Datalyst 2025

Andrew Cartner is a CIMA-qualified accountant with 26 years’ experience in the Civil Service, as Finance Director at DEFRA and Deputy Director of Strategic Finance at the DWP. In his current role as Director of Public Spending and Deputy Head of the Government Finance Function for HM Treasury, he leads delivery of high-quality financial reporting to improve decision-making and accountability across Government. Andrew is also Senior Responsible Officer for the OSCAR II Project and Functional Convergence Programme.

Robin Cordy is Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Seriös Group. With over 20 years’ experience in tech, he has held senior roles within high-growth SaaS, agency, and consultancy firms. Having worked with clients across industries including Financial Services, Immersive Tech and Retail, he specialises in strategy, digital transformation, and driving sustainable growth.

Alex Bookless is Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Seriös Group, responsible for leading the company’s technology strategy and ensuring it scales sustainably while continuing to deliver rapid value to clients. Alex brings over 20 years’ experience across software development, managed services, and technical leadership. He’s passionate about high-quality, business-focused technology and staying ahead of emerging trends to meet evolving client needs.

Geoff is a recent repatriate to the North East after a 40+ year career in London, Hong Kong and San Francisco during which time he held a series of CxO roles in the ‘for profit’ and ‘not for profit Sectors. He is the CEO & Founder of ESG Excel, a Startup seeking to provide businesses with a state-of-the-art SaaS Platform to provide solutions that will facilitate the effective measurement, management and reporting of their Environmental, Social & Governance [ESG] performance. 

Gareth leads EY's UK Data & Intelligence Delivery CoE, comprising over 200 people who specialise in audit data strategy, solution architecture and data science. His team works with data of any size from any system, delivering the data, technology and innovation needs of over 1600 organisations. Gareth grew up in the North-East and now lives in Yorkshire with his family - enjoying time outside work in the Dales and supporting local and national charities.

Michael trained as a Chartered Accountant before joining Canadian brewer John Labatt Ltd, becoming Finance Director of Birra Moretti in Italy and later MD of its UK retail estate. After Labatt’s takeover, he held senior finance and management roles at Spring Group Plc before joining ICAEW in 2002. As Chief Exec from 2006 to 2024, he led its transformation into a globally recognised accountancy body. Now retired, he is a trustee of Moorfields Eye Charity, Professor in Practice at Durham Business School, and a Strategic Advisor to Inflo. In June 2024, he was awarded a CBE for services to Accounting, Auditing, and Sustainability.

Before joining Inflo, Justin trained as a chartered accountant at PwC, gaining experience in financial audit and risk assurance over seven years. Following this, Justin spent five years in technology and financial risk management within financial services.

Justin joined Inflo in 2018 to help revolutionize the audit and accounting profession with next-generation software, and make auditing more attractive to today's accountants and future generations.

Dr Mhairi Aitken is an Ethics Fellow in the Public Policy Programme at The Alan Turing Institute, a Visiting Senior Lecturer at the Digital Environment Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London and an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Wollongong, Australia. At the Alan Turing Institute Mhairi leads research on AI and children’s rights, as well as working across a range of topics including data justice, ethics of Generative AI and emerging AI policy and regulation. Mhairi was included in the 2023 international list of “100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics” and is a frequent contributor to media discussions around AI and data.

A leader in model audit approaches, Laura spearheads the assurance of over £100bn in annual government spending through rigorous validation of business critical models. As the Head of Modelling at the UK National Audit Office, Laura leads multidisciplinary teams to identify where modelling techniques can be employed to elevate the quality of analytical work and deliver impact.

Andy, a seasoned data and analytics professional with over 15 years of experience, has spearheaded data transformations across various sector-leading organisations.  

Currently serving as Head of Data and Analytics at Grainger PLC, a FTSE250 company and the UK's largest listed residential landlord, Andy has developed data products used by tens of thousands.  

His passion lies in data visualisation and storytelling, topics on which he frequently speaks at national data and analytics conferences, sharing his expertise and innovative approaches with peers. 

Dr Savva Shanaev is an Assistant Professor in Finance at Northumbria University and a specialist in financial econometrics, asset pricing, and quantitative finance, with over 8 years of experience both in academic research and practice of algorithmic trading.

He is published in reputed journals such as European Journal of Finance, Finance Research Letters, and Research in International Business in Finance, with his research covered by BIS, IFC, Financial Times, and Harvard Business Review. 

Catherine has 28 years experience of Operational Leadership in various roles, predominantly within financial services.

Her current and previous roles have involved using data and analytics to drive commercial impact through efficiency savings, customer outcome and colleague engagement improvements and adding value to client relationships.

Eva Murray is a career coach, helping data and technology professionals create meaningful careers and reignite their passion for their work. She’s determined to bring soft skills back into focus and help people have a bigger impact with the work they do.  

After 13+ years of working in data and technology roles across consulting (including Deloitte), Financial Services and for two software companies, Eva decided to switch her focus to help people excel in their own careers. 

Hannah is an insatiably curious, self-confessed geek with over 20 years’ experience leading, advising, and governing purpose-driven organisations. Including 16 years as CEO of The Key, a North East charity plauded nationally for its use of data to drive decisions, spark innovation, and maximise impact. Hannah is passionate about curiosity-driven cultures, cross-sector collaboration and the intersection of data, technology and social change. She’s known for her creative thinking, constructive challenge, and her uncanny knack for asking great questions.

Jo is a senior leader in the Data, Analytics & AI Leadership team at Baringa, and passionate about bringing impactful data solutions and building strong, lasting relationships.

Since 2019, she has also brought this passion to her volunteering work with DataKind UK. Previously, she was on the board of Scottish community The Data Lab, and her company Effini supported SMEs and startups with data advice and solutions.

Christina has a first degree in Mathematics and Physical Oceanography, experience working as an analytics consultant, and won a scholarship for an industrial PhD.

She has a passion for helping others gain insight from data and mathematics and this informs both her teaching and practice. HCA has been developed over 9 years of repeated application in diverse settings from UN Share the Road bike share ideation workshops to in industry production settings using a range of analytics solutions.

In her spare time Christina is a creative gardener and ceramic maker of sculpture and pottery.

John Duns is a director and co-owner of leading regional media company , NET ( formerly North East Times). 

John has over 30 years experience in media, management, sales and marketing.   Prior to investing in, and  helping set up North East Times, John held senior management roles at  Brewin Dolphin and Watson Burton. 

John's career began  in regional press, where he spent over 10 years in a variety of client facing and management roles, together with being "product champion" for The  Newcastle Journal newspaper, which involved initiating commercial publishing ideas.

He is now working closely with fellow management team members to grow Bdaily, the B2B business news channel, that NET bought last year.

Born and raised in the region, John is passionate about promoting  business excellence.

Kevin Telford is an award-winning business strategy leader, founder and advisor to corporates, scale-ups and social enterprises. Kevin brings deep cross-sector experience in data, digital transformation, AI innovation and emerging technologies.

He currently leads global advisory initiatives across data, tech, talent and AI. His current advisory positions include consulting for a large enterprise, transformation, talent, data and AI strategy. He is a Mediaworks NED, Co-Founder of FinPact, partner at Potion Global, FinTech North and founder of Smarter Decisions.