Manchester Tech Festival Logo
Tickets

LEADERSHIP
DAY

02.10.25

About the conference

HOTEL VOCO, ManchesteR

08:45AM Registration | 5PM DRinks Reception

Leadership in 2026 is going to demand not just resilience, but reinvention…

Between transformation fatigue, generational tension, and the hype cycle of AI, even the best leaders are questioning how to move forward with clarity and confidence. 

Our Leadership Day is intentionally designed to cut through all that noise and provide searing insights from seasoned experts who know what they’re talking about. With Chatham House rules applying to all attendees throughout the day, we’ll start with a high-impact morning of provocative talks and useful Q+A themed panels featuring international experts. The unique afternoon of curated discussions and workshops have been designed specifically from the feedback we’ve received from last year’s C-Suite attendees. You told us you want the real perspective from your peers, and so our 8 Tables of 10 format with specific questions on each will satisfy the most curious out of you! The workshops and Breakout Talks are niche and aimed at solving real problems you have.

The content finishes at 4 but the day doesn’t – join us for exclusive networking drinks, frank conversations, and valuable new connections.

Our boldest Leadership Conference to date – it’s certainly one you won’t want to miss!
Buy Tickets >

SPONSORED BY

Please note: to ensure attendees can benefit from networking opportunities and attendance at the conference, tickets are limited to 2 tickets per company. Leadership content is aimed at C-Suite, Heads of, Directors and Founders. If you are from a recruitment company or consultancy our PSL for the event is full for those attendees. We kindly ask you do not purchase a ticket to allow us to keep the event balanced. If you do purchase a ticket from one of those industries we will not allow entry and are not able to process a refund.

What to expect

The MTF Leadership day is designed for C-Suit executives, VP’s and Directors, Entrepreneurs and Founders, Aspiring Senior Leaders, Heads of Department and Functional leaders. Regardless of title, delegates can expect:

Our morning consists of three fast-paced, thought-provoking sessions that get straight to the point. These talks are built for busy leaders who want real insight, not fluff. From ditching transformation programmes for good, to leading through culture clashes and  turning data into real business value—each session tackles a big, current challenge with fresh thinking and practical takeaways.

Our morning brings together seasoned tech leaders to cut through the noise and share sharp, honest takes on the trends shaping tomorrow. Expect quick-fire insights, real-world perspectives, and a chance to ask your own questions—anonymously if you like. It’s your chance to get unfiltered advice on the challenges that really matter as you plan for what’s next.

New for 2025, our hands-on workshops offer a focused space for leaders to sharpen key skills and dive into high-level discussions. Each session provides not only the chance to develop new capabilities but also to explore how peers are tackling the same challenges in their own organisations.

These tailored sessions let you choose the topics most relevant to your role—providing fresh insights, peer-led perspectives, and practical strategies to take back to your organisation.

The Roundtable Room offers candid, Chatham House-rule discussions on today’s most pressing leadership challenges—from AI security and offshoring to flexible working and junior talent. Each table is guided by an experienced tech leader, with open, unscripted conversations shaped by those around it. A space for shared experience, practical insight, and peer-to-peer learning.

We end the day with our signature social—an informal drinks reception where the most meaningful conversations often happen. Mingle with fellow leaders, reconnect with speakers, and carry on the conversations that matter in a relaxed, welcoming setting.

SPEAKERS

Discover this years speakers

Jodi Morton

Former Partner & U.S CDO KPMG
& COO | Empiriq

David Lindop

Former Global CDO for Consulting
EY

Richard Bradley

HRBP- European IT & Senior Director Data & Analytics
Kellanova

Mel Knight

Chartered MCIPD
Co-Founder & Director - Action Potential Performance Group

Naomi Hewitt

Co-Founder & Director
Action Potential Performance Group

Jon Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

Dave Parker

Co-Founder & Director
Parker Neal

Amelia Bampton

Engagement Manager
Equal Experts

Jon Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

Breakout Talks & Workshops

Discover our Breakout Talks & Workshop Hosts

Caroline Canty

Founder & Director
Craft Coaching

Andrew Carlin

Principal Software Engineer
Jaguar Land Rover

Clare Sudbery

Technical and leadership Coach
Sudbery Software Engineering Ltd

David Cox

Product Lead
Equal Experts

James Heggs

Technical Director
Counter

Rob Sandbach

Managing Director
Indiespring

AGENDA

Hotel Voco Manchester, 59 Portland St, Manchester M1 3HP

Arrive early and take full advantage of morning networking

Take your seats as we open the conference. Don’t forget you have your event app to hand!

