Jon Townsend is a leader in technology and is the Chief Information Officer for the National Trust, where he was previously the CTO and CISO. He holds an MBA with the Open University and an MSc with Cranfield University in the Design of Information Systems. He previously held a commission as an Officer in the British Army, fulfilling a variety of technical and leadership roles culminating in Regimental command. Upon leaving the military he became a Senior Civil Servant in the UK Central Government responsible for developing cyber security and intelligence capability for the Department for Work and Pensions. He is also a Certified Data Protection Practitioner with the British Computer Society, a Certified Information Security Manager with ISACA and GIAC Certified Enterprise Defender with SANS.

Lynda has significant leadership versatility across a broad range of technical domains and industries gained whilst working with and for FTSE 20, PE owned and Fortune 200 businesses. She thrives in dynamic and results focused organisations and enjoys environments with a strong team culture and clear purpose. Throughout her career, she has consistently delivered trailblazing solutions when businesses and industries have encountered epic disruption and has been at the forefront of industry re-invention in a number of sectors during her time at New Look, Accenture and Barclays.

Lynda is a transformational leader who has worked with B-corps on creating the world’s most sustainably operating businesses albeit with a deep sense of commercial practicality. She has significant depth of experience in risk management gained whilst working at Barclays during the financial crash, which is now enabling her to lead conversations on the increasingly complex global regulatory landscape as relates to sustainability.

Her experience as an executive in Retail, Banking and Consulting, combined with non-executive positions at the British Fashion Council and CFIN (government sponsored circular fashion initiative) has resulted in Lynda having a truly differentiated and distinct perspective when engaging with fellow executives. She possesses a ‘flat structure’ mindset which she believes is essential to harness true innovation and enable diversity in thought and being.

Phil Pavitt – Group Technology & Transformation Officer In 2019. Phil was appointed to the role of Group Technology and Transformation Officer. This followed almost a year leading Safelite’s business process re-engineering and technology design work. Phil brings over 30 years’ experience to the role. Since beginning his career at British Telecom, he has helped public and private sector organisations undergo customer and technology-centric revolutions, including Virgin Media, Specsavers, Aviva Insurance, and Transport for London. He was also Director General CIO for HMRC which, under his leadership, became the most online tax authority in the world. In 2017, Phil took a break from the corporate world to lead his own consultancy business. During this time, he held advisory Non-Executive Director and interim roles predominantly with startups. During his career, Phil has won a number of awards and has consistently been rated as one of the UK’s top 25 CIOs.

As Group CIO at Guardian Media Group, Pooja Bagga leads the strategic direction and governance of technology transformation across the organisation’s global operations. She is responsible for aligning digital, data, and cybersecurity strategies with enterprise-wide goals—setting vision, shaping investment decisions, and influencing board-level outcomes to deliver scalable, secure, and customer-centric innovation.

With extensive experience in e-commerce strategy, digital platform modernisation, and emerging technologies—including AI, machine learning, IoT, and automation—Pooja works closely with C-suite and board stakeholders to drive multi-year transformation programmes. Her leadership focuses on embedding new ways of working, enhancing customer experience, and strengthening organisational resilience.

Widely respected as a trusted advisor, mentor, and inclusive leader, Pooja brings clarity and conviction to complex challenges—ensuring technology acts as a strategic enabler of long-term value, not just operational delivery.

Natasha Davydova is CIO of AXA UK&I. Prior to joining AXA, Natasha was Global Head of Infrastructure and Information Security and Executive Board member of Allianz Technology. Natasha is an experienced leader with a proven track record of 25+ years in technology and operations, solutions engineering, financial services, strategy and governance, operational risk management, customer-centric agile transformations and customer success, management consulting and outsourcing.

