Justin Cooke is a seasoned advisor, investor, and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the media, marketing, and education technology sectors. He founded the global digital agency Fortune Cookie, which he grew to $30 million in revenue before its acquisition by WPP in 2012. After WPP, Justin joined Northzone, a high-profile technology investor in companies like Spotify, TrustPilot, and Kahoot! He also served as Vice Chair of UNICEF UK and as Deputy Chairman of FutureLearn, where he played a key role in securing a £50 million fundraise in 2019. Justin's expertise extends to the boards of innovative education technology companies, including Tapestry, Kapow Primary, Digital Theatre, Learning with Experts, Bridge Learning Technology, and Springpod. His contributions to the digital landscape have earned him recognition as one of the UK's top digital influencers, with accolades including listings in the Wired Top 100 and the British Digital Hall of Fame. Holding a degree in Drama from the University of Manchester, Justin currently resides in Abu Dhabi with his family.

With more than 20 years in education as a classroom (K-2), tech apps (K-5) and GT (K-5) teacher, district administrator for instructional technology (K-12), professional development trainer, education services manager, instructional design manager, and product owner, Kelli has a passion for understanding how we learn. Dr Erwin keeps her focus on the science behind learning, best practices for pedagogy and andragogy and best practices for delivering virtual and in-person learning opportunities. Her current focus is in the K-12 learning space.

Siyanda Shazi is a creative working in advertising with 5 years of agency experience. He founded a sustainable and eco-friendly skin care business called Green Beauty Cosmetics Pty Ltd. His skill set combines content, social, and innovation. He holds a photography qualification from Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town. Having a love for education, he was in a yearlong Harvard University program and obtained a qualification in Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies. Siyanda is a Start Up School Alumni, his education was a sponsorship from Investec for Entrepreneurship Program, where he learnt about scaling his first business. Amongst his passion projects are various NGOs and volunteer work done with the SAPS Youth Network. He currently works as a Social Media Manager in the social video space with South Africa’s most loved brands. A synergy of digital education coupled with an understanding of culture, is evident is Siyanda’s life story. His arsenal of skills include: Brand Management, Sustainability Development, Strategy, Content Production, Digital Marketing, Social Media, Project Management, Thought Leadership and Business Management. 

Babbu is the UK’s first online platform designed to support, reassure and empower parents and their children in the first critical few years. Driven by a simple but ambitious vision: a world in which no child is left behind.
Proven founder; over the last decade Charlie has built multiple businesses from startups to globally recognised, award-winning brands. As a passionate and driven leader, she has grown teams across numerous markets including; London, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur.
Prior to Babbu, Charlie owned and managed Cuckooz Nest – a totally flexible, PAYG nursery with onsite workspace, designed to make childcare more affordable for parents whilst also allowing them to be present during the first 1,001 days.
A mother of one, advocate for change within the Early Years sector, and a UN Delegate on the Commission on the Status of Women, Charlie regularly contributes to the media on the topic of gender equality, working parents, child development and how technology can help close the attainment gap.

Daniela has over twenty years’ experience in international brand, communications and innovation strategy assisting firms of all sizes in keeping at the forefront of their industries. She has held global management roles with leaders such as Leo Burnett and Publicis in London, Hong Kong, Milan and Singapore before starting her first consulting firm in Singapore in 2011. She is currently one of the founding partners of Nourish Global, a growth strategy and innovation consultancy headquartered in London.

Paulette Watson MBE is passionate about driving change in digital education, a mission that fuels her work. As the Founder and Managing Director of Academy Achievers, she has dedicated her career to creating pathways for Black women and girls to excel in STEM, AI, and Web3. Her #BeMeDigitalinclusion initiative has been pivotal in helping thousands access opportunities in advanced technologies, from AI and data science to edge technology and quantum computing.

With a background in AI consultancy and executive mentorship, Paulette is deeply committed to bridging the digital skills gap and advocating for diversity and inclusion. Through her work, including her book She Disrupts: A Black Woman's Journey in STEM and AI Industries, she aims to inspire and shape the future of tech education. She is excited about the potential of quantum computing to transform industries and looks forward to leveraging her experience to recognise innovation in digital education.

Dr. Antonio Bucchiarone is an Associate Professor at the University of L'Aquila and a Visiting Fellow at the Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK) in Trento. Specialized in adaptive systems, motivational systems using gamification, and in the design and development of AI-based education tools.

