Andrew Carter

Chief Executive - Centre for Cities

Ben Raybould

Digital Lead, New Hospital Programme - Turner and Townsend

Claire Charlton

Head of Open Innovation - Wincanton (now part of GXO)

Joining GXO in 2025 through the acquisition of Wincanton, Claire leads a structured Open Innovation Programme, responsible for identifying, testing, and scaling emerging technologies. Their mature labs programme provides testbeds for start-ups to develop and commercialise their products. Claire has also been involved in the Freight Innovation Fund, providing mentorship and testbeds for three cohorts, as well as supporting challenge design workshops. With 27 years’ experience in logistics, Claire’s expertise spans transport, operations, business development, digital products, and solution design. She holds an MSc in Supply Chain Management, with a thesis on AI in logistics, and is currently studying an MSc in Systems Thinking. Additionally, she serves as a trustee at the Mental Health Hospital Museum in Bristol.

Clare Wildfire

Global Cities Lead - Mott MacDonald

Clare is Global Cities Lead with global engineering, management and development consultancy, Mott MacDonald. Having led regeneration, low carbon and sustainable innovation projects across the world, she uses systemic thinking to push boundaries and, most importantly, improve people’s lives. With 35 years’ experience in the sector, originally as a building services engineer specialising in sustainable buildings, Clare combines a practical understanding of construction and development drivers with deep policy engagement. She brings insight into the technical, political, financial and behavioural aspects of sustainable development, and into what enables healthy, resilient, low carbon living. Clare also co created an industry led collaboration of infrastructure organisations supporting the UK’s transition to net zero. She authored the report “A place based approach to net zero”, which explores the challenges and opportunities facing city leaders in delivering a city scale transition.

Kellie Beirne

Chief Executive - Cardiff Capital Region

Kellie Beirne is the Chief Executive of Cardiff Capital Region – the partnership of ten councils working to improve the lives of the 1.5m residents in South East Wales through transforming the economy, business landscape and innovation in the Region. Kellie joined CCR in 2018 from her role as Deputy Chief Executive at Monmouthshire County Council, where she gained a reputation for promoting the entrepreneurial state. Kellie is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, an Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University, a Governor at Cardiff Metropolitan University and sits on several innovation advisory boards including the Morgan Advanced Studies Institute at Swansea University, Cardiff University’s International Board and the Connected Places Catapult Advisory Group.

Rokhsana Fiaz OBE

Mayor of Newham - Newham Council