Simon is the Head of Cyber and Business Services for Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI). Within his current role, Simon is responsible for the Police Digital Security Centre (PDSC) and the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC), helping Small and Medium-sized businesses reduce their vulnerability to cyber crime and fraud. Prior to PCPI, Simon held a number of senior management positions across Government, including the Home Office where he established the National Police Air Service. He also worked as an Advisor to Abu Dhabi Police and the Ministry of Interior in the United Arab Emirates.

Stephen is Head of Office for the Small Business Crown Representative. He plays a key role in closely supporting the Crown Representative’s work to drive up Government’s spend with SMEs and make SMEs aware of the opportunities to sell to government.

Stephen has worked in government’s commercial function for 18 years. Before his current role he led work on prompt payment policy and headed the Cabinet Office’s “mystery shopper” procurement investigation team.

Beckie is a reporter for Civil Service World, PublicTechnology’s sister title. She writes news and features on government policy and the work of departments and agencies. Previously she has reported for a number of specialist titles covering science policy, research and higher education.

Prof. Simon Saunders is Director of Emerging and Online Technology for Ofcom, the UK’s independent regulator for communications services. He is also a Visiting Professor at King’s College London and Trustee of the charity Music for All. In 2019 he organised the world’s first 5G music lesson on behalf of Music for All, working with King’s College London. Simon is a specialist in the technology of communications, with a technical and commercial background derived from senior appointments in both industry (including Google, Motorola and Philips) and academia (University of Surrey, Trinity College Dublin). As Head of Connectivity Partnerships for EMEA at Google (2015-20), he worked with operators globally on enhancing wireless connectivity via a range of advanced technology initiatives, combining wireless networks, artificial intelligence and network virtualisation. As co-founder and Director of Technology for independent wireless strategy advisory firm Real Wireless (2006-15), he was responsible for overall technical capability and direction, providing independent wireless expertise and advice to operators, regulators, technology and law firms and wireless users. He founded the Small Cell Forum (formerly Femto Forum), and chaired this industry association from 2007-12, growing membership to 150 companies and working with 3GPP to create the first standards for small cells. He is an author of over 150 articles, books and book chapters, including a popular textbook on antennas and propagation. He has acted as a consultant to companies including BAA, BBC, Cisco, O2, Ofcom, BT, ntl, Mitsubishi,Virgin Media, TalkTalk, Inmarsat and British Land. He was CTO of Red-M and CEO of Cellular Design Services Ltd and has acted as an expert witness in legal proceedings in England and the US. Simon speaks and chairs a wide range of international conferences and training courses and has invented over 15 patented wireless technologies. He has served on technical advisory boards of several companies, was Visiting Professor to the University of Surrey, member of the industrial advisory board at University College London, Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin, and a member of the Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board from 2007-14.

Radhika is a Partner in McKinsey’s London office. She has more than 25 years of experience in complex strategic transformation, with a particular focus on the modernisation and digitisation of the UK public sector.  She serves clients on major change agendas such as developing national AI strategies, digitising the rail industry, transforming the courts and prisons systems, navigating structural changes such as Brexit, and implementing digital transformation programmes.  Prior to joining McKinsey, Radhika led EY’s UKI Central Government sector and their global agenda for Digital/AI in Government, advising digital transformation programmes internationally.  She is also co-founder of a cross-industry AI expert group focused on the societal impact of technological unemployment.

Since completing his PhD, Peter has worked in many commercial and public sector organisations leading and managing services as diverse as property, HR, finance, revenues and benefits, pensions, customer services, legal, technology and information management. He leads the development and implementation of the Council’s ICT & Digital and Citizen access strategies and is also responsible for the Information, Technology, Revenues, Rents, Benefits and Customer Services teams. His team’s purpose is to lead, shape and deliver high quality council services enabled by great digital solutions making a positive difference every day to customers, businesses and visitors of Birmingham. He lives in the Black Country and is passionate about sustainable transport and enjoys cycling in the region.

