David Adam Founder & Principal Global Cities

David is an economic development, soft power andinternational relations specialist with experience in strategy development andimplementation for global cities including London, Moscow, Beijing, Shanghai,Nanjing, Chengdu and Mumbai.

Regular clients include cultural organisations andgovernments such as the Greater London Authority, Corporation of London,Salford Council, Manchester Council, Climate-KIC, OECD, British Council,Transport for London, and Crossrail.  He has particular expertise in softpower, tourism and brand positioning.  He lectures at the University ofSouthern California on the topic of The Rhetoric of London, is anassociate with the British Foreign Policy Group, and associate with BOPconsultancy where his focus is on the development of the World Cities CulturalForum. He is co-author of a British Council Report on the Soft Power of Cities,BPFG report 'Manchester: Soft Power Entrepreneur' and WCCF report on soft powerin Chinese cities. 

Tony Attard OBE Chairman Panaz Limited

Tony is the founder and Group Chief Executive of Lancashire-based Panaz Limited, where he has spearheaded the design and technical advancement of flame retardant fabrics for the worldwide hospitality, leisure, cruise ship and healthcare sectors. Formed in 1986, the company today exports to 46 countries, operating worldwide through subsidiary companies in Europe and the USA and a global network of agents.

Under Tony Attard’s direction, Panaz has been presented with two Queen’s Awards, marking the company’s success in both Export Achievement and Enterprise. However, Tony’s activities and interests extend far beyond the Burnley boardroom: he is currently National President of the Worshipful Company of Furniture makers Charity, and a member of the Guilds Court, he is a member of the Manchester University Department of Material Science Industrial Advisory Group, and Manchester Met University Department of Enterprise Advisory Group. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Fellow of the Institute of Directors, an Associate of the Institute of Textiles and a Member of the Institute of Management, and has received an Outstanding Alumnus award from Manchester University, where he began his career by winning a Courtaulds Scholarship to read for a BSc in Design Management. Other accolades have come from the Design Council and the DTI in recognition of his contribution to the contract furnishing industry worldwide.

A Freeman of the City of London, Tony Attard sits on the Board of Creative Lancashire, NWTexnet, the British Contract Furnishings Association and the General Assembly of Manchester University. Tony is a past IoD Lancashire Director of the Year and former Chair for IoD North West region.  Tony was made an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen in the 2010 New Year’s honours.     

Tony was appointed to the role of Chair of the Board of Marketing Lancashire at the end of November 2015.

Phil Batty Director of Public Engagement & Legacy Hull UK City of Culture

Phil was Director of Public Engagement for the £32m UK City of Culture project in Hull. In this role he was responsible for capitalising on the city’s year in the spotlight by devising a place-based campaign to transform perceptions through culture and the arts.

Working across a 365-day artistic programme of more than 2800 cultural activities, Phil played a pivotal role in ensuring 9 out of 10 residents of Hull took part in the year’s programme; whilst attracting millions of visitors from across the UK to experience the City of Culture celebrations.

Prior to this Phil spent a decade working in a marketing and research consultancy on behalf of leading national charities including the British Red Cross, Keep Britain Tidy, Young Minds and the British Heart Foundation.

Currently Phil is working with towns and cities throughout the UK and Ireland on cultural regeneration projects and has most recently overseen the marketing to launch Waltham Forest as the first-ever London Borough of Culture.

Born and educated in the UK, Phil is also an associate of the Culture, Policy and Place Institute at the University of Hull

Conrad Bird Campaign Director GREAT Britain Campaign

Conrad is Director of the GREAT Britain campaign, based in the Department for International Trade and formerly at 10 Downing Street.   While at No10 Conrad’s role was extended to include responsibility for delivering major cross-government campaigns, as well as ensuring Government spending on communications was efficient and cost-effective.

Previously Conrad worked at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office as Head of Public Diplomacy and Strategic Campaigns.  He was responsible for a wide range of policies and campaigns, including soft power, the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, and campaigns in the Middle East, Libya, Afghanistan and Pakistan.    

