What’s Your Story?

December 11th 2026

9-5.30pm

This is no ordinary conference. Come along with your colleagues, friends and family and join me Yetunde Hofmann and a community of awesome storytellers from all walks of life, backgrounds, and experiences. They are leaders willing to share their stories of life and experiences from a place of who they are, not what they do or have.

8 Fenchurch Place London
EC3M 4PB

BUY TICKETS NOW FOR 2026 CONFERENCE

✺ Our 2026 storytellers ✺

  • Vice Chair
    Corporate & Institutional Banking

    John joined Lloyds Banking Group in 2022 as CEO for Corporate & Institutional Banking (CIB) and led a substantial transformation of the business over the next four years. In March 2026 John took on the role of Vice Chair for CIB.

    John has more than 40 years’ experience in corporate and investment banking, as well as in retail banking, and was CEO of EMEA for MUFG from 2019 to 2022.

    He spent 15 years at Barclays, latterly as CEO for Corporate Banking and previously as head of its European investment banking business.

    John started his career at Merrill Lynch in 1985 in NYC and was head of EMEA DCM at Deutsche Bank from 1996-2001.

    John has lived in London since 1992.


  • Selina lives by her coined phrase to “Dream beyond limits and live to fulfil your dreams”, focusing her efforts on raising the bar to bring out the best in those around her believing that opportunities can be realised with consistency and positive momentum. After dedicating 18 years to the banking industry across a number of specialist Risk roles  she took a much needed career break to focus on family and re-channel her thoughts on what matters most and what could come next.  Now teaching mathematics in  a Newham secondary school, Selina is also completing personal training and nutrition certifications as she pivots into new career pathways.  

    A serial learner, always up for a challenge, she is fluent in Spanish and has started learning Mandarin.  When not taxi-ing her kids to extracurricular activities,  you will most likely find her preparing for some unusual outdoor adventure activity (think mud obstacle events, Hyrox  - marathon), playing the piano or dancing /singing badly much to the horror of her kids. 


  • I'm the Founder and CEO of HeadBox — your global events partner for the AI era. We combine the speed of a trailblazing platform with the creative human expertise your teams love, delivering world-class business events that drive efficiency, savings and compliance.

    HeadBox connects corporate event planners with 100,000+ inspiring venues across major cities worldwide — turning meetings and events into memorable experiences. In 2025, our team successfully delivered over 5,000 events across 112 cities on 6 continents, ranging from intimate 5-person board meetings to 5,000+ person conferences.

    With over 10 years of proven expertise, leading organisations including Sky, Dentsu, Knight Frank and EDF rely on HeadBox to manage their entire Meetings & Events programmes. Our award-winning platform gives event planners world-class venue finding, supplier sourcing, accommodation and end-to-end event management - all at their fingertips - while giving procurement teams the data, visibility and cost control they need.

    🏆 Double winners, Business Travel Awards Europe 2025 - Best Travel Technology Innovation (M&E) and Business Meetings Partner of the Year 🏆 Conference News Agency Award 2024 - Venue-finding Agency of the Year 🏆 Startups UK Top 100, ranked #9 (2020)

    Backed by Guinness Asset Management, Deepbridge Capital and Egora Ventures, we're a growing team of 75 HeadBoxers, based in London, New York and Sydney.

    Our mission is to bring people and spaces together to make brilliant things happen, everywhere.

    As a leader, husband and dad I bring love, authenticity, energy and courage to everything I do.


  • Sally is passionate about and has an expertise in, helping women develop their skills. She believes in honesty and directness and working in a supportive environment to inspire women. She uses a “tool kit” approach to help women maximise their potential by developing their confidence and achieving excellence in areas including their CV, presentation skills (e.g. body language, handshake, voice), networking, external profile and social media.

    Sally worked in the executive search industry for over 30 years. She is a former Director at Sapphire Partners where she worked for 15 years, specialising in the placement of senior women and executives across a wide range of sectors in both non-executive and executive roles.

    She worked at Ridgeway Partners, Russell Reynolds Associates, Whitehead Mann and GKR, focusing primarily on international, financial and professional services searches and board level recruitment. Previously, she worked in London’s Olympic Bid team, London 2012, and at Wasserstein Perella and County NatWest.

    Sally has an MSc in Human Resource Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

    In 2026 Sally qualified as a Menopause Coach and in addition to this, supports senior executives experiences periods of transition both in life and career.


  • Yash Barve is an MBA Programme Coordinator at Cambridge Judge Business School, where he supports the delivery of workshops, international business study trip, and the wider student experience for a diverse global MBA cohort. He is guided by the values of love and kindness, which shape both how he works and how he relates to others. At the heart of his approach is a belief that people thrive when they feel seen, supported, and encouraged.

    Originally from India, Yash moved to the UK as an international student and has since built his career in higher education through resilience, adaptability, and a strong commitment to growth. Before joining Cambridge Judge Business School, he worked at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, where he supported residential workshops and leadership programmes that brought together professionals and changemakers from around the world.

    He holds an MSc in Engineering Management from the University of Greenwich, following an earlier academic background in civil engineering. His own journey reflects reinvention, courage, and a willingness to embrace unfamiliar spaces in pursuit of a meaningful life and career.

    Yash is known for his warmth, calm presence, and thoughtful way of connecting with people from different backgrounds. His story is one of transition, belonging, and quietly rebuilding confidence through each new chapter. He brings a grounded and human perspective to conversations about purpose, identity, and the resilience required to keep moving forward with hope.


  • Professor in Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nottingham, Vince mentors, and sponsors 1000s spanning the whole career lifecycle from school to board and made it his mission to inspire future generations into STEM, Engineering, Tech, and Energy careers.

    Vince has 40+ years of global business experience incorporating executive management and board positions in blue chip companies including ExxonMobil, Suez, V. Ships, Nalco, and P&G.

    Today he manages a diverse portfolio that incorporates career mentoring to students and alumni at the University of Nottingham and energy sector mentor at several business schools.

    He won the Chairman’s Award as global General Manager of the year at Suez for outstanding performance, and recently the Gender Diversity Ambassador Award 2025 from the IET/WISE,  Davidson Medal 2024 from the IChemE for global leadership in mentoring, the TechWomen100 2024 Award for Gender Balance and the Men as Allies 2024 Award from the Women’s Engineering Society.

    Vince is a Trustee/Non-Executive Board member and Ambassador for Male Allies UK, the Women’s Energy Network Alliance, Female Leaders in STEM Subjects, POWERful Women, Graduate Mentor and MyBigCareer.

    He is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the IChemE, Energy Institute, Women’s Engineering Society, and the Chartered Management Institute.


  • Winnie is a passionate and purpose-driven senior executive with over 15 years of experience across DEI, Learning and Development, HR Strategy and Partnering, Retail and Business Banking. She is an accredited coach and experienced speaker with extensive experience developing colleagues and leaders at all levels, including Executive and Non-Executive Boards. She has worked with several clients including LV, ModulR, Adobe and Arriva, enabling them with the tools to power the careers of their colleagues, and build equitable cultures that help them thrive.

     

    She is an advisory board member for Anima Youth and UPFRONT, both organisations aimed at advancing women and girls.Winnie is a Black British Business Awards Professional Services, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Tech and We Are The City Rising Star Award winner, recognized for building diverse communities that drive social change.


  • Victoria Short spent 28 years building a successful executive career, culminating in her role as CEO of Randstad UK & Ireland, one of the UK's largest talent businesses. During her career she led large-scale organisational and digital transformation programmes, helping businesses, leaders and teams navigate periods of significant change and growth.

    From the outside, she had achieved more than she ever imagined possible. Yet her story is also one of growth, courage and learning that success is not only measured by what we achieve, but by how we choose to live, contribute and connect with others.

    Today, Victoria works as an executive coach, strategic advisor and non-executive director, supporting leaders and boards through growth, transformation and transition. She is also a Samaritans volunteer and is passionate about helping people realise their potential through the power of listening, reflection and meaningful conversation.

    Victoria lives in Greater Manchester with her husband and their much-loved cockapoo, Buddy. She is the proud mum of two grown-up children and enjoys travelling, exploring new restaurants, walking in the hills, spending time with family and friends, and balancing it all with regular gym sessions and yoga.

    Through her own experiences of leadership, identity, challenge and reinvention, Victoria shares reflections on finding purpose, joy and fulfilment in both life and work.


  • I am a qualified chartered accountant and Director of Internal Audit Operational Risk at Barclays. I have 16 years of internal audit experience in banking, with expertise spanning Treasury Risk and Balance Sheet Management, Market Risk and Operational Risk.

    Before joining Barclays, I was Vice President, Internal Audit at Absa Bank in South Africa, where I led assurance work over Treasury Risk and Balance Sheet Management across South Africa and several African entities, including Ghana, Tanzania and Mozambique.

    Earlier in my career, I trained at EY Johannesburg, where I completed my articles in support of qualifying as a Chartered Accountant South Africa. I hold a Postgraduate Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a UK Bank Treasury Risk Management Certificate, for which I placed first globally.


