Professor Clive Grinyer is an experienced design leader who has built and led teams at IDEO, Tangerine (with Jony Ive), Orange, Cisco, Barclays, and the UK Design Council. Former Head of Service Design at the RCA, he now advises Bosch, trains global companies, and runs his own design training business. Author of “Smart Design,” his next book, “Redesigning Thinking,” is due in 2025. He champions design as essential for education and life.

Having originally trained as a Teacher of Design & Technology Chris is the Principal at University Technical College Warrington. A specialist science and engineering college for 14–19-year-olds. The UTC is one of the highest performing in the country for students progressing onto higher and degree apprenticeships. He is also a non-executive Director of a Group Training Association which provides technical apprentice training for over 100 businesses across the country.

Drew Wicken, Director of Design & Technology and Vocational Education at Co-op Academies Trust, supports 30+ academies nationwide. With a BA (Hons) in Design & Technology and an MA in Education, Drew has taught in secondary schools and works with a leading exam board to support and develop level 2 qualifications.

Felicity is Global Senior Director of Team Sport TECH at adidas, with nearly 20 years' experience in sports tech, 3D creation, start-ups, and custom manufacturing. With a background in mechanical engineering, design and technology and sport have been central to her career and passions. She hopes to inspire children across the UK to discover the same joy D&T has given her.

Matt is a teacher educator at Liverpool John Moores University, leading secondary initial teacher education. He taught design and technology in Greater Merseyside for 11 years and has been active with the Design & Technology Association since the 1990s. Matt helped draft GCSE and A Level subject content for the Department for Education and has a strong interest in curriculum and pedagogy research.

Dr. Nurgul Yardim Mericliler is an architectural designer, researcher, and curator, currently a Post-Doctoral Researcher at Oxford Brookes University. Her work explores community co-creation with AR/VR, mobility, and makerspaces. Founder of Anylab, she curates global projects and hosts the Anylabtalks podcast. Nurgul is also an author, speaker, and co-editor of the Architecture Diary, actively contributing to design discourse.

Paul Calver BSc(Hons), MBA, FRAeS, has held senior roles in aerospace, marine and renewable sectors, including MD of UK and US firms. He supports tech start-ups, invests in AI and big data, and advises on export growth and advanced manufacturing. He has worked with UK government, is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and contributes to the EPSRC Centre, IET Manufacturing Policy Committee, and Goldman Sachs SME Growth Programme.

Lynn Yap is a strategic leader with 17+ years' experience driving growth in finance, e-commerce, and consumer goods. She is the Managing Director of The Altruistic Capitalist, advising entrepreneurs and startups. Lynn held key roles at Avon and Adidas and holds an MBA from Wharton. She advocates for girls in STEM and champions women entrepreneurs. She is currently a school governor in North London, combining her passion for technology, education, and social impact.

Alex Twist is Design Team Leader at Triumph Motorcycles with 15 years’ experience in product design and engineering leadership. A first‑class Loughborough University graduate and life‑long advocate for D&T, he founded the Triumph Design Awards and leads a range of outreach initiatives. Alex brings industry insight, strategic thinking and a commitment to high‑quality, inclusive D&T education.

Cathy is the Technology and Innovation Sustainability Director at BAE Systems where she leads product strategies to mitigate climate risks. Current areas of focus include moving products from fossil fuels to alternative fuels, energy efficiency programmes and the use of critical raw materials. With over 25 years’ experience in industrial engineering and strategy roles, Cathy holds a degree in Mathematics, is a chartered engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology.

Michael Omotosho is a multidisciplinary design and innovation professional and entrepreneur with experience in product design, engineering, manufacturing and service design. His work spans industry, education and social impact, including Jaguar Land Rover, RS Components DesignSpark and projects with schools and teachers. A STEM Ambassador, he is passionate about inclusive, future focused design and technology education, inspiring young people to use creativity and problem solving to make change.

Katie is a nonprofit executive and leader in the global Engineers Without Borders network. She began volunteering as an engineering student 20 years ago, sparking a lifelong commitment to socially and environmentally responsible engineering. Formerly CEO of EWB UK, she led the launch of the Engineering for People Design Challenge, reaching 100,000+ students. Now Executive Director of EWB International, she supports nearly 60 national organisations worldwide.