James McAllister is the General Manager of Atlas Copco Tools & Industrial Assembly Solutions in the UK and Ireland. He oversees the delivery of a diverse range of advanced manufacturing and Smart Factory solutions which drive sustainability and digital transformation for manufacturers across the UK and Ireland.

James holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Newcastle. He has worked with Atlas Copco Group since 1995, where he has held many Senior Management positions across the globe including Vice President Marketing and President of the General Industry division within the Industrial Technique business area.

Steve is Managing Director of LKAB Minerals UK and Construction and has over 40 years’ experience. He joined the group in July 2015 and became managing director in 2023.

Outside of the Group he is a Trustee of Dudley and Wolverhampton Citizens Advice, is on the board of the Institute of Concrete Technology, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, was previously a mentor for Aston University an is currently a mentor for the Swedish Chamber in the UK .

Tess is a Senior Business Development Executive at the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), where she drives digital and technology inward investment into the region. A natural connector and partnerships leader, she works with scaling tech businesses and global enterpris-es to navigate UK market entry, providing consultative support, market insights, introductions, and access to the right ecosystem partners.

Over the past four years, Tess has guided more than 20 companies in establishing and expand-ing their UK presence, attracting multi-million-pound of investments into the West Midlands. She has collaborated with a wide range of businesses, from startups like Inicio.ai to major corporates such as Howden and Alvarez & Marsal, helping them unlock opportunities and build lasting re-gional footprints.

Her contributions to the industry have been recognised with a place on the Innovate Finance Women in FinTech Powerlist 2024 and as a finalist in the Women in Tech Awards 2025. Beyond WMGC, Tess is committed to supporting the next generation of business developers and current-ly mentors early-career professionals through Tangent, a platform advancing social mobility in the tech sector.

Driven by a belief that the right connections can make or break market entry, Tess is passionate about building bridges between businesses, investors, and ecosystem partners to ensure growth is both impactful and sustainable.

Chris Pullen is UK CEO of Storskogen, the Stockholm listed company that acquires small and medium sized businesses for long term ownership.

Following an initial career as an infantry officer in the British Army, Chris has been CEO of various businesses both listed and private equity owned including Staffline plc, APCOA Parking UK Ltd, and IdVerde UK Ltd. Storskogen currently owns nine businesses in the UK and is actively looking for further investments.

David joined SSAB in 2008 as a Regional Sales Manager, in 2017 he was appointed as Managing Director for the UK business and in 2024 was given the additional responsibility of becoming Managing Director for SSAB BV in the Netherlands.

His career in the steel industry started in 1992, working in a variety of roles from logistics, operations and quality management before moving to a more commercial role. His role is to build and support international teams, with a focus on the development of individuals to both maintain a motivated work force and allow teams members to explore their interests and potential.

Paul Edwards is Head of Economic Development and Delivery at the West Midlands Combined Authority. As part of his role, he is responsible for the publicly funded business support ecosystem in the West Midlands – Business Growth West Midlands – along with mobilisation and support for the region’s medium term high growth strategy, Plan for Growth with a focus on high growth potential clusters.

He is also the responsible officer for the Business Energy Advice Service pilot, delivered in conjunction with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, aimed at helping West Midlands businesses reduce their energy usage and boosting their productivity. Paul has a 15-year career in regional economic development working across policy, practice and delivery for universities, local enterprise partnerships and central government departments.

Most recently, prior to joining WMCA, he ran his own economic development consultancy business. 

Pritti Shoker is an experienced professional in training programme development and inclusive education. She has worked across the education and skills sector to support the creation of pathways that reflect industry needs while helping learners from all backgrounds succeed. Pritti has contributed to national initiatives aimed at improving access to apprenticeships and has collaborated with a range of partners to design programmes that promote diversity, sustainability and long-term impact. She values collaboration, continuous learning and the importance of supporting others through inclusive and mindful leadership.

As Programme Manager for the Battery Manufacturing Skills Pathway (B-MSP) at University College Birmingham, Pritti leads the development of inclusive, future-focused training solutions that empower learners to thrive in the fast-evolving battery sector.

B-MSP is part of the Battery Innovation Programme and designed in close collaboration with industry. Accredited by City & Guilds, it delivers real-world, practical skills aligned with the workforce needs of today and tomorrow. The programme is committed to making high-quality technical education accessible, relevant, and impactful across the sector. Pritti and her team are proud to work alongside the Electrification Skills Network (ESN) to shape a shared electrification skills taxonomy and contribute to battery workforce foresighting. These collaborative efforts are critical in defining emerging job roles, competencies and qualifications helping ensure both learners and employers are prepared for what’s next.

Sue is a Real Estate Development Lawyer at Fieldfisher LLP, advising on some of the UK’s most significant regeneration and redevelopment schemes including the World Leading Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Sue works with a number of life sciences businesses in delivery of their premises and has detailed and specialist knowledge of delivery of mixed laboratory, manufacture, treatment and office facilities

Sue is noted in the Legal 500 “Technically Excellent”

Sue has long standing and strong connections with the British Swedish Business Community and is the Midlands Chapter Chair for the SCC.