Get to know the speakers and panellists who will be joining us at MD Future Live 25 at Sister, Manchester on 18th September.
This full-day event will focus on the real-world impact and future direction of AI; and explore the broader landscape of emerging technologies reshaping industries - from quantum computing and sustainable infrastructure to next-gen interfaces, digital creativity and accessible tech.
MD Future Live 25 is sponsored by Kao Data and Sister.
Click here to view the full agenda.
Keynote talk: The UK’s Role in the AI Race - Arm’s Global Platform, Manchester’s Local Strength
Geraint North
Fellow, AI & Developer Platforms
Arm
As Fellow for AI & Developer Platforms, Geraint works with Arm's industry-leading ecosystem and developer communities to ensure they have access to the right solutions, tools and resources to get their jobs done effectively at the highest level of performance. Arm’s AI & Developer Platforms group is spread worldwide, covering a range of different disciplines including benchmarking, research, developer relations and collaborative engineering projects. Geraint previously led Arm’s engagements with partners and developers for Client markets and before that was responsible for high-performance computing software when Arm took its first steps into the supercomputer market. He lives and works in Manchester, UK, where he’s been since University.
Panel: AI Advantage – What the UK’s Sectors Can Lead the World In
Chair
Dr. Vikas Shah MBE DL
Dr. Vikas Shah MBE DL is an entrepreneur, investor, non-executive & thought leader with significant experience in founding, leading and exiting businesses to trade, private-equity and listed groups. He is a Non-Executive Board Member of the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) and also a Non-Executive Director of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, Shoosmiths LLP & Enspec Power. In his career, Vikas has also mentored and coach hundreds of entrepreneurs & leaders.
Vikas was awarded an MBE for Services to Business and the Economy in Her Majesty the Queen’s 2018 New Year’s Honours List and in 2021 became a Deputy Lieutenant of the Greater Manchester Lieutenancy. He holds an Honorary Professorship of Business at The Alliance Business School, University of Manchester (where he is a member of the advisory board) and is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the Lancaster University Management School (LUMS). He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) by the University of Salford in November, 2022.
Panellists
Katharina Reusch
Senior Manager
Capgemini
Katharina is a Senior Manager at Capgemini where she leads the Agentic AI Technology Capability in the Innovation Team. With a proven track record of data science, software engineering and management roles, Katharina has a strong technical skill set and in combination with her strong communication and empathic leadership skills makes her a thought leader in all things AI.
Ben Davies
Marketing Director
Praetura Ventures
Ben is the marketing director for Praetura Ventures, who recently announced they plan to merge with Par Equity to become PXN Group (subject to FCA approval). Born-and-bred in the North, Praetura Ventures is an award-winning venture capital investor praised for its early backing of northern success stories such as Modern Milkman, Street Group and Culture Shift.
The Manchester-based VC has now become known for its ‘more than money’ approach to supporting early-stage founders post investment. With over £350m AUM and 60+ portfolio companies, their team manage a number of funds including the Praetura Growth VCT and the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II for the British Business Bank (North West Equity fund).
Ben also helped launched PraeSeed, the North’s first cohort investment programme designed to help founders at the start of their journey with pressed NPIFII investment and investor-readiness support. Before Praetura, he headed up the marketing for Social Chain’s media division around the time of its IPO. Ben also co-founded the alternative co-working and event space Ziferblat UK.
Rob Wilson
CEO
Imperagen
Rob is the CEO of Imperagen, a Manchester Science Park-based start up, spun out of the University of Manchester in 2022. Combining AI design with novel biology and integrated robotics, Imperagen is addressing key challenges of enzyme engineering (quality and speed of data generation for iterative AI training) using bespoke, problem-specific AI models and a fully integrated software/hardware stack covering the entire workflow from computation to biology and wet-lab analysis to data-processing. Rob joined the company in 4Q24 and is an experienced executive with an international background in pharmaceuticals, life sciences and enzyme technology, having held leadership roles at Avecia, Codexis and DNA Script in the UK, US and Singapore.
With a passion for translating leading edge technologies in to value-added customer projects and products that solve real problems, and a 25 year career spanning technical, operational, and general management roles, Rob brings a mix of skills and experience that is very relevant for the transition from start up to scaling business on which Imperagen is embarked.
Lightning talk: Are we the last programmers? AI and the future of code
Matt Squire
Co-Founder & CTO
Fuzzy Labs
Matt is the CTO and co-founder of Fuzzy Labs. He’s had a long standing interest in artificial intelligence, having honed his craft over many years in industry and continues to work closely with the team at Fuzzy Labs on the technical challenges of putting ML into production.
Fuzzy Labs are an MLOps consultancy based in Manchester, UK., working with companies to help them productionise AI and ML through open source MLOps tooling. The team often works at the bleeding edge of ML, more recently productionising generative AI-based solutions for a range of customers.
Panel: Powering the future
Chair
Lynsey Buckingham
Head of Marketing
London Internet Exchange(LINX)
Lynsey Buckingham is Head of Marketing at the London Internet Exchange (LINX), bringing over 25 years of experience in marketing, communications and events across the entertainment, media, and public sectors. For more than a decade, she has played a key role in strategic communications at LINX, specialising in PR, partnerships, social media, and creative content.
