIHEA) and the PGR teacher mentor for the Warwick Postgraduate Teaching Community.
Originally from China, Meifang is committed to fostering inclusive and empowering educational environments for international students in the UK. She has led two funded projects on the productivity and well-being of international PhD students in the UK.
Her recent work explores visual and arts-based research methods and the use of AI in education.