Alec Riches

Alec is a commercial leader specialising in strategic growth, operational excellence, and data-informed performance.

Alec is especially excited to be speaking at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, having spent five years there earlier in my career, leading the Short Breaks marketing and brand strategy team. That experience gave me a deep commercial foundation built on a customer-first strategy.

Alec has since moved through commercial marketing roles into his current role as the Head of Business Planning and Analysis at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where he focuses on the strategic decisions that future-proof the organisation: analysing how to grow its visitor base, enhance the visitor experience, and ensure that programmes drive financial and social value.

Ultimately, Alec’s experience has been about translating strategic vision into tangible value, whether that’s increasing revenue or driving social impact. Alec is keen to discuss how public and private sector partners, working together, can unlock new economic potential and truly enhance the visitor economy of South London.

Alex Cohen

Stadium Development Director, RFU

After an 18-year career in the police service, Alex moved into a role as Operations Director at Bath Rugby. Spending a few years as Chief Operating Officer and then Chief Commercial Officer gave him the experience to take on the Operations Director role at Allianz Stadium Twickenham. He has subsequently taken on the job of Stadium Development Director, leading the delivery of the long-term redevelopment and improvement of the venue.

Amy Falconer

Workforce Manager, Aramark

Amy is the Workforce Manager for Aramark based at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, overseeing recruitment and training, administration and labour budgets within the F&B departments at the resort.

Amy has had the opportunity to be involved with some fantastic projects in the area over the past few years, including some large-scale recruitment events at locations such as Wembley Stadium and Twickenham Stadium. Amy has enjoyed offering opportunities to young people, providing them with key skills and experiences that they can take with them into their future careers, whatever direction that may be.

Amy Farrant

Chief Marketing Officer, Layered Reality

Amy is the CMO of Layered Reality, the leading immersive entertainment business. Amy is a chartered marketeer with over 20 years of experience in the global events and entertainment sector, having worked on various brands, concerts, festivals and tours for the world’s largest entertainment companies.

Amy has worked in live events since 2002 where she began her marketing career at Wembley Arena, before moving to AEG Live, where she was instrumental in the successful launch of The O2 and led marketing for a number of major artists’ European tours. She then worked at Disney on The Lion King, before returning to live music marketing at Live Nation. She took a Director role at Vision Nine working on UK festivals. Her next role saw her as Global Director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships for Nitro Circus, based in the US, leading global consumer marketing strategies across all consumer touch points. She returned to the UK for a CMO role at Secret Cinema, where she achieved record sales and launched Secret Sofa, an online experience which won multiple Drum awards. She also launched the brand’s first international transfers. More recently, she held CMO roles at KOKO where she managed the major relaunch of the renovated theatre and latterly at the BBC Earth Experience, which took content from nature-based TV documentaries to create an immersive experience in London and Melbourne.

Andrew Travers

Interim Chief Executive, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils

Andrew Travers is the Interim Chief Executive of Richmond and Wandsworth Councils, leading the unique shared workforce that delivers services across both boroughs. He brings extensive experience from senior roles across local government, including as Chief Executive of Lambeth and Barnet councils, and most recently at Southampton City Council. Andrew is recognised for his track record in the public service, leading large-scale transformation and delivering improved outcomes for residents.

Dr. Beth Brunton

Head of Public Engagement Strategy at The National Archives

Dr. Beth Brunton is Head of Public Engagement Strategy at The National Archives, developing initiatives to increase public interaction with their collections. Through exhibitions, education and media content, whether in Kew, online or around the country, this work aims to connect individuals and communities with 1000 years of the nation’s stories. Beth set up The National Archives Trust in 2020 to increase funding for the educational work of the archives and previously developed Archives Unlocked, the government’s strategic vision for archives. Holding a PhD in modernist literature, she has a career background spanning academia, policy, communications and research.

Carolyn ML Forsyth

Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer, Talawa Theatre Company

Carolyn ML Forsyth is an accomplished producer and arts manager with over 20 years’ experience across theatre, youth engagement, outdoor site-specific productions, international touring, and festivals. Known for her dynamic and detail-focused approach, Carolyn has held senior roles in a range of organisations and collaborated with leading regional venues and independent companies.