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

SESSION OUTLINE

When you set out to transform your organisation, wrapping it in a programme is the best way to prevent it from happening. Why? Because what you’re doing is putting the very thing you’re trying to transform in control of it’s own demise. You’ve created the Turkeys voting for Christmas scenario. Furthermore, you’ve created a behemoth so large it will crush the spirits of even the most hardy of change agents, and confuse the hell out of your very best multi-taskers.

So what’s the alternative?

The answer lies in how you got here in the first place. If you’re a leader, you’re almost certainly helping to run a very successful business. That business didn’t emerge fully formed as a result of a majestic piece of intelligent design. It started small and evolved as it grew, adapting to the changing environment around it, much as a successful species does.

The trick to successful transformation is in taking a firm hold on that evolutionary process and guiding it towards the desired destination. We call this approach “Continuous Evolution” and this talk will explain how you can make it work in your organisation.

And if you succeed, you’ll never need to do another transformation again.

Mel Knight

Chartered MCIPD
Co-Founder & Director
Action Potential Performance Group

Naomi Hewitt

Co-Founder & Director
Action Potential Performance Group

SESSION OUTLINE

Are today’s leader failing or just freezing?
 
Met with conflicting demands around DE&I, even some of the most well-intentioned initiatives are being met with backlash and criticism and many of today’s leaders are unsure of how to do the right thing and just what it takes to move forward.
 
The latest generation to enter the workplace are smart, socially-conscious and expect more from work – but they’ve also grown up in a hyper-curated world where discomfort and discrimination might not mean the same thing across the generational divides and different in-groups.
In this bold, no-nonsense session, we’ll unpack why their expectations feel so different, how to lead from the front and just what it takes to actually listen in a world of increasingly polarised opinions and division.
 
How do we go from call-outs and cancellations to compromise and cooperation all whist maintaining our greater goals?
 
If you’ve ever thought “why bother trying to make everybody happy?” or “it’s not worth the hassle”, this talk will give you the tools to navigate generational shifts and difference of opinion with clarity. We’ll discuss the complexities of creating a culture of inclusion while still driving standards with confidence.
 

David Lindop

Former Global CDO for Consulting
EY

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

Join us for refreshments and networking in the bar. Alternatively, take the opportunity to speak with our sponsors at their stands.  

David Lindop

Former Global CDO for Consulting
EY

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

SESSION OUTLINE

Head back into the conference for a word from our sponsors

David Lindop

Former Global CDO for Consulting
EY

Richard Bradley

HRBP- European IT & Senior Director Data & Analytics | Kellanova

Amelia Bampton

Engagement Manager
Equal Experts

Dave Parker

Co-Founder & Director
Parker Neal

SESSION OUTLINE

Join our panel of forward-thinking, battle-tested technology leaders for a dynamic session exploring what’s really ahead for the leadership community in 2026. Each speaker will offer a concise, insight-rich introduction before sharing their take on the trends, shifts, and misconceptions shaping the year to come. 

What should be on your radar? What’s overhyped? And what can you confidently stop worrying about? 

After setting the scene, the session opens up for audience Q&A—an opportunity to bring your business challenges, strategic questions, or ideas to the table and get straight-talking advice from leaders who’ve been there. Questions can be submitted anonymously, creating space for honest, unfiltered discussion. This is a must-attend for anyone serious about steering technology strategy into 2026 and beyond.

Jodie Morton

Former Partner & U.S CDO KPMG
& COO | Empiriq

SESSION OUTLINE

Data has the power to unlock growth, innovation, and competitive advantage, but only when it’s treated as a strategic business asset. In this session, Jodi Morton will explore how aligning data programs with business strategy, securing executive sponsorship, and fostering true collaboration between business, data and IT are essential to delivering meaningful outcomes. Learn how goal alignment across functions can transform data from a siloed challenge into a shared opportunity.

Our afternoon sessions give you the opportunity to tailor your day, aligning your agenda with your business priorities. Session clash? Don’t worry, we’ll be uploading materials from our workshops and talk recordings to our event app, so you don’t have to miss a thing! 

