Connected Britain 2026: agenda and talks

Thursday 10 September 2026

• 09:00

  Redefining digital participation for the nations through a system based approach

  Keynote Theatre

  Included

  Leigh Smyth, CEO, ImpactMatch · Jemma Waters, Project Director, The Connection Project · Simon Hewitt, Chairperson, Digital Inclusion Alliance

• 09:40

  UK 2030: AI, innovation and productivity

  Keynote Theatre

  Included

  Tiffany St James, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority · Chris Thorn, Digital & Transformation Director, Working Age Services, Department for Work and Pensions · Anthony Okereke, Leader, Royal Borough of Greenwich · Kellie Beirne, Chief Executive Officer, Cardiff Capital Region · Sophie Greaves, Associate Director, techUK

• 10:20

  CXO Interview: G.Network

  Keynote Theatre

  Included

  David Sangster, CEO, G.Network · Karen Egan, Managing Director, Telecoms, Enders Analysis

• 10:40

  Networking break

  Exhibition Hall

  Included
• 11:15

  AI Opportunity Clinic

  People, Skills & Recruitment Zone

  Included

  Luc Elsby, Founder, Leverage AI

• 11:15

  Introduction to the Zone

  Location to be confirmed

  Included

  Tom Kegode, Founder, Sparkshift

• 11:20

  Belfast 5GIR Grant Scheme: turning connectivity into adoption

  Theatre 9

  Included

  Paula Fee, Belfast 5G Innovation Region Programme Manager, Belfast City Council · Guy Middleton, Director, Spirit Public Sector Ltd · Lee Vasey, Director, Spirit Public Sector Ltd

• 11:20

  The Purpose Pivot: Leadership strategies for sustainable & ethical impact

  Location to be confirmed

  Included

  Sara Weller, Non Executive Director, BT · Bernie Hollywood, Director/Trustee, Made Impact · Stephen Cahill, Partner, Farient Advisors · Faye Van Flute, Principal, Social Value and Business, BT

• 11:20

  Presentation from Cornerstone

  Keynote Theatre

  Included
• 11:20

  Presentation from Corning

  Theatre 2

  Included
• 11:20

  Delivering better mobile coverage and capacity to cities using small cells - a view from the SCF Local Authority Connectivity Group

  Theatre 10

  Included

  Claire Marshall, Chief Operating Officer, Small Cell Forum Limited

• 11:20

  Solving the power problem: Alternative energy and smart grid solutions for data centres

  Theatre 5

  Included

  Mark Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, ILI Group Plc · Helena Anderson, Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Ikigai Capital · Jamie Shaw-Stewart, Head of Silicon Sands, Blackpool Council

• 11:20

  From national to local: How to innovate with AI and Data in public services

  Theatre 6

  Included

  Sarah Blackmore, Executive director, Social Work England · Kat Sexton, Deputy Director Local AI, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government · Nathan Pierce, Director of Essex Digital Service, Essex County Council · Chris Wales, Director of Digital Innovation, Brighton & Hove City Council · Paul Wilson, Chair, advisory board Smart Cities World, Open & Agile Smart Cities & Communities (OASC)

• 11:40

  Digital dignity: Connectivity, devices, and skills in temporary accommodation

  Theatre 3

  Included

  Elizabeth Hendry, Head of Programmes, Jangala · Alexandria Morgan, Digital Equity Senior Principal, Greater Manchester Combined Authority · Moses Seitler, Chief Executive, Screen Share UK · Chris Grant, Community Team Lead, AbilityNet

• 11:40

  Sky-high ambitions: Integrating satellites into the UK’s multi-technology mix

  Keynote Theatre

  Included

  Andrew Walwyn, Founder, Brdy Telecom · Mauro Mortali, Managing Partner - Strategy, Change and People, Cambridge Management Consulting · Ning Wang, Deputy Director of Smart Internet Lab, University of Bristol · Stuart Birchall, Head of Service Development, Zen Internet · Gerry Collins, Director, Product Management, S.E.S. Satellites

• 11:40

  Connecting the hard to reach: Rural counties, shared infrastructure and what still isn’t working

  Theatre 8

  Included

  Richard Walters, Digital Connectivity Relationship Manager, Carmarthenshire County Council · Jonathan Harris, Programme Director, Connecting Cumbria · Ben Allwright, Owner & CEO, Allwright Advisory

