Alexandra Walters

Director, Academi Wales
Alex is the Director of Academi Wales; the centre for excellence in leadership and management for public services in Wales. Established in September 2012, Academi Wales is part of the portfolio of the Welsh Government Minister for Finance and Local Government.

Alex has occupied a number of leadership positions during her civil service career, at the UK Border Agency, Information Commissioner’s Office and most recently at Companies House, where she had responsibility for leading a fundamental series of legislative reforms to support the organisation’s transformation.

She is a qualified executive coach and mentor, and is passionate about engagement, development, collaboration and inclusivity. Her focus at Academi Wales will be on ensuring it continues to provide a world class suite of programmes and events, whilst collaborating across Wales to ensure the learning offer remains fit for purpose, relevant and current as we look to an uncertain future.

Dr Andrew Goodall

Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government
Dr Andrew Goodall was appointed to the role of Welsh Government Permanent Secretary in November 2021 and leads the Welsh Government Civil Service in delivering the priorities of the First Minister and acts as the Principal Accounting Officer for the Welsh Government. Prior to this he was Director General of Health and Social Services/Chief Executive NHS Wales, a position he had held since June 2014.

Dr Goodall has been an NHS Chief Executive in Wales for 16 years. Previous posts include Chief Executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, a position held from the Health Board’s inception in October 2009 until 2014 after NHS re-organisation to the integrated Health Board model.

During his 30 year NHS career, Dr Goodall has held planning and operational positions across a number of NHS organisations across South Wales as well as national roles. He has particular areas of interest in improving patient safety, quality and patient experience; partnership working and collaboration across Public Services; and delivering frontline services through service improvement and modernisation.

Dr Goodall has a law degree from Essex University and a PhD in Health Service Management from Cardiff Business School. Dr Goodall was awarded a CBE in the 2018 New Year Honours for his services to the NHS and public services.

Fi Macmillan

Founder, Wild Leadership
“I believe that we’re all born with a unique contribution to make in the world – and that we’re all leaders. Maybe our leadership is in a big role or maybe it's in moments in our team. Whatever, everyone can inspire others. It comes when work from our strengths, values and what energises us.

I partner people in organisations to make their own unique contribution in the work that they do. We do this by connecting with the deep intelligence within and dancing with what the world is asking of us. Outdoors in Nature is where I’ve found this connection. This profound systemic connection underpins the leadership development I offer to the individuals and organisations I work with.”

Fi is a leadership coach, facilitator and adventurer. In earlier lives, she has founded and run different consultancies, represented her community as a district councillor and raised two awesome daughters. She lives in the Cotswolds, England, and is currently apprenticing to guide vision quests in the Lake District.

Recently, from her own outdoor practice, Fi has developed her thinking around ‘outdoor intelligence’ and how it serves leaders to spend solo time outdoors. She has developed online programmes for leaders, changemakers and coaches to bring this into their work.

Fi is an Accredited Ashridge Coach with an MSc in Executive Coaching and is an accredited Senior Practitioner with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council. She is also a qualified coaching supervisor. Her passions include the happy combination of mountain walking and good food.

Switched on! podcast (Spotify)
Wild Leadership programmes and coaching

Ian Bancroft

Chief Executive, Wrexham County Borough Council
Ian took up his post as Chief Executive of Wrexham Council in August 2018 and for the previous fourteen years worked at a senior leadership level within large public service organisations in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and North East Wales. Most recently, since 2014, this has been at Flintshire County Council as a Chief Officer leading successfully the development and implementation of a number of major strategic programmes.

Ian is committed to public service delivery and aims to work with partners, local communities and residents to build and deliver a clear vision that achieves outstanding results. Ian has lived in Wrexham for the last 18 years and is passionate about the current positive opportunities Wrexham and Wales provides and the potential for the future.

Laura Storm

Laura is the Founder of Regenerators and an international thought leader and expert on regenerative leadership and has spent her entire career advising global leaders on sustainability and building impact- and purpose-driven organisations, and movements. She has been awarded the title "Worldchanger" by Greenbiz, named one of the 30 leading women within sustainability and regeneration by Sustainable Brands, is selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader, a World Economic Forum Sustainability Expert and serves on many Boards.