Randhir is a Councillor for Upper Stoke Ward, Coventry City Council. She is Vice-Chair of the Planning Committee and was formerly on the Licensing and Regulatory Committee. She also works at Coventry Business School and has an interest in different models of service delivery and business transformation. Randhir is also Vice-Chair of the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre, a trustee of Coventry Relate and on the boards of other local charities.

Ollie Buckley is Executive Director of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI), an independent UK advisory body launched in 2018 to advise on the governance of AI and data-driven technologies. Immediately prior to this, Ollie led the Digital Charter team in the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), where he was responsible for wider policy development on the societal impacts of the internet and new technology. Ollie has over 10 years’ experience shaping the UK government’s digital agenda in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, Cabinet Office, Government Digital Service and DCMS. Before that, he was a strategy consultant working with a variety of private and public sector clients around the world.

Phil assumed the post of Interim Executive Director, of Defence Digital, Service Delivery and Operations in May 2019. He is responsible for delivery, operation and cyber defence of the MoD’s core information capabilities. Prior to joining the Ministry of Defence, Phil gained 24 years industry experience from leading IT across the UK and Europe as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Lloyds Banking Group (Insurance division), as EMEA CIO and Change Director at Prudential UK and as Interim Transformation Director at ATOS. He has an extensive background in IT particularly in the fields of Geographical Information Systems, Database technology and Applications Development. He

has worked as an IT Programme Director, Chief Operating Officer (Application Development and maintenance) and held various Programme Director roles including the biggest Data Integration programme undertaken in the UK to date. More recently he has focused upon Transforming businesses through the exploitation of the latest technologies (especially Artificial Intelligence) to build internal capability, enable sustainable and lasting value from both IT and business operations. He has significant experience in leading business innovation, driving business change programs, leading extensive teams, and designing and leading IT delivery at very large scale in complex, multi-stakeholder business environments, especially through Fin-Tech. Phil lives in a small town between Brecon and Swansea (with far too many consonants to inflict on people) with his wife Carys, daughter Catrin, son Carwyn, and two dogs – Meg and Trixie. Phil enjoys all sports particularly football, but is also a keen and active walker, that said his life-long passion is Fly-Fishing - particularly at night for sea-trout (an acquired taste). He remains an optimistic supporter and season ticket holder of Swansea City Football club – the curse that keeps on giving at the moment…

Irfan is Deputy Director for Cyber Security at the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. He is also the author of the Harvard Belfer Center’s National Cyber Power Index, as well a non-executive Director at a UK not for profit organization focusing on Health and Mental Wellbeing in local communities. Previously, he worked in Deloitte’s Technology Risk Advisory team. 

I work within the Customer Access Programme at Sedgemoor District Council. Our aim is to ensure that Sedgemoor, the council and place, is one with a strong digital culture ensuring that any Customer who accesses our services finds that their experience with us is as fully digital as possible. I directly manage a team of dynamic Business Analysts, Form Builders and Apprentice Business Analysts to help facilitate the redesign or processes with the Business and our Customers.

Carla is a Senior Director of Government Affairs at Palo Alto Networks, where she is responsible for driving the company’s public policy agenda in the UK and Ireland on a broad range of issues, including cyber security, privacy and wider technology policy.

Prior to joining Palo Alto Networks, Carla was a Director of Government Affairs at Symantec for several years, leading the company’s public policy agenda in the UK and representing the company before governments, trade associations, think tanks and HM Government-industry boards. Before Symantec, Carla was a Director at techUK, the UK trade association for the technology industry, establishing and then leading its Cyber Security Programme. Carla has significant experience of developing policy positions on specific cyber related issues, informing the development of government policy and building successful relationships with senior government officials, Ministers and MPs.

Carla started her career in Government in the Department for Health, Department for Transport and the Home Office and held a variety of different roles, ranging from facilitating procurement contracts to shaping the development of mental health legislation and ensuring the smooth passage of the Bill through Parliament.