• 11:40

  Next-generation monetisation: Unlocking value in connectivity and beyond

  Theatre 2

  Included

  Tom Stabb, Customer Development Lead, Ordnance Survey · Bertrand Mazieres, CEO, Lightning Fibre · Francisco de Carvalho, Governing Board Member, Linux Foundation Broadband · Darren Martin, Senior Product Manager, MDS Global Ltd · Clive Quantrill, Senior Partner, Cambridge Management Consulting

• 11:40

  Inward investment: Competing for capital and driving regional growth

  Theatre 9

  Included

  Simon Bond, Director, Bath Riverside Innovation District, University of Bath · Stacey McAdie, Digital Champion & Senior Digital Connectivity Lead, South London Partnership · Marvin Rees, The Lord of Easton, House of Lords · Craig Cheney, Managing Partner, Cambridge Management Consulting

• 11:40

  Smart buildings and the intelligent home

  Theatre 10

  Included

  Janette Hughes, Director of Planning and Performance, Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre · Craig Thomas, CEO, Broadband Forum · Mashood Ahmad, CEO, Gigabit IQ · Paul Howard, ISP Pre-Sales Director, TP-Link UK & Ireland · Professor Julie McCann, Federated Telecoms Hubs Co-Director, Imperial College London · Marina Koytcheva, Research director, STL Partners

• 11:40

  The rail revolution: Delivering high-speed connectivity across the network

  Theatre 1

  Included

  Robert Gardner, Technical Solutions Manager, Hitachi Rail GTS UK · Dave Happy MBE, Chair Security EWG & Non-Exec Chair Transport for Wales Fibre, Telint Ltd (5GRural Dorset) · Steve Morris, Founder, Ingram Networks · Ali Nicholl, Data & Digital Strategic Engagement Director, Connected Places Catapult

• 12:00

  The AI bubble: Are we overthinking the infrastructure boom?

  Theatre 4

  Included

  Thibault Contat Desfontaines, Co-Head of Infrastructure Equity Europe, UBS · Michaela Eschbach, CEO, Cambridge Wireless

• 12:00

  Engineering the future: The evolution of apprenticeships and early career talent

  People, Skills & Recruitment Zone

  Included

  Sarah Chowdhury, Group People Transformation and Skills Director, OSB Group · Chris Mann, Director of Learning & Assurance, ECITB · Dan Tingle, Head of Development Programmes, National Grid · Giles Hudson, Apprentice Project Manager, National Grid

• 12:20

  The augmented workforce: Redesigning the organisation for the AI era

  Theatre 6

  Included

  Sarah Golley, Executive Coach & Business Advisor, WICT UK & Ireland · Stuart Pearson, Head of Innovation, Citizens Advice Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale and Trafford · Catherine Colloms, NED for Gigaclear, Industrial Development Advisory Board (DBT) & Board Advisor for Labour Digital, Independent

• 12:20

  Network Sovereignty in the United Kingdom: Impacts on Security, Economy and Autonomy

  Keynote Theatre

  Included

  Jan Oetjen, CEO, FRITZ!

• 12:20

  Case study presentation: London investment challenges

  Theatre 9

  Included

  Davina Fell, Digital Connectivity Lead, Central London Forward · Stacey McAdie, Digital Champion & Senior Digital Connectivity Lead, South London Partnership · Robin Bosworth, Digital Lead, Local London · Fin Kelly, Strategic Lead - Digital, West London Alliance

• 12:20

  Presentation from The Next Path Device Consortium

  Theatre 3

  Included

  Freddie Quek, Co-Director, The Next Path Device Consortium

• 12:20

  Launching Coop Mobile: Building a digital-first, member-led brand

  Location to be confirmed

  Included

  David McGrath, Chief Marketing Officer and Membership Officer, COOP Mobile

• 12:20

  Presentation from Vyntelligence

  Theatre 2

  Included
• 12:20

  Economic security risks in telco technology: A comparative study of legacy, hybrid and cloud-native architecture

  Theatre 10

  Included

  Liam Mcphee, Senior Solutions Architect, University West of Scotland

• 12:40

  Making consolidation a reality: integration and value creation

  Theatre 2

  Included

  Sean Royce, Strategic Board Advisor, Quickline Communications Limited · Neil McRae, Chief Technology and Information Officer, CityFibre · Steve Glendinning, NED and Independent Consultant, IDNet · Sajan Parikh, CTO, COS Systems · Alexander Ohlsson, Principal, Analysys Mason