Her work has featured at prominent UK and international festivals, including Dance Umbrella, LIFT, Lokal, Campo, Spring, and Spielart.

Carolyn was integral to launching the UK’s first purpose-built children’s theatre building, the Unicorn Theatre. During her tenure, the venue was nominated for the Most Welcoming Theatre Award, and Carolyn received recognition from Action for Children’s Arts for her significant contribution to the Theatre for Young Audiences sector.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Carolyn worked with Strike A Light in Gloucester, mentoring local artists and producers on socially distanced projects using co-creation models.

A committed advocate for social justice and inclusive cultural leadership, Carolyn is a member of the Inclusive Arts Alliance and a Clore Leadership Fellow for 2023 to 2024. She has served on multiple boards, including as a co-opted member of the UK Theatre Board, and was Vice Chair of the Steering Group for the London Borough of Culture programme in Croydon, playing a key leadership role in its successful delivery.

She is currently Executive Director and Joint CEO of Talawa Theatre Company, the UK’s leading Black theatre company. Her time at Talawa has included Executive Producing the acclaimed Play On! UK tour as part of Talawa’s Black Joy season.

Talawa Theatre Company

Talawa is the UK’s outstanding Black British Theatre Company, founded in 1986. For over thirty-seven years, our purpose has been and continues to be championing Black Excellence in theatre; to nurture talent in emerging and established artists of African or Caribbean heritage and to tell inspirational and passionate stories.

For more information about Talawa visit: https://www.talawa.com
X: @TalawaTheatreCo
I: @talawatc

Councillor Andreas Kirsch

Leader of the Council, Royal Borough of Kingston

Andreas was first elected to Kingston Council in 2018. He is Portfolio Holder for Heritage & Culture and, since 2021, has been Leader of Kingston Council. Andreas is a passionate champion for Kingston’s diverse heritage, culture and communities.

Councillor Barry Lewis

Leader, Sutton Council

Barry was elected as the Leader of Sutton Council in May 2024. He has been a councillor in Wallington North since 2019 and was previously the Chair of Sutton Environment and Sustainable Transport Committee.

Before becoming a councillor, Barry had a career in the leisure travel industry, including owning and running two local online travel companies.

As Leader of the Council, Barry is focused on the everyday needs of Sutton’s residents, including tackling the cost of living crisis, providing good quality and affordable housing.  He wants to improve public transport within the borough and promote policies that address the impact of climate change.  Barry believes that businesses are integral to Sutton’s future success and is keen that the new economic growth plan is seen as a key driver in attracting inward investment, so ensuring Sutton continues to have a thriving and sustainable economy.

Councillor Eleanor Stringer

Leader, Merton Council

Eleanor is the Deputy Leader of Merton Council. As the Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change, her role is to make sure our borough thrives as a great place to live, work and visit. This includes responsibility for our work with local businesses, culture and communities.

Councillor Gareth Roberts

Leader of the Council, Richmond Council

Councillor Gareth Roberts has served on Richmond Council since 2010, when he was first elected as a Liberal Democrat Councillor for Hampton.  He held the seat at subsequent elections and in 2015 became leader of the Opposition Group on the Council.

In 2018, following the landslide election result which saw the Liberal Democrats go from an opposition group of 14 Councillors to an administration of 39 councillors, he was elected as Leader of the Council.  At the elections held in May 2022, the Liberal Democrats increased their majority on the council from 39 to 48 out of a maximum of 54 Councillors. Following a by-election in 2024, the Lib Dems now hold 49 of the 54 seats.

Councillor Phil Giesler

Business and Growth Lead, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils

Phil Giesler is the lead member for Business and Growth at the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, where he brings 35+ years of business experience.

In this role, he leads work on enterprise, which has included establishing dedicated small business workspaces in the Borough, and employment, including the Work Match service, which has now helped over 1,000 residents with employment options. In addition, he has overseen work to ensure thriving High Streets oriented towards local entrepreneurs, which have contributed to significantly reduced high street vacancy rates. He is now steering the development of a Growth Plan for the Borough to build on an already significant £38BN economy.