Conrad joined the Government in 2002, initially working with the Central Office of Information on issues that included teenage drugs, consumer rights and international export.   He moved to the Cabinet Office to work with the first Permanent Secretary of Government Communication as Director of Strategic Communications. Here he launched ‘Engage’, a new approach to Government Communication, and was responsible for campaigns to counter terrorism and animal rights extremism.

Before joining the Civil Service Conrad spent 18 years in advertising, working with a number of agencies on national and international business. During this time he also set up an awardwinning communication consultancy which he successfully ran for eight years.

Chris Brown Director of Marketing Liverpool Liverpool Vision

Chris is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow and having worked in a number of Hotels as a General Manager he changed course to work in destination management in 1999 – Initially he worked for five years at The Mersey Partnership as Director of Tourism, Director of Operations and interim Chief Executive before taking the role of Chief Executive at Marketing Cheshire, formerly Visit Chester and Cheshire, in 2004.

He returned back to Liverpool in 2013 to establish Marketing Liverpool and to promote the city as a first class destination for leisure, business and students. Chris is responsible, with key partners, for promoting the Liverpool brand nationally and internationally.

Chris also works to deliver the Liverpool Plan, a series of transformational events designed to bring key organisations of the city together helping to raise its profile at an international level.

He is a keen follower of all things Scotland and continues a long held ambition to finally see the country win something.

Steven Cochrane Partnership Director Oxford Road Corridor, Manchester’s Innovation District

Steven was appointed Partnership Director at the Oxford Road Corridor, Manchester’s Innovation District in 2018.  This unique partnership comprises the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester City Council, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Bruntwood, and cultural partners.

Prior to this he was Director of Growth Lancashire, the County’s economic development and business support company, which under his leadership helped to create over 4,000 jobs in Lancashire and attracted over £50m private investment. 

Previously Steven was Director of Regenerate Pennine Lancashire leading the development and delivery of a wide range of economic, skills and regeneration strategies for the Pennine Lancashire local authorities.

He started his career on a graduate programme, spent 5 years working in industry and holds an MA in Local and Regional Regeneration.  Steven has sat on Government commissions and expert panels relating to economic growth and regeneration.

Kathryn Davis Head of Tourism Destination Bristol

Kathryn Davis has spent almost all of her professional life working in tourism, hospitality and leisure, the last 18 years of which have been with Destination Bristol. This has taken her from a Marketing Executive developing early versions of VisitBristol and digital communication to Head of Tourism, working on regional, national and international programmes across all areas of the visitor economy including overseeing both the visitor marketing and convention bureau delivery, along with the development of local industry engagement, research, product and partnership development. Kathryn is a member of the Tourism Management Institute and a regular speaker at industry events. In 2018, she was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism at the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism awards.

Jim Dawson Head of Creative Digital and Marketing Visit Kent

Jim Dawson is the Head of Creative Digital and Marketing at Go To Places, the company delivering destination management in the shape of Visit Kent and Visit Herts. He has been involved in digital marketing for over 20 years, and in that time he has worked with organisations including the Natural History Museum, Which?, The Law Society, Nottingham Trent University and Rentokill Initial to name just a few. Jim joined Go To Places in 2016 and is now in charge of pushing through ambitious changes to the content strategy and digital campaign delivery.

Sam Hunt Creative Director Waltham Forest London Borough of Culture 2019

Sam Hunt has been working throughout the UK, across arts and culture for 15 years. In that time he has worked in multiple art forms, produced festivals, set up venues, worked as a creative producer and been instrumental in the creation and delivery of nationally significant cultural programmes, recently as Executive Producer of Hull 2017 UK City of Culture and currently Creative Director of London’s first ‘Borough of Culture’ Waltham Forest 2019.