• 12:40

  The Future of Trusted Communications: Regulation, Innovation and Cross-Sector Collaboration

  Theatre 4

  Included

  Dario Betti, CEO, Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF) · Nicholas Rossman, Programme Director, Mobile Ecosystem Forum · Stefano Nicoletti, Head of UK SID Registry, Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF) · Jaroslava Folvarska, Fraud Systems Specialist, VodafoneThree

• 12:40

  Business case for a Connected Society

  Location to be confirmed

  Included

  Leigh Smyth, CEO, ImpactMatch · Helen Burrows, Controller, Distribution, BBC · Ed Leighton, Director of Strategy, The Connection Project · George Eckton, Insights Programme, Digital Inclusion Alliance

• 12:40

  Celebrating inclusive employment success across telecoms and green energy

  People, Skills & Recruitment Zone

  Included
• 12:40

  Customer strategy: Shifting the focus from acquisition to retention

  Keynote Theatre

  Included

  Tim Stranack, Regulatory & Trade Director, Community Fibre · Neil Smith, Chief Operating Officer, TalkTalk · Hayden Shaw, Insight Director, FDM CCS Insight · Vasa Babic, Head of EMEA, Actifai · Sylwia Kechiche, VP Industry Analysis, Opensignal · Lutfu Kitapci, Chief Customer Officer & MD of ISP, Hyperoptic

• 12:40

  The evolution of MVNOs in the UK connectivity market

  Theatre 1

  Included

  James Gray, Managing Director, Graystone Strategy Ltd · Gary McCready, Commercial & Strategy Director - iD Mobile, Currys Plc · Kester Mann, Director, Consumer and Connectivity, FDM CCS Insight · Ross Devereux, Professional Services Director, Lifecycle Software

• 12:40

  Workshop session with DWP

  Theatre 9

  Included
• 12:40

  Telecoms needs new voices: Winning the talent battle in a changing workforce

  Theatre 10

  Included

  Lauren Croxson, Snr Sales Director/Co-Chair of WiT, Sangoma · Laura Jenkins, Digital Connectivity Relationship Manager, City and County of Swansea Council · Iain Sinnott, CEO, SMECO Ltd · Julie Mills, Neurodiversity Practitioner & CEO, Support to Win.tv Ltd · Maxine Eunson, Head of Public Sector, 8x8

• 12:40

  Roundtable workshop: From strategy to reality: Building credible use cases for local authorities

  Theatre 8

  Included

  Naomi Hutchinson, Chief Innovation and Growth Officer, Sunderland City Council · Chris Founds, Director & Founding Partner, Founds Group

• 13:00

  Presentation from Dr Abdalla Kablan

  Theatre 6

  Included

  Abdalla Kablan, Founder & CEO, DELTA Wealth Partners

• 13:35

  Leading through uncertainty and protecting your organisation’s culture

  Keynote Theatre

  Included

  Steve Wilson, CEO, 4th Utility / Rise Fibre · Rebecca Dobson, Chief People Officer, MS3 Networks Ltd · Lucie Smith, Chair of techUK's Telecoms Council & Director of Programmes, Mova · Katie Heenan, Programme Manager, Digital Connectivity Forum · Mark Detre, Founder & Senior Communications Consultant, Northbrook Advisory

• 13:35

  From funding to delivery: Unlocking digital value through partnerships

  Theatre 8

  Included

  Melissa Middleton, Economic Policy Advisor, Gateshead Council · Shelley Bowyer, Business Applications Manager for Adults and Children, Buckinghamshire Council · Jessica Ellis, Advisor, Digital Places · Donal Denvir, Vice President, IDA Ireland

• 13:35

  Rewiring government services: Building the interoperable public sector

  Theatre 1

  Included

  Johnny Wolf, Head of Enterprise Architecture & FinOps Lead, Metropolitan Police Service · David Bailey, Head of Events and Brand Engagement, Police Digital Service · Alexander Iosad, Government Innovation Policy Expert, Independent

• 13:35

  Connecting the crowd: Delivering flawless coverage in high-density venues

  Theatre 10

  Included

  Dimitra Simeonidou, Director Smart Internet Lab, University of Bristol · David Crawford, 5G Projects Director, University of Strathclyde · Gareth Thomas, Digital Project Manager, Swansea Bay City Deal · Harald Haas, Federated Telecoms Hubs Co-Director, University of Cambridge · Richard Webb, Principal Analyst, STL Partners