Andrew Carlin

Principal Software Engineer
Jaguar Land Rover

SESSION OUTLINE

What happens when a well-established engineering culture is dismantled almost overnight? Over 2 years, I lived through a full transformation—from a thriving, high-performing in-house team to an offshored, supplier-led model that struggled to meet the same standards. The fallout wasn’t just technical—it was deeply human. This talk explores how we adapted, rediscovered purpose, and began the hard work of cultural rehabilitation. Through honest reflection and real-world examples, I’ll share what went wrong, what I’d do differently, and how momentum was rebuilt. You’ll leave with practical tools for leading through disruption, rebuilding culture, and using coaching and storytelling to recover identity and performance.

David Cox

Product Manager
Equal Experts

SESSION OUTLINE

Choosing the right thing to do is the difference between short-term trouble and long-term success. 
Unfortunately, too many leaders feel that (a) they have to deliver results quickly if not instantly; and (b) that for some reason they need to make those decisions alone.

The purpose of this workshop game is for groups of leaders to collaborate on setting the budget priorities for Amyville, a fictional city in the proud nation of Tabitha.

The workshop explores how collaboration, negotiation and empathy helps leaders improve the quality of their decision-making. 
 
To achieve the best results, each group will need to find an amicable way of balancing different perspectives and priorities.
There’s lots you could do, but you can’t afford to do them all. In some instances, you’ll have to pool your money to deliver the best possible outcomes for the citizens of Amyville.
 
In some instances, you may have to go without, for the greater good.
 

James Heggs

Technical Director
Counter

SESSION OUTLINE

Maybe your tech team’s output isn’t what it used to be. Delivery’s slowed. Morale’s wobbling. One individual’s not quite gelling. Restructure is looming. You’re firefighting – as is everyone else. Sound familiar?
 
In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore what happens when high-performing teams start to drift, how leadership behaviours can quietly contribute to the problem, and what you can actually do to turn things around.
 
Led by James Heggs, Technical Director at Counter, this session tackles tough people-management problems head-on – unpacking the practical, actionable habits that build psychological safety without sacrificing delivery, and foster team ownership without burning people out.
 
Expect to reflect, debate, and walk away with a clearer picture of how to lead through challenge – with more compassion, more clarity, and more confidence.
 
Practical Takeaways
  • A simple framework for assessing team health and leadership impact
  • Common signs of drift and what they actually mean
  • Tools for giving clear direction without micromanaging
  • Techniques for coaching and unblocking engineers
  • Real examples from the field, not fluff

 

SESSION OUTLINE

New for this year’s Leadership Day, the Roundtable Room gives you the chance to step into honest, off-the-record conversations with fellow tech leaders. You’ll join a small group tackling the issues that matter most to your organisation—whether that’s AI security, flexible working, offshoring, junior talent, or the environmental cost of innovation. Each table is led by an experienced facilitator who’ll help guide the discussion, but where it goes is entirely up to you. Under Chatham House rules, you can speak freely, ask bold questions, and learn from others facing the same challenges. Pick the roundtable that hits closest to home—and walk away with insights you can actually use.

Table Discussion Topics include:

1) Is AI security the CISO’s responsibility or the CTO’s?  
2) Have we gone too far with flexible working…or not far enough? 
3) Is it still worth off-shoring your development teams? 
4) Transformation Programmes: Can continuous evolution work for large enterprise orgs?
5) Leadership Vs Cancel Culture: Can’t Do Right For Doing Wrong?
6) What has Tech got to do with Climate Change – and what can we do about it? 
7) Empowered vs Replaced: What skills will tech teams need to use AI instead of being replaced by it? 
8) You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks: Is Ageism the worst kept secret in the industry?  

Our afternoon sessions give you the opportunity to tailor your day, aligning your agenda with your business priorities. Session clash? Don’t worry, we’ll be uploading materials from our workshops and talk recordings to our event app, so you don’t have to miss a thing! 

Caroline Canty

Founder & Director
Craft Coaching

SESSION OUTLINE

Deadlines, client pressure, driving buy-in, having difficult conversations – the stressors of senior leadership never seem to end, especially in tech where the constant push for innovation can be overwhelming. All of this means that cortisol often plays a huge role in our work lives and our day-to-day performance, way more than we realise. But is there a way to work with it, rather than against it? A way to lead and scale without burning out? Absolutely – and in this session, you’ll learn how, plus the key leadership tactics you’ll need to do it, and the next steps you can implement immediately to bring it to life. Join us for this session and start rewiring the mindsets and behaviours of your team for serious growth.

Clare Sudbery

Technical & Leadership Coach
Sudbery Software Engineering Ltd

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

John Ayre

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead
Equal Experts

SESSION OUTLINE

Ensemble programming, also known as mob programming, is like pair programming but more so. Described by Woody Zuill as “All the brilliant minds working together on the same thing, at the same time, in the same space, and at the same computer”, it brings teams together to maximise collaboration and minimise bottlenecks.

