Speakers
Cllr Roger Harmer
Leader,
Birmingham City Council
Cllr Julien Pritchard
Deputy Leader,
Birmingham City Council
Sir Andy Street
Founder and Co-Chair of Prosper UK & First Mayor of the West Midlands (2017 to 2024)
Doug King
Owner,
Coventry City FC
Chris Smith
Founder and CEO,
Centre for the New Midlands CIC
Sareena Bains
Strategy & Transformation Leader,
Accenture
Phil Upton
Broadcaster and
CFP26 Conference Host
Dr Halima Sacranie
Director of Housing Research,
Centre for the New Midlands CIC
Grace Kneafsey
Capital Investment Lead
West Midlands Growth Company
Dr Simeon Shtebunaev
Senior Researcher,
Social Life
Sarah Spink
Strategic Partnerships Lead
Midlands Connect
Rebecca Langton
Board Director
PLMR
Gilbert Pomell
Chair, Board of Trustees,
Bethel Church of Jesus Christ
Byron Batten
Director,
Byron Batten Consultancy
Phil McDermott
City Energy Transformation Lead,
E.ON UK
Tony Smith
Policy Executive,
Birmingham City Council
Thea Raisbeck
Research Associate,
Centre for the New Midlands CIC
Chloe Deakin
Funding and Project
Development Specialist,
FareShare Midlands
Nigel Wilson
Chief Executive
Trident Group
WAHEED SALEEM
Head of Programmes & Partnerships,
Witton Lodge Community Association
SI CHUN LAM
Head of Research, Intelligence and Inclusive Growtth, West Midlands Combined Authority
Jonathan Skinner
Head of Economy and
Local Industrial Strategy,
West Midlands Combined Authority
Joshua H. Meek
Chief Impact Officer,
Unity Trust Bank
Rich Bishop
Company Director, Software Developer & Project Manager
withdigital
JOE REEVES
Deputy Chief Executive,
Midland Heart
Rebecca Bennett Casserly
Corporate Director of Development and Regeneration,
whg
Dr Sarah Perry
Chair, Advisory Board, Centre for the New Midlands CIC & Consultant, Weightmans LLP
ALEX FAVIER
Global Campaign Director
Midlands Innovation
Ross Milhench
Enterprise Account Director
,
Microsoft
David Gaughan
Director Employment and Skills (Interim),
West Midlands Combined Authority
LEO POLLAK
Head of Policy and Planning
West Midlands Combined Authority
Lisa Fairmaner
Associate Director, National Lead for Strategic Planning,
Arup
Luke Ellis
Delivery Director - Combined
Authorities & City Regions,
AtkinsRéalis
Alex Housden
Development Director
(Smithfield Birmingham),
Lendlease
Carl Woods
Creative Director & Founder
,
Made By Brum CIC
Liz Garlinge
Director of Network Development,
National Highways
Carl Beet
Director of Strategic Partnerships and Integration,
Transport for West Midlands
Richard Bayley
Senior Advisor,
AtkinsRéalis
Tamzin Reynolds-Rosser
Youth Voice Project Manager,
St Basils
Denise Wetton
Managing Director,
WM Trains
Matt Russell
Director of Strategy, Reform and Insight, East Midlands Combined County Authority
Richard Williams
Managing Director,
Keon Homes
Oliver Pollard
Associate Director, Origination & Relationship Management,
British Business Bank
Pradeep Kaur
Creative Strategist & Photographer,
Pradeep Kaur Photography
Catherine Hadfield
Strategic Lead,
Birmingham Knowledge Quarter
Mike Batheram
Market Director, Local Transport,
AtkinsRéalis
Ann Cousins
Associate Director,
Arup
Paul Woods
Infrastructure Planning Director
WSP