​Sephora Markson has built an esteemed career spanning more than a decade in online learning and higher education, holding significant roles such as Chief Strategy Officer and Vice-President of Institutional Advancement at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) and Senior Director of Marketing and Recruitment at The New School. Her strategic leadership at GTU helped pioneer the GTUx initiative, which received a High Commendation from the Digital Education Awards in 2023 and was honoured with the Khaladjan Award for Innovation in 2024. Currently, Sephora is advancing her expertise through independent consulting and doctoral studies in Education. Her empathetic, strategic leadership has made her a trusted adviser among academic leaders. For more information or to explore opportunities for collaboration, visit her website at sephora-markson.me.

Thomas is a senior school leader with over 20 years of experience in schools supporting and implementing the digital transformation journey. Now based in Germany, he works as a consultant for EdTech projects with schools, school groups and councils. He is a Project Manager for a Digital Learning Campus in Lübeck, Germany. As a frequent contributor to conferences, workshops and industry events, he has been at the forefront of developments within education. He has worked with senior management, teachers and pupils to create a digital ecosystem that allowed everybody to excel through good use of EdTech. He led his previous school to be awarded the Microsoft Showcase School for four consecutive years with all teaching staff members qualifying as Microsoft Innovative Educators. 

AI has developed into a major area of interest with frequent training and presentations to school leaders, teachers and students.

The use of assistive technology is of particular interest to Thomas. He championed the use of technology in public examinations for a number of years. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society the Arts, the Chartered College of Teaching and a Freeman in the Worshipful Company of Educators.

A lifelong learner, higher education professional and Academic Advisor, Liz, currently works in higher education supporting students in bachelor's degree programs using the Appreciative Advising framework to enhance the student experience and support access to education. A first-generation college student, Liz, is an advocate for access to education and enjoys that her current work allows her to serve a diverse population of first-year students and adult learners. Online degree programs bring both options and flexibility to support workplace success and career mobility for students. In addition to her current role assisting students, she serves as a course facilitator for the Appreciative Advising online course through the Office of Appreciative Education at Florida Atlantic University.

Biagio is an expert in lead acquisition for schools and universities. In 2016 he started his career in this field with Rome Business School, a project by Planeta Formación y Universidades, one of the largest European groups in the industry. After two years as Marketing Manager for Quasar Institute for Advanced Design he’s now Head of Acquisition at EPICODE, a career accelerator based in Italy.

Balazs Koren is a distinguished figure in the realm of digital education, with a rich blend of practical and entrepreneurial experience. As a mathematics teacher and teacher trainer at ELTE University, Balazs empowers future educators with the tools of digital education. As the head of the ProSuli program at Yettel Hungary, he champions the innovative use of technology, encouraging teachers to integrate EdTech solutions into their curricula. Balazs' commitment to advancing educational methods is further demonstrated by his valuable contributions to GeoGebra. His former role as the Head of Education and Founder of VR-AR Education displays his entrepreneurial spirit and profound knowledge of the EdTech landscape. Balazs started preparing teams for robotics competitions and later became a judge, too. He has been judging and coaching WRO, FLL and FGC competitions at international and local levels for more than 8 years. 

Experienced Lecturer with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Skilled in training, research, human resource development and entrepreneurship. As a senior lecturer in Human Resource Management, she is responsible for delivering curriculum, conducting research, and providing academic and professional guidance to students. In addition to her academic work, she is committed to making a positive impact on the community through various collaborations with government agencies, industrial players, and alumni. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Human Resource Management at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.

After a twenty-year career as a high school maths teacher in the UK and NZ, Andy joined MEI in April 2001 as Head of Learning Technology. Throughout his teaching career, he was a tech adopter in his classroom and became EdTech lead at two schools. He was a Google Certified Educator Level 2 and a Certified Google Trainer as well as a Microsoft Certified Educator. At MEI, his main responsibility is running Integral, MEI's online learning platform for A-level Maths and Further Maths. Andy is a co-host of a successful podcast for maths educationalists called Digging For The Why and is always looking for innovation in education that can make a pedagogical difference.

Alston D'Souza is an economist, educator, and education policy researcher. Just after university, he turned down a fully funded scholarship for graduate school and instead joined a non-profit to teach at a remote village in northern India. Here, he taught English and Mathematics at two underfunded primary schools on alternate days. This profound experience led him to education policy research. His time as a policy researcher resulted in several significant papers on education regulatory governance. A very senior bureaucrat took an interest in Alston's paper, and within two years, it was implemented as national policy. He currently works as an economic consultant at Charles River Associates.

He has won several awards, authored numerous op-eds, and his work has been featured in several media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and Forbes. He holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.