Andy Ayim MBE

Andy Ayim MBE is a British-born husband and father of two, recognised as one of the world's leading voices on intentional life design and human-centred leadership. He partners with global brands like Google, Uber, Tesco, Stripe, Nando's and high growth SME’s, helping leaders build psychologically safe environments where people can connect authentically and contribute meaningfully.

Renowned for his clear, actionable guidance, Andy's work spans emotional intelligence, inclusive leadership, and scaling startups. His talks combine humour, storytelling, and research-backed insights, leaving audiences feeling empowered, emotionally aware and ready to make tangible changes in their lives and organisations.

With a global perspective shaped by living and working across four continents, Andy dedicates his life to helping people tune into their inner compass and align how they live, work, and lead with who they truly are. Based in Essex, UK, Andy balances his professional pursuits with family life, investing and mentoring.

Dean Burnett

Dean Burnett is a neuroscience doctor, former psychiatry lecturer, mental health ambassador, science consultant and communicator, occasional comedian, and, most notably, international bestselling author. He has won awards for his writing and communication, his books have achieved bestselling status in multiple countries, he has provided advice and insight to many major companies and organisations, from the European Council to the Wellcome Trust, participated in cross-parliamentary panels, and regularly appears on TV and Radio. He lives in Cardiff with his wife, two children, an idiotic beagle, and a notorious cat.

Lindsay Cordery-Bruce

Chief Executive, WCVA (she/her)
 
Lindsay is originally from Middlesbrough in the North East of England, but came to Wales in 2011. Following a lengthy career, with particular expertise in the substance misuse field, Lindsay has spent the last six years as Chief Executive of The Wallich tackling homelessness.

Lindsay started her career as a volunteer after experiencing homelessness. She spent some time at the Probation Service delivering group work programs in prisons and community settings before setting up the first alcohol arrest referral service in the UK. Lindsay has also worked in a Community Safety Partnership, commissioning and monitoring services.

Her career has led her to this point: an experienced Chief Executive with a professional doctorate in Applied Psychology. For her thesis Lindsay developed a program for addressing addiction through beekeeping.

Lindsay served on the board of WCVA for eight years and stepped down in November 2023. Lindsay recently stepped down from the board of Tai Pawb, promoting equality in housing settings.  She continues to serve on the Board of Cynnal Cymru/Sustain Wales, promoting sustainable development in Wales.  Lindsay volunteers with Hedgehog Helpline, operating the phone line and rehabilitating hedgehogs.

Lindsay is happily married to Lisa, with two step children, three dogs, four chickens and about 200,000 bees. In her spare time she lifts weights, enjoys boxing and is a DIY enthusiast.

Emmanuel Gobillot

Described as ‘the first leadership guru for the digital generation’ and ‘the freshest voice in leadership today’, Emmanuel has advised organisations across the globe on developing leaders, establishing teams, and changing cultures.

One of Europe’s most sought-after leadership speakers, he is the author and co-author of 8 UK and US bestselling books. 2024 saw him released a fully updated version of his seminal book ‘The Connected Leader’ published by De Gruyter, along with a new book ‘This is Not a Leadership Book’ published by Routledge which sealed his place as one of the world’s foremost management thinkers. His new book ‘Alive Inside – Unlocking your leadership advantage in the age of AI’ will be released in Jan 2026.

For over 20 years his work has been based on his mantra – ‘there must be a better way and together we can find it’.

A French national, Emmanuel moved to the UK in 1985. He holds an International Baccalaureate from the United World College of the Atlantic, a MA (Hons) from the University of St. Andrews and a Diploma in Management Science from the Nottingham Trent University. A father of two, now adult, children (Charlotte and George) Emmanuel lives in London with his wife Katherine Thomas. 

Amanda Goodall PhD 

Professor of Leadership, Bayes Business School, City St George's, University of London

Amanda Goodall is Professor of Leadership at Bayes Business School, where her research examines the relationship between leadership, management, and organisational performance. Her work has given rise to the Theory of Expert Leadership — the finding that organisations perform better, and employees are more satisfied, when led by people with deep expertise in the core work of the organisation. This holds across healthcare and the public sector, universities, professional services, business and sport.

Her book 'Credible: The Power of Expert Leaders' won the SABEW 2023 Best in Business Book Award for Management and Leadership, and her work has appeared in the Harvard Business Review, the Financial Times, and leading academic journals.

Amanda is Course Director of the Executive Masters in Medical Leadership at Bayes — now in its tenth year — a programme she designed specifically for practising doctors moving into leadership roles, with independently evidenced learning outcomes.

Her research is available at www.amandagoodall.com

Dr Andrew Goodall CBE

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. 

Liz Johnson

Paralympic Champion, Broadcaster, Inclusion & Leadership Speaker, Broadcaster and business leader

One of the most recognisable figures to emerge from the rise of Paralympic sport, Liz built a world-class sporting career defined by resilience and determination.

Following retirement from elite competition, Liz successfully transitioned into broadcasting and became a standout voice in Channel 4’s award-winning Paralympic coverage, as well as other major international sporting events. Her media work is complemented by her role as co-founder and Managing Director of The Ability People, the UK’s first disability-led recruitment agency.