Andy Middleton

Founder & Director, The TYF Group
Andy is a sustainability and strategy innovation specialist who helps organisations connect ambition and delivery for change with speed and ambition to match the scale of climate and biodiversity challenges ahead.

Andy's work on 'eco-logic' has included projects on leadership and sustainability-related agendas for Thames Water, Orange, Business in the Community, Countryside Council for Wales and the Chinese Government. His projects currently include a country-level change programme on sustainable thinking, world-class sustainable tourism and St Davids Eco City. Andy works regularly with TV, radio and the printed media, on projects that include documentary work, interviews and news stories, and speaks on sustainability, carbon reduction, green tourism and related topics at conferences across the UK.

Professor Uzo Iwobi OBE

Professor Uzo Iwobi OBE
Former Specialist Policy Adviser to Welsh Government
TEDx Speaker 2021
Former Commissioner to the Commission for Racial Equality UK
Founder Race Council Cymru
Founder African Community Centre
Vice President Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Ranked as No 6 of 15 Top Black Icons in Wales by WalesOnline in 2021
Originally from Nigeria, Uzo holds a law degree from the University of Nigeria and she qualified as a solicitor and a barrister and was called to the Nigerian Bar.

After qualifying as a barrister in Nigeria, Uzo moved to Wales where she now serves as the chief executive officer of Race Council Cymru and sits on the board of several voluntary organisations. This includes serving as the chairperson of the African Community Centre in Wales, which she founded in 2004.

Uzo has served with the Police National Diversity team, based at the Home Office, where she was involved in developing national policies on race relations and diversity.

After moving to Wales, she worked as a Lecturer in Law at the Swansea Law School for 9yrs. She obtained a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with distinction from the University of Wales. She completed a Master’s Degree qualification in Business Management at the University of Glamorgan.

In 2004, she joined South Wales Police and in the same year, she founded the very first African Community Centre (ACC) in Wales and served as Chairperson for ACC for 15yrs.

Uzo was appointed to the Police National Diversity Team (PNDT) based at the Home Office to represent the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the 43 police forces in the UK on a high level strategic tripartite partnership including the Home Office, the Police Authority (APA) and Her Majesty’s’ Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) tasked with developing national policies on equality and diversity.

Uzo served with the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) UK as a Commissioner until it merged with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in October 2007. In 2008 she was awarded an OBE in recognition of her services to community relations and South Wales communities.

Uzo is a fully accredited Level 7 Executive Coach with the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

Uzo was recognised and commended when she was given the awards listed below by various bodies:

• 2006 Recognition of outstanding achievement in community work by the Swansea Bay Woman of the Year (Community Achievement) Award 2006
• 2008 In recognition of Uzo’s achievement in terms of community contributions, on the 14th of June 2008, the Queen Awarded an OBE (Officer to the Order of the British Empire) for her contributions to community race relations and South Wales Communities.
• 2009 The Women’s National Commission featured Uzo’s story in their journal entitled, “A guide to Women in Public Life”.
• 2010 Uzo was presented with the First Ministers’ Recognition Award for her contributions to race equality and race relations in Wales
• 2011 Uzo was honoured and featured in the British Council in Nigeria’s Reflections Report.
• 2011 Uzo received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Association of Nigerian Communities (NANC –UK)
• 2015 Uzo received an Outstanding Black Woman Achievement Award in Wales for contributions to the Black History Movement in Wales.
• 2017 Uzo received a Recognition Award as a Founder of the Black History Movement in Wales
• 2017 Uzo received the Ethnic Minority Welsh Women’s Achievement Award (EMWWAA) Wales-wide Award for Leadership and Management
• 2017 Uzo received the prestigious EMWWAA Ambassador for Wales Award
• 2020 She was placed on the WEN Wales top 100 women in Wales
• 2021 October Uzo was ranked at No 6 out of 15 Black Icons in Wales
• 2021 BAPIO Cymru Award for Leadership in Equality and Diversity
• 2021 WalesOnline named and placed Prof Uzo Iwobi OBE as No 6 of 15 Top Black Icons in Wales
• 2021 Uzo was invited to speak at a TEDxBargateED on her personal journey

Uzo was asked by Ruth Kelly – the then Secretary of State to serve as a commissioner to the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) UK until it merged with other commissions to form the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in October 2007.