Natasha’s leadership roles include Global Head of Technology in Standard Chartered Bank, Global Head of IT Strategy in Deutsche Bank, Head of Solutions Engineering UKI and CTO FS EMEA in Salesforce. Natasha has extensive international experience of people and organisational leadership, including implementation of major transformation programs in the UK & Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, APAC, USA, IberoLatAm and Eastern Europe. She started her career in Accenture where she worked over 10 years delivering complex digital transformations programs.

Natasha was awarded PhD certificate in Banking & Finance by London School of Economics and Political Science, where she was a Soros Foundation scholar. She holds Global Operations Management Diploma by Securities and Investments Institute UK and MSc., International Economic Relations and Finance, First Class Honours Degree. She has been volunteering as a mentor in Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. Natasha is Global CIO 100 Award Winner 2025 by HotTopics, she is also a finalist of the CIONET European Digital Leader of the Year Awards 2023 as well as Cisco WebexOne Customer Award Winner 2022 and UBS Forums “Innovation in Infrastructure Management” Award Winner 2022 for cognitive automation initiative.

Since 2021 Sarah has been working with Urenco, a supplier of enriched uranium within the global nuclear fuel cycle, as their Group CIO. She has three decades of expertise in leading IT delivery teams for Blue Chip, Central Government and Secure organisations and was recently ranked 20th in the 2024 UK Top 100 CIO Awards having demonstrated her expertise in Digital Transformation, Business Change, Consultancy, Service Delivery, Programme, Project, and Organisational Management. Sarah lives in the North West of England on the edge of the beautiful Pennines with her family and dog!

Nimisha is a highly experienced Technology Executive who was previously the Chief Digital & Information Officer for Bupa Global and UK. Prior to this, she was the Chief Digital Information Officer at the Cabinet Office and the Chief Information Officer for RSA UK & International. Over the course of a 20 year career, Nimisha has worked in various Digital and Technology roles across the public and private sectors. She is also a Non-Executive Director.

Rachel Ryan – FVP Global Head of ITAM , 25+ years’ experience working within IT and IT Asset Management alongside operations and security, this has included ITAM Programme design, strategy, and projects, building and developing diverse global teams for FTSE 100 companies. Experienced in diversity and inclusion programmes for IT, building Women’s networks and IT Industry contributor.

Technology Director with 20+ years’ working for multinationals in the media, telecoms, and airline sectors: Comcast, Sky, British Airways. Extensive experience directing digital transformation, data science, cloud adoption, advertising technology, data governance and SaaS / PaaS development. A track record of mobilising diverse teams to develop transformational technology products and operating models that deliver multi-million-pound returns. Expert in structuring organisations for success and steering the execution of complex technology and governance programmes; balancing risk, cost, and quality. Winner of the ‘NextCIO’ and ‘100 Women in Tech’ Awards. Keynote speaker, author, board member, charity trustee.

Richard Stuchfield-Nash is an innovative and collaborative global technology executive at A.P. Moller‑Maersk, with over 30 years of proven success driving growth and efficiency through strategic technology leadership. He has built and motivated high-performing global teams—up to 400 engineers, programme, infrastructure, and operations specialists—to deliver both corporate-scale and local solutions while maintaining a steadfast focus on customer satisfaction. Performance-focused and business-minded, Richard excels at uniting technical expertise with commercial objectives, delivering value-driven solutions across diverse industries, including finance, media, and education. In his pivotal role as Director of Technology M&A, he has led the integration of 27 acquisitions and divestments valued at approximately $23 billion—transforming Maersk from a traditional shipping company into a global logistics powerhouse. His team addressed fragmented systems, siloed leadership, and burnout to rationalize platforms, reduce operating costs, and improve outcomes for customers and employees. Richard’s leadership exemplifies how technology can be effectively harnessed to scale complex global operations, fuel strategic transformation, and drive sustainable business growth.