With academic foundations in business and accounting, Liz bridges elite sport, media and commercial leadership. She also works with organisations and production companies to improve accessibility and representation, both on screen and behind the scenes.

A warm, confident and engaging speaker, Liz demystifies disability and challenges perceptions around inclusion, performance and potential. Her keynotes resonate strongly with leadership, ED&I and wellbeing audiences seeking practical insight grounded in lived experience.

Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies

Chief Executive, Dysgu

Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies is originally from Bangor but now lives with her husband and four children in Llanerfyl, Powys. She studied French and Spanish at Oxford and lived for a while in Galicia and Brussels before completing a MScEcon and PhD in Political Theory at Cardiff University where she also taught as a politics tutor. 

After being elected to represent Riverside on Cardiff County Council in 2004, she worked as Office Manager for Leanne Wood MS in the Rhondda before being appointed Plaid Cymru’s Chief Executive in 2007. After working for the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol at Aberystwyth University, she became Chief Executive of Mudiad Meithrin in 2014. In 2025, she started in her role as Dysgu’s Chief Executive. Gwenllian is on the Board of S4C and Medr, is a school governor and volunteers at her local Cylch Meithrin on the committee as the Responsible Individual.

Tanya Sullivan

Sailor and motivational speaker

Tanya is no stranger to high-pressure environments. A highly successful hospitality leader turned professional sailor, Tanya brings over three decades of experience in managing people, risk, and pressure - both in business and at sea. She has skippered multiple Ocean crossings and Rolex Fastnet campaigns, and competed in some of the world’s most prestigious sailing regattas. Tanya knows what it means to lead when the stakes are high. 

Drawing on years of experience guiding crews through storms and setbacks, and celebrating extraordinary moments of teamwork and triumph, Tanya brings powerful lessons from the ocean into the workplace—offering practical, humorous, and deeply human insights into teamwork and resilience. 

Tanya’s talks are rich with real-life experiences and practical wisdom, highlighting how courage, collaboration and clarity can carry us through uncertain waters.

Derek Walker

Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

Wales is the only country in the world with a Well-being of Future Generations Act and the role provides advice and support to government and public bodies to take a longer-term view on policy decisions. The commissioner’s job is to protect and promote the needs of future generations.

Derek Walker is the second ever Future Generations Commissioner, having started the role on March 1, 2023, when he called for ‘urgent and transformational change’ in Wales.

Previously he was chief executive of Cwmpas, the UK’s largest co-operative development agency. Derek spent 12 years as CEO, working to support people and communities to create jobs and strengthen communities, and changed the organisation’s focus to development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations.

Derek began his career as policy officer for London Councils, in London and Brussels. He has also worked as Head of External Affairs at the Big Lottery Fund (Wales), as Head of Policy and Campaigns at the Wales TUC and was the first employee of Stonewall Cymru.

Derek grew up on a farm near Cwmbran and is a keen runner and tennis player, loves to read and is a Welsh learner. He now lives in Cardiff with his partner Mike and has two grown-up children. His ambition while at Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School was to be a journalist and he has a Masters degree in International Journalism from Cardiff University. He’s happy how life has turned out and says being the guardian of the interests of people not yet born is the greatest privilege.

Professor Charlotte Williams OBE FLSW

Bangor University

Professor Charlotte Williams OBE, FLSW is Professor Emeritus in the School of History, Law and Social Sciences at Bangor University. A distinguished academic and writer, her work focuses on social policy, anti-racism, and multiculturalism. Professor Williams has held academic and advisory leadership roles across the UK and internationally, and her contributions to Welsh public life have earned her numerous accolades, including an OBE, Lifetime Achievement Award (Ethnic Minority Women in Wales) and Fellowship of the Learned Society of Wales. 

Her recent academic and professional leadership roles, include Head of the School of Public Policy, Keele University and Associate Dean, RMIT University, Australia. In 2020 she was appointed by the Minister for Education to Chair the Working Group: 'Communities, Contributions and Cynefin: Black Asian Minority Ethnicities in the new curriculum' which led to these perspectives being mandated into the curriculum of every school in Wales from 2022. She has held the position of non-Executive Director for Estyn (2022-25) and is a member of the Welsh government External Advisory Group for the implementation of the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan. 

Charlotte is widely recognized for a range of contributions to Welsh cultural life. Her publications include ‘A Tolerant Nation? Revisiting Ethnic Diversity in Wales’ (co-edited UWP 2003, 2015), 'Globalising Welsh Studies' (co-edited UWP 2024) and the award-winning memoir, 'Sugar and Slate' (Penguin 2024). She lives with her family in north Wales.  

Ceri Witchard

Director, Academi Wales

Ceri became Director of Academi Wales in April 2024. Prior to this, she spent over 20 years in the public sector in Wales, leading operational and policy teams, and developing and delivering training programmes in a variety of contexts.

After initially joining the civil service as a specialist, a patent examiner within the Intellectual Property Office, she later moved on to work on copyright policy, business support and training.
 
From there she moved to Companies House, where she was a member of the Executive Board leave strategy and policy, and also being the Regulator of Community Interest Companies.
 
In 2018 she joined Welsh Government, leading on environmental policy, before taking on her current role at Academi Wales.