Abi Adamson
Doyenne of DEI
Catherine Mayer is a bestselling author, journalist and activist. She is the co-founder (with Sandi Toksvig) and President of the Women’s Equality Party and co-founder of Primadonna, the festival celebrating brilliant writing, music and ideas and giving prominence to women. She was the lead candidate for the Women’s Equality Party in London in the 2019 European elections.
Catherine worked at The Economist, held deputy editorships at Business Traveller and International Management magazines and spent 11 years as a foreign correspondent for the German news weekly, FOCUS. In 2004, she joined TIME as a senior editor, later became London Bureau Chief, TIME Europe Editor and, finally, Editor at Large. Catherine served as the elected President of the Foreign Press Association in London from 2003-2005. She was the founding executive director of the think tank Datum Future and also consults on the opportunities and challenges of data technology.
After the February 2020 death of her husband, the musician Andy Gill, she took on his unfinished projects, releasing two EPs by his band Gang of Four, and the critically acclaimed tribute album, The Problem of Leisure: A celebration of Andy Gill and Gang of Four featuring globally famous musicians. Her most recent book, the memoir Good Grief: Embracing Life at a Time of Death, includes letters written by her mother after both women were widowed at the start of the pandemic.
Catherine’s speaking topics include:
Difference Works: Why true diversity and inclusion is about much more than ticking boxes
From Lightbulb Moment to Growing Enterprise: How to turn ideas into reality
Tough at the Top: Hard lessons in leading and being led
Lessons in Loss, Lessons in Life: Insights from the front line of grief
Abi Adamson
Doyenne of DEI
Akua Gyamfi
Boundary leaping creative
Alex Bell
Turning vision to strategy
Alex Depledge MBE
Tech, sharing economy
Alexandra Wilson
Campaigning lawyer
Alistair McGowan
Impressionist, environmentalist
Anna Fielding
Rethinking economics
Athena Kugblenu
Comedian and writer
Bayile Adeoti
Television presenter
Ben Shires
Presenter
Bill Mew
Digital ethics expert
Bruce Daisley
Work futurist
BRUCE DICKINSON
Business leader and Mentor
Caroline Mabey
Shape shifting comedian
Carrie Longton
Mumsnet co-founder
Catherine Mayer
Equality activist
Cecilia Crossley
Business with purpose
Cemal Ezel
Homelessness businessman
Charlie Blair
Healthy ageing heroine
Charlie Luxton
Architectural designer
Charly Young
Gender equity leader
Chloe Sweden
Founder and CEO of Lowr
Chris Moon
Motivational leader
Claire Dove
Better business expert
Colin Downie
Better business expert
Daliso Chaponda
Comedian, writer
Dame Kelly Holmes
Olympic Champion
Darren Harriott
Trailblazing comedian
Dave Erasmus
Off grid advisor
Dave Linton
Loving luggage man
David Coulthard
Former F1 driver
David Lammy MP
Diversity proponent
David McQueen
Leadership legend
David Taylor
Branding expert
Desiree Burch
Comedian, actor
Diane Louise Jordan
TV/radio presenter
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon
Tech social entrepreneur
Ed Gillespie
Futurist and transformer
Emily Maitlis
Fearless interviewer
Emily Rueben
Founder and CEO of Duchenne UK
Emma Dabiri
Broadcaster, historian
Emma Heathcote-James
Eco Warrior Entrepreneur
Erinch Sahan
Doughnut economist
Eshaan Akbar
Comedian, writer
Felicity Ward
Comedian
Francesca Martinez
Wobbly comedian
Gavin Esler
Former BBC journalist
Gemma Cairney
Broadcaster, youth rights
Geoff Lloyd
Cheerfulness broadcaster
Harriet Braine
Singing comedian
Hayley Mulenda
Mental health motivator
Hera Hussain
Gender violence activist
Herman W Stewart
The Mentor’s Mentor
Jacqueline de Rojas
Titan of tech
Jacques Villeneuve
F1 legend
Jake and Hannah Graf
Gender, equality, diversity
Jeremy Vine
Self effacing newsman
Jessica Fostekew
Comedian, actor
Jim Cregan
Keeping chins up
Joanna Carr
Broadcasting know how
Joel Bird
Shed lover, gardener
Johnny Cochrane
Comedian
Jon Long
Singing comedian
Jordan Schwarzenberger
New media expert
Josh Turner
Social entrepreneur
Julian Hall
The Ultrapreneur
June O’Sullivan
Child welfare campaigner
Karen Blackett
Business growth expert
Karen Lynch MBE
Social entrepreneur
Karen Mannion
Nutritional therapist
Karen Mattison
Flexible working foodie
Katie Derham
Classical broadcaster
Kem Anyanwu
Co-founder of The Making of Black Britain
Kevin McCloud
Architecture champion
Kim Rihal
Education radical
Krishnan Guru-Murthy
News stalwart
Kwame Asante
Comedian
Laura Bates
Everyday sexism activist
Liam Black
Peace, love, profit
Linda Moir
Customer service queen
Liv Sibony
Better business backer
Lord Sebastian Coe
Leadership, resilience.
Lord Victor Adebowale
Social care supremo
Lorraine Heggessey
The first lady of TV
Louis Theroux
Documentary maker
Louisa Ziane
Environmentalist, brewer
Lucy Hawking
Author and story-teller
Madeline McQueen
Magnetic Speaker, Coach & Dynamic Host
Marie Cudennec Carlisle
ECO CEO of Goldfinger
Mark Stevenson
Reluctant futurist
Mark Watson
Comedian, author
Matt Parfitt
Second chance giver
Matthew Mitcham
LGBTQIA+ trailblazer
Michael Frohlich
Company transformer
Michelle Ackerley
Television presenter
Michelle Morgan
Motivational leader
Mohsin Zaidi
Author, lawyer
Naomi Schiff
Racing driver
Nicholas Carlisle
Children’s wellbeing
Nicola Green
Identity expert, artist
Nigel Kershaw
Founder and Chairman, Big Issue Invest
Nish Kumar
Comedian
Noreen Khan
Presenter, comedian
Oke Eleazu
Customer Experience Aficionado
Paul Sinha
‘The Sinnerman’
Paul Van Zyl
Social change convener
Peter Holbrook
CEO, Social Activist
Phil White & Heidi Schoeneck
Brand builders, change makers
Poppy Jaman OBE
A respected icon in the international mental health space
Prof. Nicola Rollock
Racial justice consultant
Professor Alison Clark-Wilson
Education enthusiast
Rachel Conlisk
Creative wellbeing champion
Rev Kate Bottley
Priest, broadcaster
Rob Deering
Tuneful comedian
Rob Stephenson
Mental health guru
Ruth Farenga
Founder, Conscious Leader and Author
Ryan Prince
Property guru
Sally Phillips
Actor, writer
Sam Conniff
Professional rule breaker
Seyi Rhodes
Producer
Shaa Wasmund
Business leader
Shaparak Khorsandi
Comedian, author
Shazia Mirza
Fearless standup
Simon Boyle
Chef, social entrepreneur
Sir Lenny Henry
Comedian, campaigner
Stephen K Amos
Comedian
Steven Bartlett
Young CEO, Dragon
Susan Aktemel
Housing crisis expert
Tamsin Edwards
Climate scientist
The Futurenauts
Future solutions thinkers
Tiwa King
Singing sensation
Tom Hodgkinson
Idler in Chief
Tom Rippin
Purposeful disruptor
Zoe Lyons
Comedian