Alison Barrett

Director - India, British Council

Alison Barrett MBE is Director, British Council India. She has worked for the British Council for over 25 years in a variety of roles, most of which have been in the Asia-Pacific region. In her previous role, she was the Cultural Engagement Business Director for the East Asia region, overseeing British Council’s Education, Arts and English work in China, North and Southeast Asia and Australia and New Zealand. From 2020- 2022, she led The Climate Connection – a global programme and platform for dialogue and action, which has connected young people, policy makers and sector specialists from the UK and over 209 countries together to tackle the climate emergency through culture, education and English.  In 2014, Alison was awarded an MBE for services to the teaching and learning of English in India.

Harmeen Mehta

Group Chief Digital & Innovation Officer, BT Group plc

Harmeen is a global leader in incubating new businesses and creating new revenue streams, with over 25 years’ experience leading digital, and technology transformation, running technology-led businesses.

Before joining BT Group, Harmeen was group CIO and head of the cloud & security business at Bharti Airtel.  She was also previously CIO at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BBVA and HSBC.

Harmeen serves as a Non-Executive Director for Lloyds Banking Group, as well as a board member for TM Forum.

Priya Guha

Venture Partner & NED, Merian Ventures & UKRI

Priya is a Venture Partner at Merian Ventures, investing in women-led innovation, an Advisor to Kheiron Medical Technologies and Gallos Technologies, a member of the Investment Governance Board at Future Planet Capital, a NED at Reach PLC, UK Research & Innovation, the Digital Catapult & GB Badminton and Adjunct Faculty at the Ashridge Hult Business School. She was previously GM for RocketSpace, launching their UK operations. Priya used to be a career diplomat, most recently as British Consul General to San Francisco and previously in India and Spain. She sits on the Royal Academy of Engineering International Committee, Althea Foundation Board, Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates Advisory Boards. She is a Trustee at TechSheCan. Priya was awarded an MBE in 2021 for services to international trade and women in innovation.

Sir Ron Kalifa

Chairman,Network International

Sir Ron Kalifa is Chairman of Network International; a FTSE company, a Non- Executive Director on the Court of the Bank of England and is a member of the Council of Imperial College, London.

Ron is also a Trustee of the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales and is an independent non-executive director on the board of the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Ron was knighted in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday 2022 Honours List for services to financial services, technology and public service.

Saif Malik

CEO, UK & Regional Head of Client Coverage, UK & Europe, Standard Chartered Bank

Saif is a professionally qualified and versatile individual with extensive experience in Banking and Corporate Finance, who leads the management and development of corporate and financial institution client relationships, for UK & Europe.

Over the last 21 years, he has led diverse and experienced teams across Asia, Africa and the Middle East including as the Global Head for Standard Chartered’s multinational banking business.

Saif holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Master of Arts in International Business, both from the University of Kentucky, USA.

Anuj J Chande

Partner & Head of South Asia Business Group, Grant Thornton UK LLP

Anuj works as a Corporate Finance and general advisory Partner at Grant Thornton UK LLP. Since 1991, he has headed up Grant Thornton's South Asia Business Group, which provides a full range of services to South Asian companies coming to the UK and UK companies going to South Asia. Additionally, he leads the services to Grant Thornton's UK-based Asian-owned clients across a variety of sectors. He is also Global account leader for two Indian MNC’s Tata and Mahindra. He led the Grant Thornton team that advised Tata Motors on its acquisition of JLR

Anuj joined Grant Thornton in 1985 in the management consultancy practice which he ran between 1991 and 1993. He became a partner in 1991and was the youngest at the time. Previously he has worked with Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC), NCR Corporation in the USA and Albright & Wilson. He has over 45 years professional and commercial experience. He has advised in a variety of sectors including technology, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and consumer products.

Anuj has been a member of the London Employers Coalition and the SME Board of the National Employment Panel. He has also been a Mentor with the Princes Youth Business Trust.

He is a trustee of two charities - World Child Cancer and the Embassy Man

Anuj has won several awards over the years including Lloyds TSB Jewel Awards Professional of the Year and the Pride of India Award from the NRI Institute