Lynsey is a passionate advocate for the power of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) to transform regional connectivity. Lynsey has been actively promoting LINX in the UK including LINX Manchester—an interconnection hub for the North of England that enables content networks and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to keep traffic local, improving performance and resilience for users across the region. Her work spans the UK, US, and Africa, helping to build awareness of the value of peering and interconnection in strengthening the global internet ecosystem.
Panellists
Lee Stretton
CTO
UrbanChain
Lee Stretton brings over 25 years of IT leadership to his role as CTO at UrbanChain. With a career spanning multiple C-Suite positions across regulated industries, he has played a pivotal role in driving growth and scaling innovative businesses.
At UrbanChain, Lee leads the engineering, data, infosec, and product teams—departments central to the company’s technology-first approach. He is responsible for shaping and delivering the technology roadmap, ensuring robust data strategies, and safeguarding information security. As a key stakeholder in UrbanChain’s unique proposition, Lee oversees the technical processes that power the company’s cutting-edge energy trading platform, helping to redefine how energy is bought and sold.
Nadica Delova-Biali
Principal Architect
BT Group
Nadica Delova-Biali holds a degree in Telecommunications from the University of Macedonia and brings over 18 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, working across Business, Public Sector and Consumer markets.
Her career has spanned the full evolution of telco infrastructure – from traditional Cisco WAN engineering, through the adoption of SD-WAN, to more recent leadership roles shaping cutting-edge digital platforms that deliver seamless, scalable and secure consumer solutions.
Passionate about bridging technology with business outcomes, Nadica has successfully led cross-functional initiatives that modernise operations, enhance customer experiences and accelerate digital transformation. Known for her collaborative approach and deep technical insight, she continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of connected ecosystems.
Shaun Fensom
Co-Founder
Cooperative Network Infrastructure (CNI)
Shaun is a co-founder of Cooperative Network Infrastructure (CNI) - the ‘cooperative neutral host’ that enables the sharing of passive digital infrastructure - fibre networks and data centres - by contributor and user members in public and private sectors. CNI now operates in major UK centres, including Manchester, Brighton and Blackpool. Members include city and rural authorities, public-sector health and education providers, telecoms operators and ISPs.
Shaun has over 25 years’ experience in computing and the internet. He co-founded Poptel, the pioneering on-line services provider that became one of the UK’s first ISPs and went on to launch the .coop top level internet domain in the first round of new TLDs in 2001. He is also a founding director of Manchester Digital.
John Duncan
Connected Places Lead
GMCA
John’s mission is to develop Greater Manchester’s world-class digital infrastructure, leveraging technology and data ethically to create resilient, connected, accessible, and sustainable communities for all. As a passionate advocate for digital transformation, John champions projects that leave a lasting positive impact on citizens and communities.
A recognised voice in the industry, John is a regular speaker at national and regional events, where he shares insights on digital strategy, connectivity, and inclusion. His work reflects a deep commitment to harnessing technology to enhance lives, protect the environment, and build a more equitable and inclusive society.
Lightning Talk: From Smartphone to Spaceship - BodyMirror and the Future of Brain Health
Dr. Zied Tayeb
Founder & CEO
MyelinZ®
Dr Zied Tayeb is the Founder & CEO of MyelinZ Group, a brain-computer interface company building an AI-driven neurotechnology platform that combines neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and immersive gaming to transform brain and body health—on Earth and in space. Alongside his entrepreneurial work, he has held academic appointments at leading UK institutions and was among the youngest to hold a professorial position in Neurotechnology nationally. With a PhD in Neurotechnology and a background in computer science, his work focuses on advancing non-invasive brain-machine interfaces and AI-enabled tools to push the boundaries of cognitive performance, rehabilitation, and human potential.
Dr Tayeb’s research has been published in over ten first-author peer-reviewed papers, and he is the inventor of more than five patents. His scientific and technological contributions have earned international recognition—he was named one of NASA iTech’s Top 10 Innovators, nominated for the International Brain-Computer Interface Award, and selected as the MedTech Rising Star of the Year in 2024 by MedTech World.
Panel: The Future of AI Agents and Agentic AI
Chair
Morgan Lewis
Legal Director
Brabners
Morgan is a Legal Director in Brabners' Commercial and Intellectual Property team.
A commercial contracts expert with transferable skills across all sectors, Morgan works predominantly with technology clients. A growing area of his practice involves advising businesses that are building or integrating emerging technologies -such as artificial intelligence, digital assets, Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable tech - into their operations. He supports both pioneering start-ups and scale-ups as well as established organisations seeking to procure or embed these technologies to enhance performance, efficiency and engagement.
Panellists
Rebecca Fox
Founder
Relentica
Rebecca Fox is a strategic technology and business leader with a global track record of transformation. As founder of advisory and delivery company Relentica, she partners with ambitious organisations to simplify complexity and drive results. Rebecca is an accomplished speaker known for her no-fluff energy and practical insight – delivering keynotes on leadership, technology, growth, and diversity. She’s served as a Group CIO, a non-executive director, and an advocate for inclusion in tech.