Craig Hurring

Chief Executive, Love Wimbledon

Wimbledon Town Centre. Craig and his team work with around 600 organisations to ensure Wimbledon continues to thrive as one of London’s most important town centres, driving footfall, building communities and championing sustainability.

Craig is also actively involved in showcasing Wimbledon’s success with developers, asset managers and businesses, to make the case for ongoing investment. Craig is passionate about making great places successful, and before his appointment with Love Wimbledon, worked in destination marketing and BID management for London’s South Bank.

Damian Norman

Damian Norman heads up Excel London’s Immersive Entertainment & Live Events division and is responsible for bringing some of the venue’s highest profile entertainment events, including Formula E, Disney 100: The Exhibition and The Formula 1 Exhibition.

After earning a degree in International Business & Marketing, Damian began his career in the trade conference and exhibition market, before landing his first consumer position via DMG World Media in 2003, leading their skiing and snowboarding portfolio (despite not being able to do either!).

During this time, he worked his way to become Group Show Director, earning a string of industry awards along the way. In 2008, Damian carried out an MBO independently and, together with private investors, brought the company, setting up VOS Media which he ran for five years, launching events such as the London Bike Show and The Rouleur Classic.

In 2013, he sold the business to The Telegraph Media Group (TMG), as part of this offering Damian became MD of Telegraph Events where he grew their events portfolio from five to 60 events in just four years. During this time, he was an integral part of the Senior Leadership Team of TMG helping oversee the overall £300m business.

At the end 2017, he exited the Telegraph to take time out to help his wife raise their family, before setting up Live Mind Consultancy with several clients including the International Boat Show and Excel London. He moved to joined permanently 2019 after successfully leading the venue’s bid to host world renowned electric motor racing series Formula E.

Before long, he began working on many other projects at the Royal Docks venue and now has pioneered a new waterside development at the venue to bring a host of global, immersive experiences to Excel as part of a wider strategic destination project.  In 2024 he launched Immerse LDN, creating London’s first Immersive Entertainment District, attracting over 1 million visitors since its inception.

In his personal time, Damian enjoys spending time with his family, where they live in Twickenham, mainly enjoying his season ticket at Stamford Bridge and playing some very average golf. He is also on the advisory board for the charity ‘Snow Camp’, which uses skiing and snowboarding to break down barriers, broaden horizons and raise aspirations for young people across the UK.

Hannah Waddington

From small-town New Zealand to the heart of London’s immersive arts scene -Hannah’s journey has always revolved around people, stories, and the spaces where they come alive.

Before joining The Lost Estate, she worked across every corner of hospitality – running dive clubs, leading Michelin Bib restaurants, and learning what makes a team truly exceptional. Now, as Director of People & Culture, she helps weave that same spirit of connection and excellence into everything The Lost Estate does.

With a background in HR, operations, and talent development, her mission is simple: to build a culture where creativity and care sit side by side, and where every person – from artist to chef to storyteller – feels seen, supported, and inspired to give their best.

Howard Dawber

Deputy Mayor, Business and Growth

Howard was appointed Deputy Mayor for Business and Chair of London and Partners in December 2023.

Before joining the Mayor’s team, Howard worked in business for thirty years, spending 17 years as Managing Director for Strategy of the Canary Wharf Group. At Canary Wharf, Howard was involved in the development of the Elizabeth Line and supporting the 2012 Olympic Bid and Olympic Legacy as well as commercial inward investment projects in tech, health and life sciences, and financial services.

He has been an active member of business organisations including Business LDN, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, TheCityUK and the London Property Alliance. 

He is a trustee of “The Line” art walk along the River Lea. Formerly Chair of the East End Community Foundation (2013-2022) he is now a patron of the charity, and a patron and former Vice-President of UK Youth. 

Howard was Chair of the Business Advisory Board for the University of East London School of Business and Law and has been a visiting lecturer at the School.

