Speakers

Dawn Embry - Director of Strategy and Performance, Mobica

Mobica is a global software services company. Dawn Embry has more than 15 years’ experience managing strategic growth and business development in global technology companies, working across four continents. At Mobica she is focused on developing and executing plans to deliver the company’s high growth aspirations.

Dawn regularly gives talks and seminars on industry growth potential. She is passionate about enabling technology and the tech sector's ability to facilitate company growth, innovation and career development.

Professor Markos Zacharidis -Greensill Chair in FinTech & Information Systems - Alliance Manchester Business School

Professor Markos Zachariadis is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Financial & Monetary Systems and a FinTech Research Fellow at the Cambridge Centre for Digital Innovation (CDI), University of Cambridge.
Professor Zachariadis’ research sits at the cross section of economics of digital innovation, financial technology studies, and network economics, and has studied extensively the economic impact of ICT adoption on bank performance, the diffusion of payment networks, and the role of data & standards in payment infrastructures (SWIFT), financial markets (LEI), and digital banking (Open Banking), among other things. His research has been published in top academic journals such as MIS Quarterly and Research Policy and has been awarded the NET Institute Award (NYU Stern Business School) for his study on the economics of payment networks, and the SWIFT Institute, SMS, and GRI Awards for his research on Open APIs and Digital Transformation in Banking.

As a recognised expert, Markos often shares his work and perspectives with media outlets such as The Times, World Finance, Financial Times' Banker Magazine, Bloomberg, Fortune Magazine, BBC, CNN, The Telegraph, Sky News, Wired Magazine, USA Today, ITV News, The Conversation, among many other. Prof. Zachariadis is a board advisor, mentor, and international keynote speaker and has been invited from various global organizations to present his research insights, give talks at international events, and judge at international competitions (Bank of England, UK Parliament, World Bank, SIBOS, Money2020, GRI Summit, Microsoft, Bank of Canada/Payments Canada, SWIFT, Innovate Finance Global Summit, Central Bank of Seychelles, Open Banking World Congress, FINTECH Connect, IBM, Financial Times, EY, APIdays, etc.).

Grace Roddie - Solicitor, Technology and IP, TLT
Solicitor, Technology and IPGrace Roddie - Solicitor, Technology and IP, TLTGrace specialises in technology contracts and data protection. Grace advises clients on a wide range of data protection and privacy compliance issues, particularly in the retail, digital and payments sectors. She has extensive experience in advising large-scale businesses on data protection compliance issues, including FCA-regulated companies and companies in the FTSE 100. She is also experienced in negotiating data processing and data sharing agreements; handling data protection breaches; and advising on direct marketing requirements.

Ed Burek - President, Vee24
Ed Burek is Vee24’s Vice President of Marketing, a rapidly growing software company, and a leading live engagement solution. Ed leads all aspects of marketing including demand generation, content and digital marketing, press relations, and market research at Vee24.

Prior to Vee24 Ed held senior positions in companies such as IBM, Pegasystems, and SiteSpect, where he led marketing efforts, focused on AI, digital marketing, and customer experience.

David Gardner - Partner, TLT
David is an authority on IT, outsourcing and technology-driven procurement, with a particular focus on clients in financial services and the technology sector. David regularly acts as lead advisor for customer and suppliers to deliver complex and strategic technology projects, collaborations and commercial contracts of all shapes and sizes. He is ranked as a leading individual in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500, the independent guides to the legal profession. David is a published author and speaker who is regularly sought out for his industry insights, including recent articles and speaking slots for Lawyer Monthly, Information Age, Banking Technology and the Building Societies Association. In 2018 David has co-authored a ground-breaking research report on Open Banking, which is shaping the future of financial services.

Tom Davies - Chief Executive Officer, Xpert Rule

Tom has spent the last 20 years helping organisations to deliver significant returns from technology investments.

He has advised Heathrow and Manchester Airports on future proofing their IT strategies, the Board of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre on the adoption of digital solutions, and worked on a £100m+ digital transformation programme for a multi-channel retailer. He established and headed up a tech efficiency consultancy business, and now sits at the helm of XpertRule, an intelligent automation software business.

Lisa Scullion - Application Manager - Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre

Lisa Scullion is the Application Manager in the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre at the University of Manchester. Responsible for a team of scientists looking to commercialise graphene in a range of applications. Her group mainly focuses on the introduction of graphene to coating materials for various industries such as automotive and steel. Other projects involve composites, membranes and construction materials. Lisa also runs a European funded programme to assist local Greater Manchester based SMEs explore the potential of graphene within their business.

After completing a PhD in Nanotechnology at the University of Liverpool, Lisa spent two years working for Unilever and six years working for Itaconix, a polymer technology company located in Wales and NH, USA. Research has included the design of novel products for the detergents and speciality chemicals industry with management of the scale up and external manufacturing of new products lines in the USA, Europe and the UK.

Anthony Morrow - Founder/CEO, Open Money

Working as a consultant for such financial giants as KPMG and Deloitte gave Anthony a broad view of the industry landscape before co-founding Tatton Asset Management plc (formerly Paradigm Group). All this experience helped him identify the ‘advice gap’, which OpenMoney is here to close.

Danny Simpson - Founder & CEO, MID Group
Danny Simpson is the CEO & Co Founder of MID Communications, MID Group & My Ideal Destination.com MID Communications Is the largest O2 Franchise in the Northwest with 17 sites, they have over 160 Employees across the group looking after over 100,000 Customers.

Danny is a Trustee for cash for kids locally with The Hits Radio, & Cash for Kids UK as well as being an ambassador for the NSPCC and local charities such as Mahdlo.
Danny is a Committee member for the IoD & has been awarded ‘Fellow’ status. He has also achieved a Queens Award for Voluntary service.

Professor David Bamford - Chair in Operations Management, Manchester Metropolitan University Business School

David is an experienced industrialist/academic who has published over 100 articles, book chapters and reports, as well as presented widely on his topics to both academic and practitioner audiences.

David’s academic activities are under-pinned by a strong industrial and commercial background and knowledge transfer has been at the centre of his drive. Through it, he has a significant involvement in knowledge creation and transfer in conjunction with various partner organisations.