Samantha Job was the Director for Defence and International Security at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) from March 2019 to August 2022.

Samantha has been a career foreign service officer since 1992. She has worked on geographical issues from South East Asia to the Middle East and thematic issues from war crimes to how to use social media in foreign policy. A theme of her career has been security policy, where she has led policy formulation on counter-proliferation, EU Security and Defence Policy and counter terrorism. Her work has taken her to Thailand and the UK’s Mission to the UN in New York, where she was the counter terrorism and counter proliferation specialist.

From 2013 to 2015, Samantha was the joint Head of the North Africa Department in the FCDO in London. From 2016 to early 2019, Samantha was the Foreign and Security Policy Counsellor at the British Embassy, Washington, engaging with the US government across all aspects of national security policy. Samantha is a strong supporter of diversity and inclusion, and is the National Security Council’s (NSC) gender champion.

Emma Bäcke is the Country Manager UK at Vinnova - specializing in international collaboration focusing on initiatives related to the United Kingdom, supporting Swedish stakeholders in building strong partnerships and driving innovation across borders.

A background in finance with extensive experience from Bank for international settlements, the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority and the Swedish central bank as a senior economist responsible for cooperation with the Bank of England.

Christian Hafner is a Partner at Groth & Co, where he leads the patent department. He is a European patent attorney with a broad technical background spanning medical technology, mechanics, and AI-driven solutions, and advises companies on patent strategy and innovation, with particular experience supporting start-ups and scale-ups in turning technology into sustainable business value.

Michael Jerlin is Chief Operating Officer at Voyado, with a long track record of helping customers achieve real business results. With more than 30 years of experience in retail, he brings deep industry insight and a strong customer-first perspective.

Since joining Voyado in 2010, Michael has played a key role in building and scaling the company’s Customer Success and Services organization. His work has contributed to strong product adoption, high customer satisfaction, and consistently low churn — while supporting Voyado’s expansion into new international markets.

In his current role as COO, Michael is responsible for turning strategy into execution, scaling operations for international growth, and leading business development — ensuring that customers continue to succeed with Voyado.

Mercedes White is a UK Civil Servant currently driving the delivery of the UK Prime Minister’s Global Talent Taskforce initiative, focused on attracting world class innovators to support national growth and international competitiveness.

With experience as a British Diplomat specialising in technology diplomacy across Southeast Asia, Mercedes brings a global perspective to her work, shaped by extensive engagement with key sectors including life sciences and technology. She is passionate about creating opportunities for companies to export to and from the UK, building connections, and advancing the UK’s position as a hub for exceptional global talent. 

Fredrik Warneryd is the Chief Executive for the Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK, one of the largest and most active foreign chambers in the UK. Prior to joining the Chamber, Fredrik held many leading positions in the City of London. With more than 25 years of experience within the Nordic teams of Banque Paribas, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, UBS and Credit Suisse, he has earned extensive knowledge and expertise in both the UK and Nordic markets.