Sam is interested in the way arts and culture can respond to and alter a sense of place, shifting perceptions for the people who live there whilst defining the ambition of an area for those outside and a firm believer that great art can change lives for the better being a passionate advocate for central role of arts and culture should play within society

Peter Kentie Managing Director Eindhoven 365

In his daytime job Peter is managing director of Eindhoven Marketing, the organisation responsible for the place branding and marketing of Eindhoven region, named Eindhoven365. He also has a big passion for Estonia and decided as an early e-Resident to create value to support the country in marketing and promoting their ambitions to a greater and relevant global audience. He became overnight a superstar in Estonia thanks to his ESTonishing pro bono and open-source marketing concept which received strong public support and became formally accepted by the authorities.

Cat Leaver Director Brand Scotland

With a remit to establish a team and infrastructure of cross-agency talent, Cat heads up Brand Scotland and leads the #ScotlandIsNow campaign, looking to deliver a strong nation brand that positions Scotland for sustainable growth, resilience and future prosperity. With talent from across VisitScotland, Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise, Brand Scotland aims to activate partnerships across the public and private sectors to drive reputational value and awareness of our progressive nation. Formerly, Cat ran the strategy and marketing teams for a multi award-winning digital agency, After Digital, for seven years and outside of her day job she is one of five who lead on TEDxGlasgow, one of the world's most established TEDx organisations.

Graham Lister Independent Arts and Cultural Advisor Cheshire West and Chester Council

Graham is an  independent arts and cultural advisor and is based in Manchester. Currently  working with Cheshire West and Chester Council on a number of cultural  projects.   Has worked in the performing  arts industry for over three decades and brings a wealth of experience and  skill informed by his work across the sector. Much of his career has been  focused on working with a diverse range of artists and organizations. In the  last decade he has been Capital Director for a number of new theatre buildings:  Curve in Leicester, CAST Doncaster and more recently Storyhouse in Chester. All  significant and distinctive projects that challenge ideas about how artists and  communities might engage with cultural organizations.  

Rachel McQueen Chief Executive Marketing Lancashire

Rachel was appointed to the role of Chief Executive in April 2018, having previously held the roles of Director of Tourism at Marketing Cheshire and Director of Marketing and Deputy CEO at Marketing Manchester.

During her career at Marketing Manchester she led a team of 26 responsible for the promotion of Manchester as a leading business, leisure and learning destination; focused on attracting visitors and investors, growing a highly skilled workforce and driving sustainable economic growth.

The team’s transformational ‘I love MCR’ campaign, projects with Manchester Airports Group, Manchester United and Manchester City, as well as stakeholder initiatives across the city, greatly increased profile and helped boost investment and trade links as well as increase international visitors. Following delegations to China, meetings with potential investors, key airlines and presentations in partnership with Visit Britain, the team successfully secured direct flights from Manchester to Beijing in 2015.

As Director of Marketing at Hemisphere DMC, Rachel worked with a range of clients from transport, health, property, culture and local government with her specific projects including: the development of an investment prospectus and brand narrative for the Manchester at MIPIM partnership; a brand architecture framework review for Bruntwood and the creation of the brand identity for Manchester’s European City of Science designation.

Born in Northern Ireland Rachel grew up in London and moved to Manchester for university. She has made her home in the North West, where she lives with her Bolton-born husband and young daughter.

Catherine Mitton Executive Director The BID Foundation

Catherine Mitton joined the Institute of Place Management (IPM) and The BID Foundation in  June 2018, following seven years as a BID practitioner in Winchester. Catherine  has 15 years’ experience leading teams in the place management industry, with expertise in creating strong partnerships between the public and private sectors, having delivered intricate projects for local government. Last year Catherine graduated from a top 20 Russell Group university with a MBA, which included completing a research piece on effective corporate governance practices within English BIDs.