Alan Reed
Head of Platform Innovation
bet365
For over a decade, Alan Reed has led the teams responsible for innovating the products and services that catapulted bet365 to the front of the global online betting market and kept it there. As head of Sports Development, he and his team made many breakthroughs and delivered huge innovations in the pursuit of one crucial question — how to deliver an immersive experience to millions of concurrent players in real-time.
Seeing an opportunity to explore new technologies and identify the meaningful and lasting contribution they could make to the business, he recently took up the reins of a new department, the Platform Innovation Hub. As Head of Platform Innovation, Alan is focused on harnessing internal and external innovation and channelling it to drive game-changing breakthroughs in process, product, and platform design.
Lee Noble
Head of Digital
Peak.ai
Head of Digital with 10+ years’ experience delivering growth across SaaS, agency, and in-house roles.
Currently leading the digital function at Peak, a UiPath company — an AI scale-up focusing on agentic solutions for manufacturers and retailers.
Phil Birchenall
Founder
Diagonal Thinking
Phil Birchenall draws on over 20 years of experience in business strategy and technology. Phil has a deep understanding of how AI can revolutionise organisations. Before establishing Diagonal Thinking, Phil was Managing Director of an international media consultancy.
Phil’s career also includes a wealth of experience in business development, training initiatives, and strategic support. As the former Service Manager at Manchester’s pioneering Creative Industries Development Service (CIDS), he helped businesses focus on growth, while spearheading industry-wide initiatives. Today, he applies this expertise to help organisations understand and harness AI, guiding them towards sustainable success in an ever-evolving market.
Panel: Who’s Hiring, Who’s Rewiring?
Chair
Jack Stockport
Co-Founder & Technology Business Manager
SF Technology
Jack is a proud co-founder of SF Technology. With over 10 years tech recruitment experience Jack’s extensive experience has enabled him to collaborate with remarkable individuals in the startup, scale-up and consultancy space focusing on their senior engineering, deployment, and product needs.
He is a passionate recruiter who prioritises forming lasting working relationships over short-term gains. Jack's dedication to building and maintaining these connections underscores his value as a trusted partner in the technology recruitment field.
Panellists
Sara Simeone
CEO
NoCodeLab.ai
Sara Simeone is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and product strategist who has spent the past two decades turning frontier technologies into real-world growth engines. Today she wears several cutting-edge hats: Founder of NoCodeLab.ai, the first vibe-driven coding accelerator for non-technical founders; CEO & Co-founder of Niftyz.io, the Web3 token-factory that lets brands transform data and IP into tradable digital assets; and lecturer in Blockchain For Business at the MedieInstitutet in Sweden.
Richard Whittle
Research Fellow
University of Salford
Richard is an economist working at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Behavioural Science and Decision Making. He is an expert in the impact of Artificial Intelligence on Universities, sludge, behavioural design and dark patterns. His work focuses on supporting individuals, organisations and regulators in adopting and understanding the impacts of new technology. Richard contextualizes digital transformation within its wider political economy and use a behavioural science lens, with a focus on understanding, adaption and resilience.
Richard has been published in world-leading journals, including Public Administration and Work, Employment and Society, he led the technical research on the retail economy for the Greater Manchester Independent Prosperity Review, and conducted the financial ‘rules of thumb’ research for the UK’s Money Advice Service. This research programme directly informed the HM Treasury and FCA Financial Advice Marker Review. He has been awarded research funding from numerous sources including the ESRC, Research England, UKRI, the NHS and GMCA.
Richard sits on a variety research council awarding panels, is a member of the West Yorkshire Scientific Advisory Group, advises the Manchester Digital Strategy and has been awarded a visiting fellowship at the International Public Policy Observatory, University College London.
Elaine Higgins
Chief People Officer
Robiquity
Elaine serves as Chief People Officer at Robiquity, a market leading provider of intelligent automation and AI solutions. Prior to this Elaine led the people function at NCC Group and at UD Software Solutions.
She has worked in fast paced, commercial technology companies for over 20 years. Elaine is also a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and has extensive experience in developing people strategies that support growth and organisational development.
Paul Cartwright
Head of Service Management
MONY Group
Paul Cartwright has spent 23 years at Moneysupermarket, growing from Software Tester to Head of Service Management. He’s part of the AI adoption team at MONY Group, supporting tools like Copilot and ChatGPT. Paul leads with openness, pragmatism, and inclusion - believing in empowering people to do their best work. He’s passionate about making technology accessible and useful, and finds real excitement in how AI can simplify tasks and unlock creativity across every team.
Keynote Talk: Applying AI to the world’s most comprehensive health dataset - UK Biobank
Mark Conway
CTO
UK Biobank
Mark was formerly Chief Technologist at Micro Focus, where he led teams working on computer languages, data analytics, security, AI, and more. A pure play software person now exploring the inspiring realm of health research, Mark currently heads up the Data and Technology team at UK Biobank - the world’s most comprehensive dataset of biological, health and lifestyle information