Howard was a Parliamentary Candidate for the Labour Party and is the Chair of Labour Friends of Bangladesh and Labour Friends of USA.

He lives in London and is married with a daughter.

Howard Ebison

Vice-President, Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Howard is the Vice President at Chessington World of Adventures Resort and leads the resort team across all elements of Britain’s Wildest Adventure, including Theme Park, Zoo, Sealife and Hotels. Previously, he was CEO of retailer Crosstown and was MD Asset Management for the Property business Hammerson.

Jack Patrick Daly

Chief Revenue Officer, Sutton United

Jack’s career spans commercial, partnerships, marketing and brand activation roles across professional sport and global FMCG, with a focus on revenue growth, sponsorship delivery and audience engagement. Experience includes leadership positions at Sutton United, Forest Green Rovers, Lisburn Distillery and the Northern Cricket Union of Ireland, alongside brand activation and merchandising experience with Diageo across major retail and sporting campaigns. Proven track record in securing and activating regional, national and global partnerships, driving digital growth, and elevating fan and customer experience through innovative campaigns and events.

Currently operating as Chief Revenue Officer at Sutton United FC, overseeing all commercial and revenue-generating functions, long-term growth strategy, partnership development and fan value creation.

Katharine Glass

Director, White Label Creative

A marketing and events professional with over 40 years’ experience in the commercial delivery of communications, events and marketing, Katharine uses her considerable communication skills to influence key stakeholder groups and work with diverse communities to mobilise resources, avoid duplication of effort and add value to all.

Katharine founded Develop Croydon as a private-sector-led initiative in 2010 – a collective approach to promoting Croydon as a great place to do business, live and spend leisure time and led the marketing contract for the This is Croydon – London Borough of Culture 2023. Currently supporting London Gatwick with the formation of the Airport Economic Zone, Katharine also leads a number of collaborative working initiatives across London and the South East.

Kirsten Henley

Chief Executive, Kingston First

Kirsten is the Chief Executive of Kingston First, the first business improvement district established in the UK. Kirsten has worked in and with business improvement districts and town and city centre management models for 16 years. Prior to joining Kingston First in 2016, Kirsten led Shrewsbury BID after managing the re-ballot to establish it, and worked in BIDs and town centre management teams in Birmingham and Solihull. She was a member of The BID Foundation’s Council (now part of the Association of Town and City Management), is a mentor at Kingston University and has served on not-for-profit boards and committees.

Laura Citron

Chief Executive Officer, London Partners

Laura is CEO of London & Partners, the growth agency for London. Our mission is to create economic growth that is resilient, sustainable and inclusive. We drive investment, innovation and entrepreneurship and make London a brilliant destination for visitors and Londoners.

Laura is proud to lead the teams behind flagship brands including Visit London, Let’s Do London, Grow London, London Tech Week, MedCity London, DotLondon and Opportunity London.

Since Laura became CEO, London & Partners has enabled over 50,000 jobs and added £2.5bn to the London economy.

Before joining London & Partners, Laura led the global Government & Public Sector Practice at WPP, the FTSE 100 global leader in marketing and communications.

Laura was awarded an OBE for services to the London economy in June 2024.

Lynette Shanbury

Executive Director and Joint CEO at Polka Theatre

Lynette Shanbury was appointed as Polka Theatre’s Executive Director and joint Chief Executive in August 2018. Polka is the home of children’s theatre, a world-renowned Merton landmark and community hub for over 45 years.

The much-loved Wimbledon venue was named Merton’s Best Business and UKTheatre’s Most Welcoming Theatre 2024, and received its first Olivier nomination in 2025. Following a major 2.5 year redevelopment of the venue, reopening in August 2021, Polka worked with over 145,000 audience members and workshop participants last year.

Before joining Polka, Lynette spent four years as Executive Director of inclusive theatre company Spare Tyre, and eight years with London puppetry venue Little Angel Theatre – initially as General Manager and later as Executive Director. She is also a charity Trustee and former Chair of VocalEyes, who support people who are blind and visually impaired to access culture and the arts, and is a Board member of Love Wimbledon BID.