Milena Maneva is a recognised resilience thought leader with over 15 years of cross-sector experience spanning financial services, brokerage, law, and real estate. As Head of Business Continuity & Resilience EMEA at BGC Group and Cantor Fitzgerald, and Founder of the Resilience Arc, she brings sharp expertise in business continuity, crisis management, risk, governance, and enterprise resilience. A trusted board advisor and active member of BCI, ISACA, and SASIG, Milena is known for turning complex risks into clear, actionable strategies. She is passionate about enabling organisations and individuals to reach their full potential by fostering a culture of preparedness and resilience.

Srimanth is a senior technology leader and currently serves as the Head of Engineering for Data & Analytics at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). With a distinguished career across leading financial institutions including HSBC, JP Morgan, and Lloyds Banking Group, he brings deep expertise in data strategy, large-scale cloud transformation, and building high-performing engineering organisations. Srimanth is known for driving innovation in complex, regulated environments and is passionate about creating inclusive, future-ready data platforms that deliver real business impact.”

As a Senior Director of Operations at Epsilon, I lead the development and implementation of transformative technology strategies that align with business objectives and drive competitive advantage. With over 15 years of experience at Epsilon, I have consistently delivered scalable and robust solutions while optimising operational efficiencies.

A visionary leader and a passionate advocate for digital transformation, I excel in building and nurturing high-performing teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. I hold several professional credentials, including MBCS, MCMI, and MInstCPD, that demonstrate my commitment to continuous learning and development. As the Chair of Trustees for Aspirations Academies Trust, I also volunteer my expertise to oversee the effective management of the trust, ensuring financial stewardship and accountability, and empowering young minds through high-quality education.

Daniela Valdes is a dynamic digital transformation leader, Turing Fellow, and emerging Chief AI Officer, currently serving as Deputy Chief Digital Information Officer and Associate Director of Digital Health at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. With a unique blend of technical expertise, turnaround leadership, and board-level influence, Daniela helps scale-ups and large organisations harness AI, machine learning, and automation to safely transform their services—implementing robust systems and processes that mitigate risk and prevent costly failures. 

A former consultant at Deloitte and the World Bank, Daniela operates confidently at C-suite and executive board level, thriving in environments that champion diversity, foster collaboration, and value the synergy of soft influence and hard data. Her approach is rooted in kindness and inclusion, using emotionally intelligent leadership to bring people together—especially during high-pressure or complex digital transformations. 

Daniela’s portfolio career spans executive roles in healthcare, health-tech entrepreneurship, and public sector innovation. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Data and Computer Science, focused on the intersection of AI systems, leadership, and digital transformation. Known for her energy, creativity, and fearless advocacy for positive change, Daniela is often described as a “pocket rocket” and “a whirlwind”—a bold and inspiring force who consistently challenges the status quo to drive meaningful, human-centred innovation. 

With over two decades of experience engaging and building empathy with technology leaders, Tom Girdler brings a deep understanding of evolving technological landscapes. His current work at Workday focuses on the profound impact of AI on the future of work, a topic he addressed at last years’ Gartner IT Symposium. No doubt Tom’s passion and desire to drive collaboration will ensure a productive and insightful discussion.

Simon Abrahams is the Product Marketing Director for EMEA at SolarWinds, bringing over two decades of experience across the technology landscape. His career spans leadership roles at Rackspace, COLT, and Orange Business Services, where he helped shape cloud and network strategies for enterprise clients. Simon also served as an Industry Analyst, consulting to global vendors and integrators, offering deep insights into market trends and technology adoption.
With hands-on expertise in network, IT, and data center operations, Simon combines technical depth with strategic marketing acumen. He is known for driving customer-centric product positioning and go-to-market strategies across diverse markets in EMEA.

Paul’s interests lie in using data, analytics, and system design to solve complex business problems. He brings a wealth of experience from diverse fields including high-frequency trading, F1 engine telemetry, speech technology, and radiation imaging. For the last 8 years, Paul has applied this experience to the enterprise environment, helping clients understand how technology can address their greatest challenges.