Our Speakers

Steve Hewitt

Steve Hewitt

Former CEO, Gymshark and Founder, Whanau Advisory

When Steve took over as CEO and shareholder of Gymshark in June 2014, the fitness apparel brand was just beginning its journey. With a vision to revolutionise the industry, Steve steered the company from a company with £4 million in annual sales and 7 employees to a global juggernaut with £500 million in sales and a team of over 1,000 within seven years. This remarkable growth was fuelled by the success of their sole revenue channel: www.gymshark.com.

Under Steve’s leadership, Gymshark achieved Unicorn status in September 2020, reaching a remarkable $1.5 billion USD valuation. This milestone came with the support of General Atlantic who joined as a minority shareholder.

After his exit from Gymshark, Steve joined the board of the clothing brand Passenger as a non-executive chair (adding his expertise to another growing company) and embarked on a new venture with the founding of Whanau Advisory. Dedicated to helping organisations navigate their growth and align their teams with a clear vision, Whanau Advisory is making waves in the consulting world. The firm also stands out for its commitment to giving back, donating a portion of its fees to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and St. Basils.

As Steve continues to drive innovation and growth, Whanau Advisory is set to reshape how businesses plan their futures while supporting charitable causes close to his heart.

LinkedIn

Jess Butcher MBE

Jess Butcher MBE

Co-founder, Blippar

Jessica Butcher MBE has revolutionised the tech world as an entrepreneur, advisor, angel investor and Commissioner for the EHRC, overseeing the UK Equalities Act.

As co-founder and CMO of Blippar (2011-18), she propelled the company to global prominence in Augmented Reality, securing over $150M in funding and earning a spot as a CNBC ‘Top 50 Disruptor.’ After Blippar, she has launched and advised trailblazers like Tick.Done and Sweatcoin. With accolades including BBC’s Top 100 Women, Fortune’s Most Powerful Female Entrepreneurs, and Europe’s Top 50 Inspiring Women in Tech, Jess’s influence is far-reaching. A three-time TEDx speaker, she’s also featured in a National Geographic documentary, joined a trade mission to China, and judged national competitions. In 2018, Jess was awarded an MBE for her outstanding contributions to technology and entrepreneurship.

Join Jess as she recounts her journey from a scattered CV in her 20s to co-founding a billion-dollar tech company, navigating its explosive growth, and returning to the start-up scene. She covers her experiences as a versatile generalist, the significance of work ‘karma,’ mentoring, and managing the shifting demands of motherhood alongside her career.

LinkedIn

Dr. David Lee

Dr. David Lee

Founder, Sleep Unlimited

Imagine waking up each morning feeling completely refreshed, ready to conquer the day. Enter Dr. David Lee - a Chartered Psychologist and Scientist with a passion for unlocking the secrets of sleep. For over 20 years, David has been on a mission to transform how we approach one of the most essential aspects of our lives: sleep.

David’s journey started with a simple question: Why do so many people struggle to sleep and what can be done about it? Determined to find answers, he delved into the science of sleep, uncovering groundbreaking insights that would eventually lead to the creation of his innovative REST® programme. REST (Routine, Environment, Stimulation Control and Thinking) is more than just a clever acronym; it’s a game-changing approach that goes beyond one-size-fits-all advice, offering personalised, actionable steps for better sleep. Think of it as a roadmap tailored specifically to you, addressing your unique needs and challenges.

In the past decade alone, David has trained over 7,000 healthcare professionals across 200 NHS trusts, spreading his innovative method far and wide. As Clinical Director at Sleep Unlimited and author of the bestselling Teaching the World to Sleep (2023), he continues to make his vision a reality: a world where everyone can achieve deep, restorative sleep and wake up ready to live their best life.

WebsiteLinkedIn

Charles Rolls

Charles Rolls

Co-founder, Fever-Tree

Charles Rolls has redefined the world of premium gin and mixers, carving out a space for quality in a market once dominated by mediocrity. His journey began in 1997 when he acquired a significant stake in the historic Plymouth Gin. As Managing Director, Charles turned around the 18th-century brand, marking the first major entrepreneurial success in the gin industry in decades, and beginning what has now become a revolution in the perception of gin.

After selling Plymouth Gin in 2003, Charles teamed up with Tim Warrillow to found Fever-Tree with a simple yet revolutionary idea: "If ¾ of your long drink is the mixer, mix with the best." This philosophy propelled Fever-Tree to iconic status, with the brand now recognised globally, with Europe and the US accounting for well over half of its sales. Despite the flood of new gins and tonics on the market, Fever-Tree has maintained its iconic, leading position.

Although Charles is no longer actively involved with Fever-Tree, he is still exploring new ventures in the drinks industry. In 2022 he launched “Sotovelo”, a white wine from Jerez, a region traditionally associated with sherry. With excellent reviews from top wine journalists the brand is gaining traction in top restaurants in UK and Spain.  