Mark Williams

Deputy Chief Executive, Heart of London Business Alliance

Mark Williams is the Deputy Chief Executive of Heart of London Business Alliance, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping strategy and championing the West End’s position as a world-class destination. A passionate advocate for the night-time economy, Mark brings over 17 years of experience spanning events, festivals, international touring, and the management of evening and nighttime venues across London and the UK before joining HOLBA. He offers deep expertise in placemaking, destination marketing, cultural strategy, and economic development.

Previously serving as Director of Destination at HOLBA, he now provides strategic leadership and oversight of the delivery aspects of HOLBA’s work across all areas of Place — including Place Management, Place Strategy, Activation, Marketing & Communications, and Economic Development — driving innovation, impact, and long-term value for the West End.

Matthew Hamilton

Director, South London Partnership

Matthew Hamilton started as Director of the South London Partnership in January 2023. He has previously worked in local government both at the Local Government Association (LGA) when he oversaw the delivery of the LGAs £20 million improvement programme. Matthew has also led membership organisations for district councils and universities delivering nursing and AHP education. Prior to this, he worked at the Department of Health where he worked as a Private Secretary with ministers and took through the bill that created the Care Quality Commission.

Matthew Sims

Chief Executive, Croydon BID

Matthew has served the interests of the Croydon business community for over 20 years, committed to supporting growth and economic revival.

For the past 13 years, Matthew has led Croydon BID in supporting its 500 members during a period of great economic, attitude and behavioural change, responding proactively to challenging environmental impacts. Matthew has led Croydon BID through two ballots and three terms, the latter succeeding with a 92% and 95% by volume and value, respectively, with a 54% turnout.

During the pandemic, Matthew led Raise the Bar, a national lobbying campaign, supported by the industry and partners, to change government policy and release greater funding to businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.

Croydon BID has won industry accolades for its lobbying and advocacy campaigns, and its marketing and communications for the successful Croydon Stands Tall.

Matthew is the Chair of the Association of Town and City Management for the London region.

Mayor Jason Perry

Conservative Mayor of Croydon

Jason Perry is the first directly elected Executive Mayor of Croydon, having served the borough as a councillor since 1994. Born and bred in Croydon, Jason is proud to lead the town he calls home and is focused on restoring pride, confidence, and strong local government.

As the Executive Mayor, he has set out a clear plan to improve financial resilience, support growth, and put residents first – delivering visible change on the ground whilst tackling the borough’s historic challenges.

He serves as London Councils’ Executive Member for Business, Economy and Culture, and co-hosted the launch of the London Growth Plan alongside London’s Deputy Mayor for Business, Howard Dawber. He has since published Croydon’s Growth Plan and launched the borough’s Town Centre Vision, setting out a clear pipeline of investment to support new homes, jobs and thriving high streets – further driving regeneration and investor confidence.

Jason has also been appointed to the Local Government Association Executive Board, helping shape the national voice for local government.

A married father of two, Jason is a lifelong Crystal Palace fan and a regular in the stands at Selhurst Park.

Nicoletta Bonansea

Project Manager, National Trust

Nicoletta Bonansea (PhD) has been working as Project Manager with the National Trust for the past 4 years, leading projects to improve access to Nature and History for the communities living and working along the Wandle, where NT owns significant green spaces, including the beautiful Morden Hall Park.

She is currently coordinating a collaboration between the National Trust, the Councils along the Wandle and other key organisations such as the Environment Agency, South East Rivers Trust and the Wandle Valley Forum looking at how to work together to enhance the Green Corridor created by the Wandle for both Nature and People.

Before this, she worked for more than 10 years in the international, European and London cooperation and regeneration sector, delivering projects to support the creative, circular and green economy, entrepreneurship, trade and economic development.

Patricia Park

Paul Clement

Head of Development, Locus

Paul is the Head of Development at the non-profit place-based consultancy, Locus. The organisation advises partnerships, town centre management companies, BIDs, councils, and mayoral authorities with tailored improvement and investment strategies. A particular specialism is the development, management, and renewal of BIDs. The company has led innovation within the industry, including a multi-site BID in Essex and the new Accommodation BID in Manchester which introduced the UK’s first visitor charge.