Fiona Mulliner Director of Commercial Ventures & Domestic Tourism London & Partners

Fiona has lived and worked in five continents in a variety of marketing roles with global media brands. These include News Corporation, where she was VP Marketing for STAR TV in Asia, and BBC Worldwide where she was VP and General Manager, Joint Ventures. In this role she successfully led and managed global media partnerships with major networks Discovery Communications Inc and Scripps Network, working with inhouse teams and agencies to develop and promote co-branded content and channels. She joined London & Partners, the Mayor of London’s official promotional agency, three years ago. She now leads its Campaigns team to promote London as a leading destination for leisure and business visitors, international students and talent, and entrepreneurs and investors.

Martin Reeves CEO Coventry City Council

Martin has been Chief Executive of Coventry City Council since April 2009.  He was the Chief Executive and the Head of Paid Service of the West Midlands Combined Authority from March 2016 to September 2017.  He had previously been with Bedfordshire County Council for three and a half years as Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Executive.  

Martin spent much of his early career as a lecturer and researcher, and has a PhD in applied economics.

In 2018 Martin was once again included in the top 50 of the Local Government Chronicle’s list of most influential people in local government.

Charlie Seward Deputy Chief Executive (Place) Cheshire West & Chester Council

Charlie has almost 30 years public, private and community sector experience of planning and regeneration across the North West of England, North Wales and the South East.

He joined Cheshire West and Chester Council as a member of its senior management team on its launch in April 2009. Over the past eight tears the Council has developed a reputation as a fresh, dynamic and innovative unitary authority at the fore-front of public sector reform.

Charlie’s current priorities include driving forward an ambitious programme for economic growth, social and environmental improvement and service transformation across a diverse mixture of urban and rural areas. He works strategically to develop relationships and take forward programmes nationally and regionally as well as locally to ensure that neighbourhoods, communities and individual citizens can benefit from greater prosperity.

Having graduated in Government from the London School of Economics he went to secure a professional post graduate qualification from Manchester University.

Mari Stevens Cyfarwyddwr Marchnata - Director of Marketing Busnes a Thwristiaeth, Cymru - Business and Tourism, Wales

Mari Stevens – Director of Marketing – Wales Tourism and Business Mari Stevens is Visit Wales’s Director of Marketing, and is also responsible for promoting Wales as a place for inward investment, start-up growth and export. She has led the work of developing the award-winning Cymru Wales nation brand; a number of international marketing campaigns; and supported major events including the NATO Wales Summit. Before taking up the post, she worked as Head of Marketing for Welsh Water, building the company brand and driving environmental behavioural-change campaigns. She has also worked for BBC Cymru Wales’s as Head of Marketing, promoting their wide range of television, radio and digital services.  Mari is a published poet and author, and a mum to three boys.

Mari Stevens – Cyfarwyddwr Marchnata – Twristiaeth a Busnes Cymru Mari yw Cyfarwyddwr Marchnata Croeso Cymru, ac mae hefyd yn gyfrifol am hyrwyddo Cymru fel cyrchfan ar gyfer buddsoddiadau busnes, tŵf newydd, ac allforion. Bu’n gyfrifol am arwain y gwaith o ddatblygu brand cenedlaethol llwyddiannus Cymru Wales; nifer o ymgyrchoedd marchnata rhyngwladol; a chefnogi digwyddiadau mawr yn cynnwys Uwchgynhadledd NATO Cymru. Cyn hynny, bu’n Bennaeth Marchnata i Dŵr Cymru, lle roedd yn gyfrifol am adeiladu’r brand ac ar arwain ymgyrchoedd amgylcheddol. Mae hi hefyd wedi gweithio i BBC Cymru Wales, lle bu’n hyrwyddo eu hamrywiaeth eang o wasanaethau teledu, radio a digidol. Mae hi yn fardd ac yn awdur ac yn fam i dri o fechgyn bach.

Sharon Summerfield Place Brand Manager Discover Harlow

A Geography graduate from University College London, Sharon started her career in the Civil Service whilst studying Public Service Leadership at Birmingham University.  Her diverse Central Government career, spanning twenty one years, saw her working in; leadership, communication, project management, and management consultancy roles.

Always a proud supporter of her home town of Harlow in Essex, Sharon moved on to work for Business in the Community, a Prince of Wales charity, as Business Connector for Harlow, connecting the private, public and voluntary sector in mutually beneficial relationships.