Uzo achieved a distinction grade in Executive Level 7 Coaching and Management with the Institute of Leadership and Management and served as a trustee of the British Red Cross for 6yrs as well as a trustee of the United World College – Atlantic College. Uzo leads learning and development schemes for African Caribbean elders across Wales through the Black History Cymru Elders Scheme. Uzo mentors young people and adult learners to achieve their visions and aspirations through the coaching cadre she facilitates.

Uzo was one of two people highlighted by National Lottery Heritage Cymru to have her image highlighted on Stonehenge for her voluntary contributions to culture and heritage in Wales.

Uzo led the development of the Windrush Cymru, Our Voices, Our Stories, Our History exhibition which is touring Wales now.

Uzo works as the first Black woman to be appointed as a Specialist Adviser on Equalities to Welsh Government.

In October 2021, Uzo was ranked the 6th out of 15 most influential Black Icon in Wales by WalesOnline.

Uzo was appointed an honorary Fellowship at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) and a Professor at Practice at UWTSD

In 2021 Uzo was appointed a trustee of UWTSD and a trustee of Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) which includes Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

She is a Vice President of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Uzo is a TEDx speaker.

Andy Lopata

Author, speaker and podcaster on professional relationships
A specialist in professional relationships and networking for over 20 years, Andy Lopata was called ‘one of Europe’s leading business networking strategists’ by the Financial Times and ‘a true master of networking’ by the Independent and Forbes.com.

A very experienced international speaker and podcast host, Andy is the author of five books, has been quoted in a number of other business books and regularly quoted in the international press.

Andy is former President of the Fellows Community and a two-time Board Member of the Professional Speaking Association UK & Ireland (PSA) and a Fellow of the Learning and Performance Institute as well as a Master of the Institute for Sales Management. He is also one of just 28 recipients of the PSA’s top honour, the ‘Award of Excellence’.

Dr Anita Polite-Wilson, Ph.D., iPEC CPC

Founder and Chief Executive, Dr Anita Enterprises Inc
Dr. Anita Polite-Wilson, Founder and CEO of Dr. Anita Enterprises, Inc., is someone helping everyone collaborate with anyone. She helps leaders and teams in high stress situations successfully navigate complexity and change together. Her mission includes advising and coaching leaders at all organizational levels on their journey toward accepting and adapting to the unique needs of today’s workforce which reflects more diverse individuals, spanning five generations, requiring dynamic teams that constantly evolve. Working with leaders for more than 20 years, Dr. Anita has been successful at shifting the paradigm of change management from “check-the-box-initiatives” having little or no impact, to “change-the-culture-behaviors” that will noticeably improve collaborations. She has studied workforce trends for over ten years and creates programs that increase employee engagement, retention, and productivity for corporate, government, and nonprofit entities of all sizes across various industries.

As a consultant, Dr. Anita provides the design, development, and delivery of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, leadership, and management skills training for such organizations as Abode Communities, Rehrig Pacific Company, Wente Family Estates, SquarMilner Certified Public Accounts & Financial Advisors, and SONY Entertainment, just to name a few. She has also facilitated break-out sessions for over 400 attendees at the MGM Resorts 10th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference entitled, “Maintaining Grace Under Fire” focused on workplace stress management. As a result, she was featured in the Las Vegas Business Press (July 3, 2016).

