Industry Director | Business and Professional Services Team at Barclays

John Aldred is an Industry Director in Barclays Business and Professional Services Team. He is responsible for leading our coverage of Professional Services clients and ensuring our sector aligned Relationship Directors across the UK have the support they need.

John has worked in Barclays Corporate Banking for over twenty years, undertaking roles in Barclays TMT sector team and our Global Lending Group. He has extensive experience of arranging funding for a variety of corporate purposes.

Director of Business Development and Marketing at Bidwells

Matt, is part of Bidwells’ senior leadership team and is a two-time B2B Marketer of the Year. He founded and serves as the Executive Director of the Supercluster Board, uniting 40+ leading innovation Science & Tech entities. An organisation that evolved from a marketing campaign to become a central part of the Chancellor’s recent growth speech.

Founder & CEO at Optix Solutions

Alastair co-founded digital marketing agency, Optix Solutions, when he was just 19 at the University of Exeter. 25 years later, Optix is one of the leading agencies in the UK, employing over 20 people and working with high-profile clients like the Met Office, University of Exeter, Pearson Languages, the NHS, and London Business School. In 2023, Optix won Campaign’s ‘Best Boutique Agency to Work For’, and recently achieved B Corp status.

Director of Policy and Corporate Governance at Institute of Directors (IoD)

Dr. Roger Barker is Director of Policy and Corporate Governance at the Institute of Director. Dr. Barker is a well-known speaker on governance issues, and the author/co-author of four books and numerous articles on corporate governance and directorship. Prior to the IoD, Dr. Barker spent almost 15 years in investment banking. He has a doctorate in corporate governance from Oxford University

Chief Executive of Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC)

Neil Carberry is chief executive of Recruitment and Employment Confederation. Neil was Managing Director for People and Infrastructure at CBI. Neil began his career in recruitment. He is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and a Fellow of the RSA. He is a former member of the Low Pay Commission.

Founder and Chief Executive of Managing Partners’ Forum and Centre for Professional Services Research

Richard is the founder and chief executive of the Managing Partners’ Forum and Centre for Professional Services Research. He is also the architect and project manager for the Forum’s Skills Development Platform, an intuitive tool that supports those in coaching relationships through uniform engagement scores, selecting and tracking personalised playlists, and a confidential messaging service with alerts.

Neville Eisenberg is the Senior Strategy Executive at Mishcon de Reya. He was previously at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner for over 30 years where he was a partner in the corporate finance group and served as Managing Partner from 1999-2015 after which he became the Senior Partner until 2018.

Global Lead – New Globalisation at Economist Impact

John leads the research on New Globalisation at Economist Impact. In this role, he spearheads and develops comprehensive studies on trade, geopolitics, technology, finance, and economics. As the global economy is being transformed by the unprecedented convergence of shifting geopolitics, climate change, and an AI-driven industrial revolution, John’s research provides clients with crucial insights to navigate these structural shifts. His work is instrumental in guiding conversations towards global progress and helping clients adapt to an evolving economic landscape.

Co-Chair, Centre for Professional Services Research, Non-Executive Director Knight Frank and other PS firms, former Global Chief Strategy Officer at Baker McKenzie

Julia is an Independent Chair, NED, and board advisor specializing in strategy and leadership for professional and financial services. Her portfolio includes roles with Knight Frank, Lockton Insurance, The Corporate Governance Institute, and private equity investors. Previously, she served on Baker McKenzie’s global board as Chief Strategy Officer and was a partner at professional services strategy boutique Hildebrandt/Thomson Reuters, having started her career as a lawyer.

Chief Executive Officer OF Chartered Association of Business Schools

Flora took up the position of CEO at the Chartered Association of Business Schools on 1st May 2023. Prior to this, she was the Director of Financial Services at the CBI. Whilst there she was responsible for directing the CBI’s lobbying on issues related to financial services, including sustainable finance and for the development of guidance materials for small and mid-tier businesses She also had the responsibility for the CBI’s overall relationship management with the key UK and global players in the financial services sector.

Prior to joining the CBI in 2014, Flora has worked for the ATM Industry Association, Public Relations Consultants Association and Association of Measurement & Evaluation of Communication. Her earlier career included working for The Profile Group, BBC Worldwide and Two-Ten Communications, a Press Association subsidiary.

Director, Tongues In Trees

With thirty-five years experience in professional services – in-house and consulting – Meirion is a coach, coaching supervisor and team trainer.  He designs and delivers programmes covering leadership, key account management, teamworking and communication.  In his coaching he draws on a range of complementary skills including his background as an illustrator.  He has recently contributed to an authoritative Routledge survey on art in coaching.

 CEO of DWF Group

Sir Nigel is Group CEO of DWF. He has held this role since May 2020, having previously served as Chairman from September 2017, having previously spent more than 38 years at DLA Piper.

Sir Nigel received a knighthood in 2009 in recognition of his services to the legal industry.

Honorary Professor, Faculty of Laws, UCL

PROFESSOR STEPHEN MAYSON was originally called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn (of which he is now a Bencher and chair of its Regulatory Panel).

After a period as a tax lawyer with a Magic Circle law firm, he has been a strategic advisor in the legal sector, and non-executive director of several law firms and law-related businesses.

Stephen also has a particular interest in the regulation of legal services, and conducted an independent review of the regulatory framework in England & Wales from 2018, submitting his main report to the Lord Chancellor in June 2020.

Chief Executive Officer of Within International

Ruxandra Radulescu is the CEO of Within International, an Advisory and Creative Agency working with global organisations in professional services. With expertise in international relations, business, and neuroscience, she specialises in change management and behavioural analysis, advising C-suite executives and supporting their organisations and brands in adapting to change, executing effective pitches, and achieving successful outcomes.

Director, Hub for Professional Practice, Queen Mary University of London; former Global Director of Learning & Development, Reed Smith + Co-Chair, Centre for Professional Services Research

Nigel has 25 years of experience in the PSF sector. He led leadership development functions in two global law firms, has designed and coached on leadership programmes at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and consults widely across the sector, focusing particularly on leadership transitions and changing PSF career paths.

Head of Business Management at ACCA

Clive is a qualified accountant with extensive experience in the Big 4 and is the Head of Business Management in ACCA’s Policy and Insights team. Within ACCA’s research Clive considers developments from the perspective of the CFO and the finance function. Clive’s work has also considered how organisations transform and how internal control plays a part in this.