Find out all about our expert speakers for the Summit on Stress Awareness Day 1st November, when there will be something for everyone with an interest in stress management, mental health, wellbeing and workplace performance.
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Charlie is a board member at the Institute for Financial Wellbeing and head of the IFW’s Workplace Financial Wellbeing offering. A partner at the Employee Benefits Collective LLP, Charlie specialises in financial wellbeing in the workplace. He is a qualified IFA, financial coach, and reward specialist.
Ursula Smith is an international chamber musician who has played at the Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Aldeburgh, and Salzburg Festivals. She was a Fulbright Scholar at Yale University and is currently a Professor of Cello and Senior Tutor in Chamber Music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She was a member of the Zehetmair Quartet from 2006 to 2012, and Principal Cello of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for a decade from 1993. Ursula places great store by an open-minded and flexible approach to music coaching, challenging students to think differently, exploring fresh angles. She also focuses on the way we use our bodies to make music and believes in the power of music to encourage mental relaxation.
David is Co-founder and Chair of Triangle Mental Health Foundation. David specialises in the use of VR to treat stress, anxiety, moderate depression, phobias, developing people’s resilience and how the subconscious mind works. He is a member of ISMAUK and has operated at the forefront of personal development, mentoring and stress management in Wales for over 25 years. Testament to his reputation comes from the number of patients referred to him. In his private practice, he has treated a wide range of mental health issues, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, sleep and obsessive compulsive disorders, myalgic encephalitis, bulimia, anorexia nervosa, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pain, and weight reduction.
Tony is lead partner of the Digital Defence practice at Deloitte UK, with over 30 years’ experience in defence and national security. He is a keen advocate for changing mindset, not toolset, to achieve digital transformation and campaign advantage, helping clients to adopt new thinking, disruptive technologies, and ethical AI across military domains. He has a unique background as a former British Army officer, government advisor, and business leader, and is passionate about mental health, from his time spent on military operations and supporting colleagues in the workplace. He is Deloitte’s public sector lead for diversity, wellbeing and inclusion, and introduced their Ways of Working approach, embedding wellbeing and inclusion into their work.
Charlotte is the Futures Alchemist, a futurist keynote speaker who works with organisations to co-create preferred futures. She is a Past President of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa (PSASA), maintains membership of the Association of Professional Futurists (APF) and is the President of the Global Speakers Federation (GSF). In Charlotte’s work she focusses on how people think about the future. Anticipation can bring either inspiration and excitement or fear and anxiety, and anxiety-driven people cannot create positive scenarios for better futures. If we can be more intentional and more conscious about our future, then we can experience a better today.
Ian has been in financial services for 16 years and have seen at first hand the impact finances can have on your mental wellbeing. Feeling out of control with your finances is a cycle that is very tough to break and can have significant long- term and sometimes tragic consequences. He has had his own mental health challenges but has also learnt how to support others better, with close family also struggling over the years.
Mental health and finances are closely linked and quite often are tackled by burying your head in the sand. At MANUP? we’re changing the language, approach, and dialogue for mental health and wellbeing.
Alastair is an accomplished event host, master of ceremonies and moderator. He’s hosted conferences, charity auctions, dinners and award ceremonies in the UK and Europe and has over 25 years’ experience presenting on television, video, radio and stage. Through his company, Present Yourself, he helps individuals and organisations communicate more confidently and effectively. He leads interactive workshops for clients looking to develop their presentation skills online, on camera, or on stage. Alastair has worked extensively on television in the UK and USA, appearing in documentaries, corporate videos and commercials. He has interviewed over 500 business leaders for Business Reporter, where he is currently senior journalist
Jim is a writer, editor and trainer who had cancer in his 30s and has been writing about men’s health ever since. He is the author of three easy-to-read, accessible books on the subject, most recently Men’s Health, published by Haynes. A founding trustee of the charity, the Men’s Health Forum, he is currently its training lead and editor, and lead author of its Man Manuals publications, an imprint with over a dozen titles and sales in the millions. Jim is a trained counsellor and published novelist. His work has been regularly short-listed for awards. He is a member of the NUJ, the Society of Authors and the Medical Journalists’ Association.
Gábor is an opera singer, cultural entrepreneur, creative consultant, vocal coach, and empathetic human. Born into a family of music educators, he trained under opera legend Julia Hamari. Gábor developed his audience connection over 34 years on the stage, including 12 as a cellist and his journey spans festivals, awards, and global productions. He is passionate about collaboration and innovative problem-solving and is also a cultural journalist, having spent six years exploring human diversity. Gábor’s own productions, The Handel Legend, Voice of the Prophets, and Countertenor or What You Will, received international acclaim. KinDNAmic combines his work and spiritual aspirations, echoing his vision of a globally united, culturally vibrant humanity.
As an outdoor coach, Simon leads his life with a deep curiosity for people and experiences, a passion for open collaboration, a desire to keep things simple, and a love of the outdoors. Simon strongly believes in combining powerful questioning and inspiring natural spaces to open up fresh perspectives and help create insights and clarity. Simon has been coaching for 18 years, and when he is not guiding clients through their challenges and opportunities, he's outdoors, leading groups on wellbeing walks in local parks, forests and mountains. Simon is passionate about helping others access the power of walking in nature to support their mental health.
For twenty years Sony Award Winner, Russ Kane, was the voice of Capital Radio’s ‘Flying Eye’ where he formed an on-air partnership with Chris Tarrant to create the most listened-to commercial radio show in the world, with an audience in excess of 4 million. In January 2019 Russ co-founded Men’s Radio Station – a station devoted to the discussion of men’s mental health and wellbeing. Russ is also a Director of Women’s Radio Station and Co-Founder of The Sound Mind Radio Group. He is co-creator of the ‘Walk The Talk’ podcast series and has written two books – the third is underway.
Laura founded the Music for Mental Wealth concert series. She is also a professional vocal artist who is featured on Aura for healing soundscapes and stories on meditation apps. Laura has a BA Hons in music and trained as an opera singer before experiencing stage fright as a soloist and joining the London Philharmonic Choir instead. She overcame her anxiety through coaching and was a reviewer and PR manager for The Times before embarking on a mission to improve mental health through the medium of music.