As an Organizational Effectiveness professional, Dr. Anita has spent 14 years among the aerospace community collaborating with an intergenerational workforce of over 5,000 college interns, engineers, scientists, and business professionals as a coach and mentor, and as a trusted advisor to both military officers and corporate senior executives. Having served as the Vice President of both The Aerospace Women’s Committee and The Aerospace Black Caucus, she was recognized for her ability to link leadership lessons learned through more than 50 Employee Resource Group activities and Diversity & Inclusion initiatives to bottom-line business results to attract and retain diverse, qualified professionals.

As an adjunct professor for the Crowell School of Business at Biola University, and as a Fellow for the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership, Dr. Anita facilitates conversations for adult learners to expand their concept of diversity and demonstrate this new understanding through more human affirming habits in the workplace. As a keynote speaker and guest panelist, she regularly engages corporate executives, women’s networks, emerging professionals, and college students to explore the correlation between psychological safety, inclusive leadership traits, motivation, skills, and strengths in achieving belonging and career agility in today’s marketplace.

As a faculty member of the Elevate Leadership Program in association with the Center for Executive Development for the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, Dr. Anita influences hundreds of emerging, first-time, and mid-career technical leaders nationwide for Fortune 500 companies and organizations within aerospace, private utilities, public works, and hospitality such as Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Edison International, So Cal Gas, and MGM Resorts International.

Each client engagement fosters Dr. Anita’s values of Comfort, Community, and Commitment which are essential to fully experience her proprietary SHIFT Reflective Learning Model© and Collective Wisdom Forum©. Her research has shown that people who feel connected through joint dialogue will discover that the answers to common challenges are found within individuals, teams, and organizational systems. Considering herself to be “a facilitator of conversations that matter” Dr. Anita defines client success as aligning People, Passion, and Purpose.

Dr. Polite-Wilson earned both a doctorate (Ph.D.) and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Organizational Leadership from Biola University, and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Management from Pepperdine University. Additionally, she is a certified Psychological S.A.F.E.T.Y. Practitioner, a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and an iPEC Certified Professional Coach. She is a founding member of the L.A. National Human Resources Association’s D&I Council, an active Advisory Board Member for the Executive Next Practices Institute, the Biola University Alumni Leadership Council, and the Laity Institute of the Arts.

Dr Anita Enterprises Inc

Pippa Britton

Pippa Britton is Wales’s most successful archer. She is a double Paralympian who competed on the GB archery team for 15 years and who represented the Welsh able-bodied team on more than 20 occasions. She achieved podium places at 6 consecutive World Championships and 24 International events and gained 11 world records along the way.

Whilst still an athlete she became the first para-archery athlete committee member at World Archery, representing archers all over the world, and after stopping competing moved into governance. She is now the Vice Chair of UK Anti-Doping and was Chair of Disability Sport Wales before joining the Board of Sport Wales as Vice Chair in 2017. She also contributes to the British Paralympic Association Classification Advisory Group and the International Paralympic Anti-Doping Committee and is an Independent Member of her local University Health Board.

Her passion is working with organisations towards greater inclusion, improving equity and increasing disability awareness, all with well-being at heart, to produce a fairer future for all.

Robert Holden Ph.D.

Success Intelligence
Robert Holden, Ph.D., is Director of Success Intelligence. His innovative work on success and happiness has been featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, a PBS special 'Shift Happens!' and in two major BBC TV documentaries, 'The Happiness Formula' and 'How to Be Happy'.

His services as a keynote speaker, consultant and coach are employed worldwide by organisations and brands such as Dove & the Real Beauty Campaign, the Body Shop, IBM, Google and Virgin.

He has presented two TEDx talks - 'The Tea Meditation', and 'Destination Addiction'.

Robert is the author of best-selling books including 'Happiness NOW!', 'Authentic Success' (formerly titled 'Success Intelligence'), 'Shift Happens!', 'Loveability', 'Holy Shift!', 'Life Loves You' (co-written with Louise Hay), and his latest book 'Finding Love Everywhere - 67½ Wisdom Poems to Help You Be the Love You Are Looking For'. He is a Fellow of the Leadership Trust and on the Guest Faculty of the University of Santa Monica.

RobertHolden.com
Facebook