He also dedicates significant time to an art charity that he helped launch as its first Chair. Outside In, is an organisation which supports disadvantaged artists across the UK, including from the North East.  

Charlie Hoult (Panel Host)

Charlie Hoult (Panel Host)

Fourth-generation family business leader Charlie Hoult champions entrepreneurship in the North East and beyond. The co-founder of HyHubs, Opencast, Cheviot Insured, Futureheads, tech network Dynamo, incubator Metrocube and agency Loewy, Charlie promotes regional regeneration and connect key players for prosperity. He's proud to have led advocacy for initiatives such as National Innovation Centre for Data and North East Futures UTC, a science-specialist school for 600. His recent mentorship of Olympic boxer Adam Olaore reflects his belief in uplifting others and fostering community growth. Charlie uses his profile to ‘talk up’ the region and was runner-up in the 2019 North of Tyne mayoral election.

LinkedIn

Richard Lane (Panellist)

Richard Lane (Panellist)

Richard Lane is the co-founder and chief commercial office of durhamlane, a multi-million-pound strategic B2B sales and marketing agency established in 2011, which focuses on sales opportunity creation in the UK, EMEA and North America. durhamlane bridge the gap between marketing outputs and the inputs that sales teams need to be successful.

Richard is a true thought-leader, entrepreneur, business coach and a sought-after Sales 2.0 practitioner, trainer and consultant.

In addition to being a regular speaker at conferences, roundtables and panel contributor, Richard also co-hosts durhamlane’s podcast ‘The Insiders’.

Website LinkedIn

Tania Cooper MBE (Panellist)

Tania Cooper MBE (Panellist)

Tania Cooper MBE is the Managing Director of Steel Benders UK Ltd, co-founded with her husband Malcolm in 2002. The company specialises in providing steel forming and profiling services and serves offshore, architectural design, renewable energy, and manufacturing industries from their base in Teesside.

Her outstanding contributions to international trade and business in the North East earned her the North East Exporter of the Year Award and the prestigious MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). Tania's dedication to the business community is evident through her past role as Chair of the NE Regional International Trade Office for UK Trade and Investment

Tania is also member of the Business Durham Advisory Board, where she supports business development and job creation in County Durham. Recently appointed to the Tees Valley Combined Authority Business Board supporting business and economic growth in the Tees Valley with a strategic lead for Employment, Education and Skills.

Tania chairs the North East STEM Foundation where she promotes awareness and raises funds to support young individuals in pursuing their careers in STEM fields.

Website LinkedIn

Jon Dudgeon (Panellist)

Jon Dudgeon (Panellist)

Jon is well-versed in supporting ambitious, busy entrepreneurs with all of the complexities that come with scaling a business. He takes a forward-looking approach and sees the importance of clear strategy, strong leadership, shared values and culture when it comes to business success.

As co-founder and CEO of multi award-winning accountancy practice, Blu Sky, Jon has spent the last 15 years successfully supporting business owners to achieve their goals. In his own business, he’s played a pivotal role in expanding into new markets and facilitating digital transformation. More recently, Jon has championed Blu Sky’s drive to become more sustainable and use business as a force for good by gaining B Corp certification.

With a career spanning 25+ years, Jon brings a wealth of experience and a strategic mindset to the table. His areas of expertise include navigating and preparing for investment, strategic planning and insights, organisational development, growth strategy, optimising operations and building high performing teams.

Jon has learned a lot as both a mentor and a mentee, which has shaped how he approaches both his professional and personal life. As a mentor, Jon's focus is on helping people build confidence and think strategically: " my own mentors taught me the power of listening and staying open-minded, and I try to bring that into every mentoring relationship".

WebsiteLinkedIn

Charlie Charlton (Host)

Charlie Charlton (Host)

Charlie Charlton is a prominent advocate for the North East. A journalist who's presented on award-winning local and national radio and TV for almost 20 years. 

Charlie stepped down from her role of Senior Journalist with the BBC, to be a freelance interviewer and host of live events, video and podcasts.

Charlie is also now the Community Engagement Manager at Newcastle Helix, where she’s creating content for events, film and podcasts to help tell the ground-breaking stories coming out of this innovation site. 

Leaving behind the world of daily news, and of interviewing Prime Ministers and celebrities, Charlie now focuses on uncovering stories that celebrate the North East and its people. Known for holding organisations to account, Charlie is not afraid to ask the difficult questions that can help drive the region forward.

Charlie became the first woman in the UK to host a day-long business conference with her baby in a sling. She was shortlisted for the prestigious Northern Power Women Awards 2023 - Agent of Change. 

Charlie's especially interested in business and working mothers. The daughter of two local entrepreneurs, Charlie feels it’s the human stories behind business that can inspire future generations to live, study and work here in the North East.

WebsiteLinkedIn

Proud to be partnered by: