Hosts
Prof Raj Roy (Executive Dean, School of Science and Technology, and 'Social Responsibility' Lead at City, University of London)
Professor Rajkumar Roy is the Executive Dean of the School of Science and Technology at City, University of London. He is leading the research in self-engineering with over 25 years of engineering design and manufacturing research experience. He is also leading this national initiative on “developing socially responsible STEM professionals” and has actively supported inclusion of ethics in the undergraduate curriculum and research. Previously PI the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Through-life Engineering Services (TES) (EP/I033246/1). He was also PI and then CoI of EPSRC Platform Grant on Through- life Performance and EPSRC GCRF project. He has a track record of projects from EPSRC, EU, IUK and HEFCE and was also the PI on topics including design optimisation, concept design, whole life cost modelling and design for service. He is the Founding Editor in Chief of the Applied Soft Computing journal from Elsevier (2001-2016), with 11th ranking out of 112 journals in interdisciplinary application of computer science. He has published over 100 journal papers. He is also a Fellow of the CIRP, IET, IED, ACostE and a Principal Fellow of HEA.
Prof Anthony Finkelstein (President of City, University of London)
Anthony Finkelstein is a computer scientist and President of City, University of London. He was formerly the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security. During this time, Anthony’s research was based at The Alan Turing Institute and he held a Chair in Software Systems Engineering at University College London (UCL). Prior to this, he was Dean of the UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Head of UCL Computer Science. His scientific work is in the broad area of systems engineering. Anthony is currently Chair of the Police Science Council and a member of the DfE National Implementation Boar for Reform to Children’s Social Care. An Expert in data analysis and digital solutions, his contribution will explore how data and digital might aid professionals to manage information and evidence impact.
Keynote speakers
Prof Raj Muttukrishnan (Professor at City, University of London)
Professor Rajarajan (Raj) is the founding Director of the Centre for Cyber Security for Society (MOBS) at City, University of London. Raj’s expertise are in the areas of financial technology, identity management, Cloud Security, network security, data privacy and IoT security. Raj has led several cyber security and privacy related research and commercialisation projects in the UK and internationally. He has published more than 350 conference and journal papers, four books and holds four patents in the area of data privacy. He continues to work closely with many deep tech start-ups by translating his research into commercial products to make a societal impact through technology. He is an advisory board member for the London Cyber Resilience Centre, founding member of the London Cyber Security Cluster (UKC3) and also a Visiting Fellow at the British Telecommunications Security and Innovation labs.
Sarah Ottaway (Sustainability and Social Value Lead at SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK)
Sarah is SUEZ recycling and recovery UK’s Sustainability and Social Value Lead, and is responsible for informing, enabling and supporting SUEZ in its triple bottom line strategy, and ensuring it continually improves its social and environmental impact as a result. She also contributes her 15 years’ experience in the sector and expertise in service enhancement, innovation and behaviour change to SUEZ’s policy and circular economy activities. She is a Level 1 Associate Practitioner with Social Value UK, the chair of the social working group for the Environmental Services Association, and in 2023 was named one of the Resource “Hot 100” for moving the social value and sustainability agenda forward across the industry. Socials: X (Twitter) - @sarahottaway / LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahottaway/.
Prof Andre Spicer (Executive Dean, Bayes Business School at City, University of London)
Andre Spicer is a Professor of Organisational Behaviour. He is an expert in leadership, corporate social responsibility and organisational theory. As Dean of Bayes, he focuses on strategic oversight of the School, faculty issues, working with the wider university, and representing Bayes in many external forums. He is a member of City's senior leadership team. He previously led the Faculty of Management, the largest department at the University. Andre joined Bayes in 2011 and took up the role of Executive Dean in January 2022.
Michael Adamson (Honorary Visiting Professor at City, University of London)
Mike Adamson was Chief Executive of British Red Cross for nine years until November 2023, the country’s leading voluntary crisis response organisation, and part of the worldwide Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. During his tenure, he oversaw the response to many emergencies both in the UK and overseas, including the Grenfell Tower fire, Covid and Ukraine. He helped pioneer new forms of collaboration across sectors to some of the nation’s big challenges including national resilience and a fair refugee and asylum system. He co-chaired the Voluntary & Community Sector Emergency Partnership and was a trustee of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) amongst other non-executive roles. Mike has also worked as a Director of Commissioning in the NHS and spent five years as Managing Director for Services at another national disability charity. He began his career as an economist in management consultancy. He is now establishing academic links at both Bayes Business School, Centre for Charity Effectiveness and Birmingham University Institute of Leadership and pursuing a coaching career. In June 2021 Mike was awarded a CBE honour for services to the humanitarian sector and the Red Cross Movement.
Prof David Leslie (Director of Ethics and Responsible Innovation Research, The Alan Turing Institute)
Professor David Leslie is the Director of Ethics and Responsible Innovation Research at The Alan Turing Institute and Professor of Ethics, Technology and Society at Queen Mary University of London. He previously taught at Princeton’s University Center for Human Values, Yale’s programme in Ethics, Politics and Economics and at Harvard’s Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, where he received over a dozen teaching awards including the 2014 Stanley Hoffman Prize for Teaching Excellence. David is the author of the UK Government’s official guidance on the responsible design and implementation of AI systems in the public sector, Understanding artificial intelligence ethics and safety (2019) and a principal co-author of Explaining decisions made with AI (2020), a co-badged guidance on AI explainability published by the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office and The Alan Turing Institute.
Dr Carwyn Hooper (Reader in Global Health Ethics and Law, and Head of the Graduate School at St George’s, University of London)
Dr Carwyn Rhys Hooper is a Reader in Global Health Ethics and Law at St George's, University of London. He is also the Head of the Graduate School, the Head of the Section for Humanities, Ethics, Law and Global Health, and the Course Director for a suite of postgraduate global health courses at the same institution. He has studied medicine, philosophy, and medical education. He also holds a PhD in law. Dr Hooper is currently the co-lead for the MRC funded London Intercollegiate Doctoral Training Partnership and Chair of the St George's Graduate School Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Widening Participation Working Group. He is also the Chair of the Institute of Medical Ethics Education Committee, and a Fellow of Advanced HE.
Dr Rhys Morgan (Strategic Projects Director for Skills and Inclusion at the Royal Academy of Engineering)
Dr Rhys Morgan is the Strategic Projects Director for Skills and Inclusion at the Royal Academy of Engineering. He has led the Academy’s work to embed global responsibility: sustainability, ethics and inclusion into all aspects of engineering education. He has also been the Academy’s lead in engaging with the wider engineering profession including the Engineering Council, EngineeringUK and the 40 professional engineering institutions, on matters of collective importance to the profession. Rhys also oversees the Academy’s Diversity and Inclusion programme, supporting the engineering community to improve workplace cultures in academia and industry in order to drive diversity across the profession such that it reflects the society it serves. Before joining the Academy, Rhys had various roles in academia and industry; he developed one of the world’s first metal additive manufacturing processes in 1996. You can also occasionally find him on your TVs as a presenter on the series Impossible Engineering.
Session chairs
Dr Indranil Nath (Secretary, Financial Services Technology Panel at WCIT)
Indranil Nath is a Liveryman, a Freeman of the City of London, an entrepreneurial and globally exposed leader, board member, and iNED with years of experience in insurance operations and technology across Build, Sell and Delivery Organisations. Dr Nath held a series of positions with increasing responsibility at DXC, IBM Corp, AXA and EY and currently delivers consulting to Private Equity firms on projects focusing on product development, acquisition and value creation opportunities in insurance software and advises insurance companies on business transformation agenda. Technology Inclusion Council has awarded him the ‘2021 Top 100 Diverse Leaders in Tech’. He is a Chartered Engineer, a Chartered Fellow of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, where he chairs the IOD Japan Business Council. He is a contributing member of the United Nations Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES), where he consults on Technology/AI as an enabler for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). He has recently edited a Livery Company white paper on Environmental, Social and Governance for FinTech SMEs – An ESG approach for stakeholder capitalism that FinTech can use to deliver capability and develop social value working with the City University of London.
Alex Skailes (Director, Centre for Charity Effectiveness, Bayes Business School at City, University of London)
Alex is Director of the Centre for Charity Effectiveness (CCE) at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City, University of London. The Centre is a leading academic centre for nonprofits, known in the UK and overseas for its post graduate MSc degree and professional development programmes, research and advisory work with the charity sector. Alex has multi-sector leadership experience. As a Chartered Accountant, she has combined a senior career in financial services, including with PwC and Deutsche Bank, with one in University education. This experience gives her the ability to bridge commercial and nonprofit sectors and academia and practice. Since 2011, Alex has worked solely with the nonprofit sector – as an educator, adviser, board chair, NED and finance committee member. She has a passion for cross sector collaborative working and has teaching and research interests in nonprofit mergers, collaborations and the creation of social value. Alex sits on the University senior leadership group for social responsibility and in 2022, was elected to the board of the international Nonprofit Academic Centers Council. She is currently a director and trustee of Conserve Global. Alex is dedicated to supporting the next generation of women leaders. She chairs the board of the Bayes Global Women’s Leadership Programme and is a member of the International Women’s Forum UK branch. She is a long-term mentor. Alex has been awarded Fellowships from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA), the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS) and the Royal Society for Arts, Manufacturing and Commerce (FRSA) and is a Freeman of the City of London.