Some teams do it all the time, some use it as a targeted tool in particular circumstances – for instance when starting a new project, learning a new technology or onboarding new team members. In this workshop we’ll practice various techniques and learn how to make the ensemble work best.

Rob Sandbach

Managing Director
Indiespring

SESSION OUTLINE

Heading up a tech team with so many moving parts can be exhausting – resource frustrations, issues to fix, outsourcing headaches, team drain and motivation dips – sometimes you just wish you could get some of it off your plate… but how? 

After working with so many tech leaders over the years, we understand, which is exactly why we developed this masterclass exclusively for attendees of MTF. We’ll help you get clarity and control back when it comes to your tech stack, so you can finally keep that much needed focus and momentum on that core product you’re always trying to progress. 

In this session, you’ll not only carve out the time needed to tackle this common leadership problem, explore some of the major distractions you’d never think of, and uncover what’s really holding your team back, but our experts will help guide you on the exact next steps to take once you leave the room. 

SESSION OUTLINE

New for this year’s Leadership Day, the Roundtable Room gives you the chance to step into honest, off-the-record conversations with fellow tech leaders. You’ll join a small group tackling the issues that matter most to your organisation—whether that’s AI security, flexible working, offshoring, junior talent, or the environmental cost of innovation. Each table is led by an experienced facilitator who’ll help guide the discussion, but where it goes is entirely up to you. Under Chatham House rules, you can speak freely, ask bold questions, and learn from others facing the same challenges. Pick the roundtable that hits closest to home—and walk away with insights you can actually use.

Table Discussion Topics include:

1) Is AI security the CISO’s responsibility or the CTO’s?  
2) Have we gone too far with flexible working…or not far enough? 
3) Is it still worth off-shoring your development teams? 
4) Transformation Programmes: Can continuous evolution work for large enterprise orgs?
5) Leadership Vs Cancel Culture: Can’t Do Right For Doing Wrong?
6) What has Tech got to do with Climate Change – and what can we do about it? 
7) Empowered vs Replaced: What skills will tech teams need to use AI instead of being replaced by it? 
8) You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks: Is Ageism the worst kept secret in the industry?  

Purchase your pass

Tickets for our Leadership Conference are £36 each and include admission to the day conference at Hotel Voco and the private drinks reception on the terrace. Ticket price also includes refreshments & lunch.

Purchase Tickets >

Please note: to ensure attendees can benefit from networking opportunities and attendance at the conference, tickets are limited to 2 tickets per company. Leadership content is aimed at C-Suite, Heads of, Directors and Founders. If you are from a recruitment company or consultancy our PSL for the event is full for those attendees. We kindly ask you do not purchase a ticket to allow us to keep the event balanced. If you do purchase a ticket from one of those industries we will not allow entry and are not able to process a refund.

AFTER PARTY

Roof Terrace, Voco, Manchester M1 3HP 

Our evening social offers the perfect setting to forge new connections, exchange insights, and build valuable relationships within the tech community. 

With a vibrant atmosphere, delicious refreshments, and opportunities to engage with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and like-minded enthusiasts, this evening social is the ideal platform to relax, unwind, and expand your professional network.

I’ve never seen a conference with such a high level of visible diversity and inclusion, and I’ve never seem so many delegates that were positively BUZZING from all of the inspirational talks and stories. What a brilliant, brilliant day.

Thank you to all the organisers, I can’t wait for next year!
Paul O'Donnell
Attendee
So many ‘WIT’ events focus on how women need to lean in. They are all focused on how women need to change. My biggest takeaway from today is that we need to talk more about changing the system. Not about changing women in under-represented groups. Honestly the best conference I’ve been to for a long time.
Holly Donohue
Attendee
The unfiltered requirement did not miss. Each speaker brought their authentic selves to that stage and very moving stories. Thank you all for your honesty and openness. Thank you for the most inclusive agenda I’ve seen.

You understood that representation would matter, and rose to the challenge!
Natalie Navickas
Attendee

Take to the MTF Stage

At MTF we are proud of the incredible community we are part of, that’s why at the end of every conference we welcome members of the community to take to the stage and have their say for 99 seconds! 

It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned speaker or new to the tech scene we want to hear from you! In fact, some of Manchester’s most experienced speakers started with a quick 99 second pitch!

We welcome sign up’s on the day, so make sure you grab a member of the team if you want to take to the stage!

CHARITY PARTNERS

Throughout the year Manchester Tech Festival supports a number of charities. Find out how your business can support them on the pages below and connect at one of our events:

Purchase your Tickets

Tickets for the Leadership Day are £75 and include entry to the conference, early access to the event app to build your own agenda, entry to the evening social and access to conference recordings and content for up to 6 months following the festival! Your ticket also includes refreshments throughout the day and lunch at Hotel Voco.

Don’t forget, MTF is a two week festival so check out our other events and once your ready to book your tickets, follow the links below!

Tickets

Know which events you want to attend and ready to purchase your tickets - head on over to our checkout.
MORE >

TEAM TICKETS

MTF is ideal for upskilling your tech team. Find out more about how MTF can benefit for your team and how to bulk purchase tickets.
MORE >

FUNDING

Many of our attendees have their costs covered by their employer, find out more about how to ask for funding.
MORE >
MTF_JodiMorton

Jodi
Morton

Linkedin

ABOUT

Former Partner & U.S CDO | KPMG
COO | Empiriq

Jodi is a seasoned data, finance, and business transformation executive with over 30 years of leadership experience. She has a distinguished track record in data strategy and governance, financial operations and large-scale organizational transformation.

With expertise spanning data strategy, AI, enterprise technology, finance and accounting she has successfully led high performing teams, managed multi-million-dollar budgets, and implemented strategic initiatives that drive innovation, differentiating insights, efficiency, and cost savings.

Most recently, Jodi served as Partner and U.S. Chief Data Officer at KPMG, where she built and scaled a world-class data organization. She drove data strategy, governance, analytics, and data and analytics transformation programs. Her leadership in data and analytics has earned her multiple industry recognitions, including being named one of CDO Magazine’s Global Data Power Women for five consecutive years.

Prior to KPMG, she held various executive roles at Freddie Mac, including Vice President, Single-Family Chief Data Officer (CDO) and Vice President, Single-Family Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Jodi began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the audit practice, focusing on the financial services industry.

Jodi is a sought-after speaker, thought leader, and published expert in data innovation, frequently contributing insights at industry conferences and executive forums.

She is passionate about leveraging data and finance to drive organizational growth, governance excellence, and long-term strategic impact, making her an asset to organizations seeking to leverage data to drive growth and value.

DavidLindopMTF

David
Lindop

Linkedin

ABOUT

Founder of Anterospective.ai & Former Global Chief Data Officer for Consulting at EY

David is a seasoned Chief Data Officer and Technology Strategist with over 30 years of experience in leading business transformations and delivering measurable commercial outcomes through data. At EY, David played a key role in developing the firm’s AI data strategy and pioneering an ontology-led approach to data and knowledge management. Prior to this David held positions such as the Global Data Fabric Leader and led the Data and Analytics practice for Financial Services in the UK.

RichardBradley

Richard Bradley

Linkedin

ABOUT

HRBP- European IT & Senior Director Data & Analytics | Kellanova

Rich Bradley is an experienced Senior Data and Analytics Director with a passion for value delivery.
With over 25 years experience in FMCG, Rich has successfully led numerous tech initiatives in Kellanova, helping the organisation to navigate the complexities of digital transformation. Various panel participation including mainstage (DTX 2024) & Apadmi summer soirée 2024. Hosted multiple digital transformation roundtables. Performed at Manchester Comedy Store (Opening Mic).

MTF25_Mel

Mel
Knight

Linkedin

ABOUT

Chartered MCIPD – Co-Founder & Director | Action Potential Performance Group
Mel is a Chartered OD & L&D specialist with 15+ years’ experience and a background in neuroscience. She partners with businesses to deliver sustainable, scalable and measurable results including cutting time to competency by 75%, boosting productivity by 200% and slashing attrition by 88%. 
Her career within the recruitment sector as a top biller and senior leader blends commercial edge with behavioural insight. Mel is also passionate about equity and inclusion, building psychologically safe spaces that turn positive intent into impactful action – no guilt trips, just real change.
MTF25_Naiomi

Naomi Hewitt

Linkedin

ABOUT

Co-Founder & Director | Action Potential Performance Group
With 10+ years in sales, training and Ops, Naomi pairs commercial acumen with a people-first mindset to drive real, scalable results. Starting in sales at 17, she quickly rose to global roles, known for boosting performance and building high-impact teams.
Recently, she’s focused on leadership development, change and efficiency – cutting admin time by 70% through smart, data-led solutions. Naomi thrives on turning complex challenges into clear, lasting wins.
She brings sharp analytics, emotional intelligence and a passion for shaping people-centred, forward-thinking organisations.
MTF25_

Jon Ayre

Linkedin

ABOUT

Strategic Advisory Practice Lead at Equal Experts.
Bringing insight and pragmatism to companies that care. Creator of the Business Evolution Map and the Continuous Evolution approach to business transformation. Previously CTO at the DWP and member of the UK Government technology forum.