Now working with Harlow District Council, Sharon has launched Discover Harlow, a successful new place brand initiative which engages communities to build a strong Harlow Ambassador network which takes responsibility for owning and selling the Harlow story.

Discover Harlow was proud to be shortlisted for the 2018 CNP Place Brand of the Year Award.

Conrad Bird Campaign Director GREAT Britain Campaign

Conrad is Director of the GREAT Britain campaign, based in the Department for International Trade and formerly at 10 Downing Street.   While at No10 Conrad’s role was extended to include responsibility for delivering major cross-government campaigns, as well as ensuring Government spending on communications was efficient and cost-effective.

Previously Conrad worked at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office as Head of Public Diplomacy and Strategic Campaigns.  He was responsible for a wide range of policies and campaigns, including soft power, the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, and campaigns in the Middle East, Libya, Afghanistan and Pakistan.    

Conrad joined the Government in 2002, initially working with the Central Office of Information on issues that included teenage drugs, consumer rights and international export.   He moved to the Cabinet Office to work with the first Permanent Secretary of Government Communication as Director of Strategic Communications. Here he launched ‘Engage’, a new approach to Government Communication, and was responsible for campaigns to counter terrorism and animal rights extremism.

Before joining the Civil Service Conrad spent 18 years in advertising, working with a number of agencies on national and international business. During this time he also set up an awardwinning communication consultancy which he successfully ran for eight years.

Caroline Broadway Head of Marketing and Communications West Midlands Growth Company

Caroline heads up the marketing andcommunication teams. She advises on strategy, branding and developingintegrated campaigns, including leading on the place marketing strategy for theregion. She brings a breadth of experience and qualified as a charteredmarketer in 2009. 

Previously, Caroline has working insenior marketing positions nationally and internationally in a range of sectors- professional services, financial services, central Government and industryorganisations. Her roles have included running international campaigns,national branding projects, public affairs, PR and stakeholder engagement.

Chris Brown Director of Marketing Liverpool Liverpool Vision

Chris is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow and having worked in a number of Hotels as a General Manager he changed course to work in destination management in 1999 – Initially he worked for five years at The Mersey Partnership as Director of Tourism, Director of Operations and interim Chief Executive before taking the role of Chief Executive at Marketing Cheshire, formerly Visit Chester and Cheshire, in 2004.

He returned back to Liverpool in 2013 to establish Marketing Liverpool and to promote the city as a first class destination for leisure, business and students. Chris is responsible, with key partners, for promoting the Liverpool brand nationally and internationally.

Chris also works to deliver the Liverpool Plan, a series of transformational events designed to bring key organisations of the city together helping to raise its profile at an international level.

He is a keen follower of all things Scotland and continues a long held ambition to finally see the country win something.

Lisa Caldwell Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications Belfast City Council

With 14 years’ experience in the industry across the private, voluntary and public sectors, Lisa currently leads the marketing and communications at Belfast City Council. Prior to this, she led the communications and marketing strategy for the Social Security Agency and Department for Communities in Northern Ireland. She has also worked as an advisor to build communication and marketing capacity for the Greek Government, as they created a social security entity as part of their memorandum with the European Union. She is a Fellow of the CIPR, and, in 2016, was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship in the US.

Cat Leaver Director Brand Scotland

With a remit to establish a team and infrastructure of cross-agency talent, Cat heads up Brand Scotland and leads the #ScotlandIsNow campaign, looking to deliver a strong nation brand that positions Scotland for sustainable growth, resilience and future prosperity. With talent from across VisitScotland, Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise, Brand Scotland aims to activate partnerships across the public and private sectors to drive reputational value and awareness of our progressive nation. Formerly, Cat ran the strategy and marketing teams for a multi award-winning digital agency, After Digital, for seven years and outside of her day job she is one of five who lead on TEDxGlasgow, one of the world's most established TEDx organisations.