Alan Chambers MBE

Alan Chambers served with the Royal Marines in the most extreme climates, from the Arctic
to the desert, the jungle and remote mountain ranges. Then, after years of planning, preparation and fundraising, he led the first British team to walk without any support services from Canada to the Geographic North Pole.

The walk on ice lasted a gruelling seventy days. Suffering near starvation and a dwindling fuel supply to cover 500 miles in the worst polar weather recorded in 100 years, they achieved what many said was impossible. It demanded an extraordinary level of commitment, focus and teamwork. Alan was awarded the MBE as a result.

Alan relates his experiences to business audiences with wonderful clarity, outlining how the values which helped them reach the North Pole apply in any competitive environment. He demonstrated this with the England rugby squad before their assault on the 2003 World Cup, and again two years later when he addressed the national cricket team before they went on to win the Ashes.

Alan now takes business leaders on polar expeditions. He believes in leading from behind, watching the team. His mantra revolves around meticulous preparations, taking tough decisions, managing emotions and questioning conventional thinking. Alongside Ed Coats, Alan Chambers is planning to close the chapter on one of the most famous ever endeavours - following in Captain Scott's footsteps.

Danae Kyriakopoulou

Danae Kyriakopoulou is the Head of Research at the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF). The Forum is a global network of both public and private bodies covering everything from central banks to investment funds, regulators to asset managers.

Prior to her appointment at OMFIF she served as Managing Economist at the widely-respected independent economic researcher the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR). Leading their Macroeconomics Division she covered a broad global view of the economy, especially China, Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Born and raised in Greece, Danae studied in the UK before joining the CEBR. She edited the Centre’s quarterly global economic review, and acted as external advisor to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales delivering research for them around the world.

As well as a global outlook, Danae focuses in particular on China and Sub-Saharan Africa. She considers how to cut-through much of the hype, disinformation and misunderstanding attached to the Asian superpower. She examines both the internal and external economic story, including the reasons behind their huge investment in parts of Africa and its infrastructure.

Closer to home, in monetary economics and international finance, Danae analyses Europe and the complex interplay of economies and politics, the Eurozone and the non-Eurozone players. She considers the aftershocks of the Euro crisis, the chances of stability in the future, and the implications for the UK as it moves away from the EU. Danae is a regular commentator on economic issues

Monday 4th March 

 
Tuesday 5th March

• Welcome drinks reception
• Formal 3 course dinner
• After dinner networking reception
• A choice of 18 expert sessions
• Opportunity to network with leading sector professionals
• A complimentary room and access to venue facilities