A strategist and leader specialising in the introduction and delivery of technology enabled business transformation to large scale organisations. Focusing primarily on large-scale, disruptive change, key areas of experience include the digital transformation in the public sector, retail banking, insurance services, consumer sales and multi-channel experiences.

Currently advises and works with senior stakeholders at client organisations to bring about lasting valuable change in a collaborative and sustainable way.
DaveLeader

David
Parker

Linkedin

ABOUT

Co-Founder & Director | Parker Neal

Dave is a specialist leader in data governance and privacy, including operational information security engagements with 20+ years success delivering change programmes for regulated and non-regulated businesses. Dave’s experience has been global and includes the delivery of a £36 Million Programme of work for Bleeding edge data discovery, data matching and compliance

AmeliaLeader

Amelia
Bampton

Linkedin

ABOUT

Engagement Manager | Equal Experts
Amelia is a driven by enabling businesses to achieve success through technology enablements. She has succeeded in delivering complex technology solutions to businesses across multiple industries. Across her career she has taken roles incorporating portfolio, project and people management. 
MTF25_CarolineCanty

Caroline
Canty

Linkedin

ABOUT

Founder & Director | Craft Coaching

Caroline Canty is a business and performance coach who helps fast-moving tech and digital companies to stop chasing outcomes and start engineering them. A specialist in growth and commercial strategies, she’s passionate about supporting senior leaders in getting the most out of their teams and resource. From scale-up challenges to leadership and management, she guides teams in developing high-performance ways of working, whilst fostering a supportive “coaching culture” within the businesses she works with.
MTF25_AndrewCarlin

Andrew
Carlin

Linkedin

ABOUT

Principal Software Engineer | Jaguar Land Rover

Andrew Carlin is a thoughtful engineering leader with over a decade of experience delivering complex, scalable systems and leading teams through major transformations. He’s passionate about culture, mentoring, and innovation, and has spoken at Trusted Tech Talk by Maxwell Bond, Evo Inspires, and Evolution Exchange. A published author and active member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Andrew brings a human-centered leadership style focused on turning disruption into resilience and rebuilding high-performing teams with purpose.
MTF25_ClareSudbery

Clare
Sudbery

Linkedin

ABOUT

Technical and leadership coach | Sudbery Software Engineering Ltd
Clare Sudbery is an independent coach who has worked in software engineering since the mid 90s. She specialises in helping those in technical leadership, and teaching eXtreme Programming (XP) practices such as TDD, refactoring, pairing, continuous integration.

 

In 2009, Clare sharpened her teaching skills via a brief stint as a high school maths teacher… but quickly returned to software, gaining new energy via leadership and XP. Clare taught the Coding Black Females’ Return to Tech programme, runs various online trainings for O’Reilly, and co-ran Made Tech’s academy. She has a passion for helping under-represented groups to flourish in tech.

 

Clare hosted Season One of the acclaimed Making Tech Better podcast, and is in high demand to present workshops and talks at a wide variety of international conferences and events. She blogs at Queen of Questions (https://queen-of-questions.kit.com/
).
DavidCox

David Cox

Linkedin

ABOUT

Product Manager | Equal Experts
David began his career as a market researcher within the media industry and has since worked in product leadership roles across Europe, the US and Australia. With experience spanning healthcare, government, telecoms, pharma, retail, financial services and more, David brings a broad and nuanced perspective to product leadership. David is also particularly passionate about placing people at the centre of technological transformation.
MTF25_JamesHeggs

James
Heggs

Linkedin

ABOUT

Technical Director | Counter

Technical Director of Counter and proud Dad, James is a graduate in Software Engineering and has spent over 16 years working in the North West’s tech sector in a range of roles from software engineer to Head of Development, as well as being a DevOps consultant for both public and private sector businesses. A keen advocate for tech in the North West, James also organises the Devops Manchester Meet Up designed to bring the DevOps community together. He is also co-founder of Tech Returners and a previous holder of the Made in Manchester Awards Technology Professional of the Year.