Paul Kirkbright

Head of Knowledge Exchange and Partnerships, South London Partnership & BIG South London

Paul Kirkbright is Programme Director at BIG South London, which leads the development of a world-class ecosystem of innovation and enterprise based collaboration to stimulate knowledge-based growth and improve productivity right across the South London region.

BIG South London brings together knowledge and expertise to support the growth, development and success of all South London-based businesses, charities, and third-sector organisations through its partner universities and further education colleges.

Polly Persechino

Head of Economy, Skills and Employment, South London Partnership

Polly Persechino is Head of Economy, Skills and Employment at South London Partnership and is responsible for the implementation of the South London Local Skills Improvement Plan, a strategy to ensure a robust and effective skills system is developed to strengthen the businesses and the economy in South London.  Polly worked for 15 years in Further Education, specialising in apprenticeships, and improving routes to work-based and lifelong learning, before moving into local government. 

Polly now heads up a range of skills and employment programmes, including the South London Careers Hub and the South London Green Skills Academy, working with a wide range of stakeholders, both strategically and operationally to deliver high-quality skills and employment support to South Londoners.  Polly has a keen focus on ensuring that education, skills and training are developed equitably and in response to current and future sectoral and occupational demands, to improve productivity and support local growth.

Robbie Powell

Robert O'Dowd

Chief Executive Officer, The Rose Theatre

Robert O’Dowd joined the Rose Theatre in November 2011 having previously been Chief Executive of Pontio, a Performance Art and Innovation Centre in Bangor, North Wales. Prior to that he was Chief Executive of Designs of the Time, a ten-year public engagement with design programme set up by the Design Council. Robert was also a founding director of Classic FM and had a long career in retail, concluding as Buying and Merchandising Director of House of Fraser. His passion is to create and develop sustainable performing arts businesses. He was asked to join the Rose to build on the work that had been done since it opened and to develop a long-term, financially secure future. Robert is a life-long rower and lives with his wife in Putney where they brought up their two daughters. Robert is the Vice Chairman of Kingston First, a trustee of Creative Youth – a Kingston-based charity, a board member of Family Arts Campaign and a Main committee member at The Hurlingham Club.

Robin Hutchinson MBE

Director, The Community Brain CIC

Robin Hutchinson MBE is a Director of The Community Brain CIC, Chair of Creative Youth, A Mayor of London Design Advocate, Visiting Senior Fellow Kingston School of Art, Kingston University, Board Member of the South London Partnership, and Honorary Freeman of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Sam Mathys

Sandra Kelly

Skills Director, UKHospitality

Sandra is the Skills Director at UKHospitality and leads the drive for an employer-led approach to skills in the hospitality sector. Her focus is to ensure there is a strong talent pipeline from education into employment at every level, with options to continue learning in the workplace.

Before joining UKHospitality in May 2022, Sandra worked as the Skills and Policy Director for People 1st International. Sandra has worked in hospitality for over 30 years in operational, learning and development roles.

Sandra holds a Business Degree, with modern languages and qualifications in Teaching, Performance Coaching and Neuro Linguistic Programming.

Scott Furlong

Corporate Head of Culture and Programme Director, Kingston Council

Scott is Corporate Head of Culture and Programme Director, Kingston 2025 at Kingston Council, where he has responsibility for cultural programmes, heritage, libraries, music education and adult education.

Previous roles include Director of Collections and Cultural Property at Arts Council England and Head of Collections Management at Royal Museums Greenwich. Scott is a Trustee of York Museums Trust and the River and Rowing Museum, Henley and a Kingston resident.

Simon McCaugherty

Director, Destination, London & Partners

With more than 15 years’ experience promoting and shaping places, Simon is the author of London’s Visitor Experience Strategy. He works at the intersection of placemaking, marketing and foreign direct investment — growing London’s experience economy by attracting new events and experiences, improving the visitor experience, and bringing the city to life for visitors and residents.

SK

Co-Founder, Finesse Foreva

SK is a respected music industry leader, creative strategist, and cultural developer whose work spans rap, drill, afrobeats, dancehall, and contemporary popular music. He began his career in 2009 as a recording artist before transitioning into management, where he became known for identifying talent early, building careers, and shaping artists for long-term success.

SK is recognised for his work with artists including AM, Skengdo, and Russ Millions, and is credited as the first manager in the United Kingdom to have a drill artist sell out a national tour, as well as the first to secure silver, gold, and platinum certifications within UK drill. He also achieved these accolades with his producer roster and contributed to the first drill track to reach number one in the United Kingdom.

He co-founded Finesse Foreva, developing it into a respected platform that provided artist management, label services, publishing administration, distribution, studio access, and youth-focused educational programmes. Under his leadership, the organisation also created community support frameworks that helped young people access opportunities in the creative industries.

Throughout his career, SK has overseen high value artist campaigns, managed multi hundred thousand pound budgets, and led release strategies connecting the United Kingdom, the United States, and Africa. He has secured brand partnerships with companies including Billionaire Boys Club and has contributed to charting releases with artists such as Russ Millions, Digga D, Tyla, Tems, D Block Europe, K Trap, Poundz and others, achieving Top Ten, Top Five, and Number One placements.

His professional experience includes working with organisations such as The Orchard, Sony, Warner Music, September Management, Epic Records, Marathon Artists, Trap Socials, On Da Radar and From The Block, where he played a key role in strengthening cultural and creative relationships between the United Kingdom and the United States.

A committed community advocate, SK has built three recording studios, hosted producer development camps, supported young artists with free studio access, and partnered with youth charities to help individuals move away from street associated circumstances towards professional and creative growth. He is also a recognised public defender of drill culture, actively challenging misrepresentation within media and institutional spaces.

His work has been acknowledged through awards including:
• MOBO Song of the Year (2021)
• Pride of Croydon Award (2022)
• YMB Music Entrepreneur Award (2023)
• MMF Team Award (2024)

SK continues to focus on artist development, platform building, cultural education, and ensuring that music remains a positive force for community advancement and generational progress

Stephanie Wilson

Head of Culture, Leisure & Libraries, Croydon Council

Stephanie is an experienced cultural leader with 20 years of experience delivering library, arts and heritage services in local authorities in London and the North West. She has worked on major programmes including the Brent and Croydon London Boroughs of Culture, capital projects including museum and gallery refurbishments, library transformation programmes and creative health interventions. Stephanie also has experience developing and delivering cultural and community engagement strategies and fundraising from statutory, lottery, government and trusts for culture and heritage programmes.

Suna Marfe

Executive Director of Business Development & Partnerships, South Thames Colleges Group

Suna Marfe is the Executive Director of Business Development & Partnerships at South Thames Colleges Group, where she leads strategic initiatives across partnerships, student recruitment, and admissions. With over 25 years of experience in the education and skills sector, spanning both private and public training providers. Suna brings expertise in shaping regional skills strategies and navigating the evolving education landscape in South West London. Her leadership is driven by a commitment to inclusive growth and impactful collaboration across the sector.

Tim Corum

Arts Development, Richmond and Wandsworth

Tim’s work focuses on arts, culture and community, both in place-based work leading Richmond’s Arts Service, and in the arts sector, including non-exec Chair of the Asian Arts Agency.

Tim believes that the arts and artists are critical to successfully building regenerative communities; that the arts offer a new way of imagining ourselves and our futures, enabling people to take a fresh look at global challenges on a scale that gives people agency, as well as the capacity to deliver meaningful change.

Ulrika Hogberg

Head of Community Strategy, All England Lawn Tennis Club

Ulrika Högberg is a leading voice in community strategy and place-making, with nearly two decades of experience designing and delivering transformative programmes that harness the power of sport, play, and culture, creating a positive impact on individuals and communities.

As Head of Community Strategy at the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), Ulrika helps drive Wimbledon’s ambition to be a ‘Force for Good’, developing approaches to connecting and engaging communities with the Club year-round and giving back to its local community and beyond.

Vibushan Thirukumar