  • Safiya is a 28-year-old Intensive Care Nurse working in a specialist tertiary ICU in Surrey

    ICU in Surrey, UK. Having recently completed her postgraduate training in Intensive Care

    Nursing, she has developed a strong interest in the relationship between performance,

    resilience, and wellbeing within high-pressure environments as well as professional

    development- including her own next-steps within the NHS.

     

    Alongside her clinical work, Safiya founded a staff running club that has brought together

    and benefited many colleagues, promoting fitness, resilience, and team connection within

    a demanding environment. She is a strong advocate for promoting open conversations

    around mental health, particularly within the NHS and other high-pressure professions,

    through her work and personal interests, she aims to challenge stigma, encourage

    openness, and create space for more honest and constructive discussions around

    wellbeing and psychological health.

     

    Safiya was exposed from an early age to the importance of resilience, passion and

    determination, but also the impact of stigma and consequences of a lack of recognition

    and awareness around complex mental health issues. While these experiences helped

    shape her work ethic and ability to thrive under pressure, they also sparked a lasting

    interest in the often-overlooked importance of mental wellbeing and psychological support.

    Drawing on her experiences in both her developmental years and high acuity nursing,

    Safiya is committed to fostering cultures that support not only excellence and

    performance, but also wellbeing, authenticity, and human connection. She is delighted to

    share her experiences and insights at this year's conference.

  • CEO
    Change the Race Ratio

    Richard is the CEO for Change the Race Ratio, the UK's leading business campaign to accelerate racial and ethnic minority representation on boards and in executive teams. Change the Race Ratio is the campaign partner to the Parker Review.    

     

    Change the Race Ratio regularly convenes business leaders and supports progress through the sharing of good practice and lessons learned.  Change the Race Ratio also provides its members with a strong voice to policymakers in government and key regulators. 

     

    Richard is also a committee member of the Parker Review into ethnic diversity on boards supported by the Department for Business and Trade and an EDI Fellow at the University of East London.

     

    Prior to Change the Race Ratio, Richard led the CBI’s business engagement activities on the Future of Work. He was a director for a regional staffing firm and the CIPD’s Chair for Cambridgeshire and Treasurer for CIPD in the East of England.


  • Dwight Lawrence is Vice President of Learning and Leadership Development at APi Group, where he leads the work to build leadership capability and embed a culture of 'Building Great Leaders' across EMEA and Asia.

    He began his career in 1986 as a Trainee Manager at M&S in South Wales. Following a marketing degree, he moved into commercial roles at Unilever and Reebok, before discovering his true calling in leadership development at Sky. Since then, he has dedicated his career to helping leaders step up and perform in complex, high‑performance environments. Before joining APi Group, he spent 12 years at EY, latterly as a Consulting Director, leading award‑winning work across sectors including sport, government, policing, financial services and energy.

    Known as a trusted C-Suite advisor and executive coach, Dwight brings a powerful mix of honest challenge and practical action. He helps leaders turn intent into behaviour and build cultures where people can perform, grow and thrive.

    His passion for performance started early. Inspired by watching his Jamaican father captaining various cricket teams, Dwight went on to represent his county in schoolboy football and rugby, later competing as a Welsh U21 athlete. These days, his sons are quick to remind him those performances are firmly in the past.

    He holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Development and is certified in executive and systemic team coaching. Outside work, Dwight is a husband of almost 30 years, a proud father of two adult sons and an active community volunteer. He remains a loyal, virtual supporter of Barry Town FC—a habit that continues to build his resilience.

Our storytellers share personal stories that contributed to a day of inspiration, encouragement, empowerment, and JOY 

Through their stories, they shared personal perspectives in response to questions like these:

Are you stuck?

Are you wondering what your life’s purpose is? 

Can a setback be setting you up for a comeback?

Are you wondering how to let go?

Can you get over the apology you never had?

Are you wondering how to find friends?

Can you find that silver lining in your pain?

Be reassured. These are questions that many people have asked themselves and indeed our storytellers too. It is the reason why we are grateful for the opportunity to listen to them, and also to learn, share and be inspired by what we hear from them and from others like us in the room.

You will have the quality time to reconnect with who you are and with others on the one thing we have in common and that unites us: We all are human. No matter our backgrounds, our race, our gender, our status or what our history is.

 Join us for a day of inspiration, learning and sharing. 

You’ll make new friends, connections and leave with a refreshed feeling of hope as you look forward to closing the current year and starting the next with a spring in your step.