Prof Claudia Eckert (Professor at The Open University)
Claudia has been Professor of Design at the Open University since 2013. She returned to the OU in 2008 as a senior lecturer after nearly 10 years in the Engineering Design Centre at the University of Cambridge. She studied mathematics and philosophy, has an MSc in Applied Artificial Intelligence and a PhD in Design. For nearly 30 years she has been carrying out empirical studies of design practice in engineering, fashion and construction and been working in parallel on the theoretical foundations. She is working on tools and methods to support designers and is passionate to assure that ethical consideration become an integral part of design processes.
Panel contributors
Priya Guliani (CEO at Earth ID)
Priya Guliani is the CEO at EarthID. Prior to starting EarthID, she was one of the youngest digital tower leads at Accenture, where she led strategic initiatives for multi-national brands. During her tenure at Accenture, she was also amongst the handful selected from global leadership for a 1-year Exec leadership program at MIT. Additionally, Priya actively volunteers as the EMEA Director at the Government Blockchain Association, a prominent global non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the responsible adoption of blockchain technology. She is also an active mentor for ‘Women in Tech’ and ‘Startup Chile’ and serves as a tech faculty member at ‘European Women on Boards’. Her dedication and achievements have been recognized with multiple awards in innovation and leadership. Notably, she was honored with the Blockchain for Good award by the Entrepreneur, and was featured in the Innovate Finance Fintech Powerlist.
Alex Hindson (Partner and Head of Sustainability at Crowe UK LLP)
Alex Hindson is a Partner and Head of Sustainability at Crowe UK where he leading consulting support to clients as well as overseeing Crowe’s internal sustainability programme. Prior to that he was Chief Risk & Sustainability Officer at Argo Group, where he was the executive responsible for their sustainability strategy. He has held risk management and sustainability roles at Amlin plc, Aon and AstraZeneca. He is originally a chemical engineer and holds a Masters in Integrated Environmental Management. He is a previous Chairman of the Institute of Risk Management, where he helps lead the ESG Group.
Prof David Stupples (Professor at City, University of London)
David Stupples is Professor of Space Systems Engineering at City, University of London, and director of City’s new MSc course in Space Mission Analysis and Design. He began his career as an engineering officer in the Royal Air Force and was involved in the introduction of space systems to the UK military with a particular emphasis on mission design. After an extended period of research and development into space systems for the UK Government, he moved to the US to work for Hughes Aircraft Corporation to concentrate on space navigation. His work on navigation included the introduction of the Global Positioning System but also addressed the options for deep-space navigation. On returning to the UK, he became a senior partner for an international consultancy advising worldwide clients on developing space systems with a particular approach to mission analysis to identify optimum approaches to the design of spacecraft. Throughout David’s work in space engineering he has been concerned that engineers and scientists involved should always ensure that their work is undertaken responsibly, thus ensuring that space systems and associated terrestrial support systems should not damage the space and terrestrial environments, and are aimed at supporting humanity. Ethics in space is very important.
Emma Crichton (Innovation Director at Engineers Without Borders UK)
Emma is a chartered civil engineer with six years of experience in the water industry in Scotland. She is a trustee at Azuko (architecture charity) and with Useful Simple Trust, and Innovation Director at Engineers Without Borders UK. Emma is part of the staff team at Engineers Without Borders UK who have delivered the Engineering for People Design Challenge (as part of their degree) to 70,000 university students since 2011 across South Africa, UK and USA. Emma is now running a Systems Change Lab with the Royal Academy of Engineering and focused on co-creating a shift within engineering degrees to enable the creation of globally responsible engineers. Emma is leading how to develop various offerings for those in engineering practice, for example the Global Responsibility Competency Compass (launched June 2023), a tool for everyday engineering professionals, endorsed by the Engineering Council. She has worked on a variety of projects and has consistently believed in the importance of collaboration; impactful partnerships and the role engineering has to play in bettering our society.
Prof Corinna Haenschel (Professor at City, University of London)
Professor Corinna Haenschel is a Professor in Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology. As Chair of the Senate Ethics Research Committee at City, she focuses on promoting a research environment across the University that is underpinned by a culture of integrity, good governance, best practice, and support for the development of researchers and research ethics across the institution. Corinna previously was the co-chair of the Equality, Diversity, Inclusion committee in the School of Arts and Social Sciences. She also had oversight of the development and was Course Director of the MSc in Clinical, Social and Cognitive Neuroscience. She is a Senior Fellow of Advanced HE.