• 13:35

  The analogue switch off: Protecting the vulnerable in a digital transition

  Theatre 3

  Included

  David Brown, Business Relationship Manager, Digital Office For Scottish Local Government · Neil Bartholomew, Managing Director - Consumer, KCOM · Frederik van Randwyck, Head - Telecoms Modernisation Programme, techUK · Chris Hockley, Senior Engagement Manager, BT · David Christie, Senior Regulatory Policy Advisor, Virgin Media O2 · Phil Laws, Partner, Cambridge Management Consulting

• 13:35

  Defining 6G: The UK’s role in shaping future services and spectrum

  Theatre 2

  Included

  Simon Cotton, Director, Centre for Wireless Innovation · Tales Gaspar, Programme Manager, UK SPF and Satellite, techUK · Mathini Sellathurai, Professor, Heriot-Watt University · Janette Stewart, Partner, Analysys Mason Limited

• 13:35

  “Will AI break the network?” Fibre innovation vs. Infrastructure limits

  Theatre 5

  Included

  Neil Geary, Director Network Integration & Planning, CityFibre · William Webb, Chief Executive Officer, Commcisive

• 13:35

  The resilience mandate: Putting cyber risk and security on the boardroom agenda

  Theatre 6

  Included

  Nicole Wong, Operational Technology Product Manager, Darktrace · Stuart Seymour, CISO, Virgin Media O2 · Manoj Bhatt, Director, Cyberhash

• 13:35

  Digital Wales: Accelerating growth through connectivity and innovation

  Theatre 9

  Included

  Sally-Anne Skinner, CEO, Ogi · Natalie Strange, Managing Director, RPS Telecom · Owain Taylor-Shaw, Head of Sales, Business Development & Marketing, Transport for Wales · Dija Oliver, Project manager, Swansea Bay City Deal

• 13:50

  Personality – The new currency

  People, Skills & Recruitment Zone

  Included

  Tom Simpson, CEO, StartingPoint · Matt McKay, Founder/CEO, GOALD

• 14:20

  Designing the net-zero network of the future

  Theatre 2

  Included

  Dede Tavares, Head of Sustainable Networks Operations, BT Networks · Cara Boccieri, Sustainability Expert, Hexatronic · Lee Jones, Senior Manager Energy Solutions, VodafoneThree · Nick Falkowski, CEO, Meaningful Planet Ltd · Krsna Singh, Research Analyst, STL Partners · Kate Sandhu, Head of Strategic Initiatives & ESG, CityFibre

• 14:20

  Resilient by design: Securing the UK’s national infrastructure

  Theatre 1

  Included

  Mark Fermor, Founder, Firevault Ltd · Jonathan Stevenson-Paul, Estates Manager / Vice Chair - RICS Telecoms Advisory Forum, Arqiva / RICS

• 14:20

  Healthcare industry technology, transformation and inclusion

  Theatre 3

  Included

  Glenda Cook, Interim Head of Planning and Strategy, Glasgow City Health & Social Care Partnership · Michael Watts, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Blum Health · Gita Sorensen, INCA TAR Advisor, Investor and Founder Director at Digostics & MD, GOS Consulting · Imogen Hailstone, Director of External Affairs, Health Tech Alliance

• 14:20

  Smart factories & Industry 4.0: How advanced connectivity can drive industrial innovation

  Theatre 6

  Included
• 14:20

  Capital and connectivity: Funding growth zones and strategic investment

  Theatre 4

  Included

  Charlie Evans, Investment Banking Managing Director, Guggenheim Partners Llc · Susanne Coles, Deputy Director - Investment Ecosystem, Innovate UK · Ignacio Gomez, Founder & Managing Partner, Fide Partners

• 14:20

  The 2030 roadmap: What’s next for the UK connectivity market?

  Keynote Theatre

  Included

  Amy Jordan, Strategy and Delivery Director, ofcom · Matt Warman, Former Minister for Digital Infrastructure & Board Member, UKAI · Emma Buckland, Research Director, STL Partners · Kushal Ghuwalewala, Telecoms General Manager, RVU

• 14:20

  The Regenerative High Street: Economic vitality and the "Phygital" town centre

  Theatre 10

  Included

  Jenna Ingoe, Innovation Manager, Sunderland Software City · Davina Fell, Digital Connectivity Lead, Central London Forward · Michael Armitage, Director, Seneca Enterprise