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Avril Lewis MBE (EVENT HOST) (Managing Director of Technology Connected)

Avril Lewis MBE (EVENT HOST)

Managing Director of Technology Connected

Avril was appointed Managing Director of the Technology Connected, formerly the ESTnet, in May 2012.

Her background is in the semiconductor industry, and she was awarded the MBE for services to the technology industry in Wales in 2018.

Anne Boden (Founder & CEO of Starling Bank)

Anne Boden

Founder & CEO of Starling Bank

Anne Boden is founder and CEO of Starling, a digital bank targeting millions of users who live their lives on their phones. She founded Starting in 2014 after a distinguished career in banking and is the first British woman to start a bank. The Starling app is loaded with smart money management tools to help customers control their finances and track their spending and saving in real-time. The Starling Marketplace allows customers in-app access to third party financial services. Starling is on has over 1.4 million customers and holds over £2.7 billion deposits. Starling also offers B2B banking and payments services and has around 180,000 business customers. It was voted Best British Bank in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and Anne was awarded an MBE for services to financial technology in 2018.

Gareth Williams (VP Secure Communications and Information Systems at Thales Group)

Gareth Williams

VP Secure Communications and Information Systems at Thales Group

Gareth joined Thales in 2008 and is VP for Secure Communications and Information Systems, overseeing the Communication Systems and Cyber Security businesses of Thales in the UK.

He has previously worked for General Dynamics, BAE Systems and Rolls Royce, with a career spanning various Engineering, Finance and Operations roles. Gareth sits on the Cyber Management Committee of Tech UK and is a member of the RISC Council

Katy Chamberlain (Director of Business In Focus Ltd)

Katy Chamberlain

Director of Business In Focus Ltd

Katy Chamberlain, Chief Executive of Business in Focus– Katy is the Chief Executive of Business in Focus which supports businesses in turning their ambition into reality. Katy spent more than 20 years with international accountancy and advisory firm KPMG, leading teams delivering a variety of services to businesses in Wales and is also the former Chief Executive of equality action organisation, Chwarae Teg.

Chris Meadows (Director of CS Connected)

Chris Meadows

Director of CS Connected

Chris' career in electronics and semiconductors started at British Telecom Research Laboratories before joining a new joint venture between BT and US based DuPont in 1986.

Chris was part of the founding team at Epitaxial Products International Ltd (EPI) in Cardiff in 1988 which became IQE plc in 1999 following the merger with a US competitor and a successful IPO. Cardiff headquartered IQE is listed on the London Stock Exchange’s AiM (IQE.L) and comprises multiple operations in the UK, Asia and the USA.

A science and engineering graduate, Chris also holds an MBA and has held a number of senior management positions within the IQE Group.

He is a Director of CSconnected Ltd, representing the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster that is rapidly evolving across South Wales and the West of England.

Richard Pring (Director of Wales Interactive)

Richard Pring

Director of Wales Interactive

Richard Pring is a Multi-Award Winning film and video games director, producer, designer and entrepreneur. He has been an entertainment industry professional over a decade beginning his career with the Animation and Television company Calon then later going on to co-founding his own successful studio Wales Interactive in 2012. In that time, he has worked on over 30 titles encompassing a wide variety of gaming platforms including PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox achieving millions of sales worldwide and counting. He has a vast knowledge of all aspects of the film and games industry including development, marketing, publishing and distribution which has helped him become one of the leading video game entrepreneurs in the UK. Best known for his work on Maid of Sker and the Interactive Movie genre with titles such as The Complex, Late Shift and The Bunker he has become an three time BAFTA Cymru winner in that time. The success with the entertainment aspect has only been bolstered by his business acumen with over 50 awards under his belt including the The Queens Awards 2020 for International Trade, Young Entrepreneur at South Wales Business Awards 2016 and South Wales Chamber of Commerce 2017 and the University of South Wales “Graduate of the Decade” for his successful entertainment industry career to date. Alongside this he was also recognized in 35 Under 35 best business men in Wales as well are garnering UK wide recognition becoming one of Develops 30 Under 30.