Darendra is part of the Systems Engineering & Test department, where he applies his expertise in Digital Security Testing to various technologies, including Machine Learning and AI. He has a background in Software Test Automation of wireless communications protocols, such as satellite communications and LTE. He enjoys defining and developing testing strategies for cybersecurity challenges and ensuring the quality and reliability of innovative solutions.
Maria Axente - Head of AI Public Policy & Ethics, PwC UK
Maria is a globally recognised, award-winning AI ethics public policy expert, a member of various Advisory Boards - UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on AI (APPG AI), NATO EDT & SKEMA AI Institute, and Chair of techUK Data and AI leadership committee. In her current role as Head of AI Public Policy and Ethics, she aligns PwC's AI strategies with ethical considerations and regulatory trends, fostering collaboration with external stakeholders and leading PwC's responses to public policy consultations and initiatives. Maria's commitment to responsible AI has made her a recognised thought leader and influencer in the field. Maria is a passionate advocate for children's rights in the age of AI, serving as a member of the Advisory Board for UNICEF #AI4Children and World Economic Forum Generation AI programmes. She also serves as an Intellectual Forum Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge researching human-centric AI and the intersection between tech policy and ethics.
Phil Claridge is a ‘virtual CTO’ for hire within Mandrel Systems covering end-to-end systems. Currently having fun and helping others with large-scale AI systems integration, country-wide large scale big-data processing, hands-on IoT technology (from sensor hardware design, through LoRa integration to back end systems), and advanced city information modelling. Supporting companies with M&A ‘exit readiness’, due-diligence and on advisory boards. Past roles include: CTO, Chief Architect, Labs Director, and Technical Evangelist for Geneva/Convergys (telco), Arieso/Viavi (geolocation), and Madge (networking). Phil’s early career was in electronics, and still finds it irresistible to swap from Powerpoint to a soldering iron and a compiler to produce proof-of-concepts when required.
Parminder is a patent attorney based in Appleyard Lees’ Cambridge office, and helps companies to protect their technological innovations. She has built a substantial reputation working with high-growth start-ups, spin-outs and SMEs in Cambridge, and has in-house experience. She specialises in writing and prosecuting patent applications for computer-implemented inventions. Her work includes patenting AI-based technologies, including new machine learning frameworks and applications of machine learning in image classification, human-computer interactions and text-to-speech. Parminder also writes her own AI blog on LinkedIn, and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys’ Computer Technology Committee.
Simon Thompson - Head of AI, ML & Data Science, GFT Financial Ltd
Simon leads a team that develops AI and ML solutions for large financial institutions. Before joining GFT he was the Principal Investigator for BT’s AI program. Before that he was the Head of Practice for Big Data and Customer Experience at BT and BT’s lead for collaborations with MIT, and the first industry fellow at the Alan Turing Institute. Simon is interested in practical application of AI technology and the practice and process of AI and ML projects. His book “Managing Machine Learning Projects” was published by Manning Books in 2023.
Peter is Founder & CEO of Vision Formers, the specialist consultancy that supports and mentors leaders of visionary technology businesses get product to market and turn ideas into reality.
Vision Formers works with start-ups and scale-ups, providing significant expertise in accelerating business growth through a focus on developing a robust product strategy, growing and coaching product and development teams, and providing operational excellence. Peter has a long track record of conceiving, developing and marketing successful technology-based solutions, deployed at scale, globally. Innovative products Peter has brought to market in digital, cloud, AI, consumer electronics and telecommunications have been used by countless millions of people on a daily basis globally, badged by the world’s leading digital and technology brands.
Peter also works with Digital Catapult as Programme Manager for UKTIN, working with partners and stakeholders to deliver UKTIN’s mission to transform the UK telecoms innovation ecosystem, capitalising on the country’s strengths in technology, academia, and entrepreneurialism, while positioning it for growth as new opportunities emerge in the industry.
Peter is a board member of CW (Cambridge Wireless), a Fellow of the IET, a Chartered Engineer, and a member of the Association of Business Mentors.
Zahid Ghadialy - Principal Analyst & Consultant, 3G4G
Zahid is a technologist with a deep understanding of architecting world-class mobile products and solutions. With over 20 years of experience in the telecom industry in various roles, he has been an evangelist for mobile and wireless technologies. Over the years he has accumulated a vast following on his blogs and social networks with simple explainer posts and videos.
His 3G4G blogs are widely read where he looks at different aspects of mobile technology and especially 5G and 6G nowadays, including the architecture, deployments, use cases, applications, etc. His YouTube channel is also very popular where he explains many new features expected as part of 5G in the future. While his style and content is unique, he also references many industry publications and provides slides that are very useful to view online.
He is also very active on Twitter under his @3G4GUK brand helping disseminate the benefits of 5G and why 5G will be needed in the long run. He covers a very wide portfolio of 5G related information that is hard to find otherwise.
Until recently, Zahid was a Senior Director looking at Technology & Innovation Strategy in Parallel Wireless. As a brand ambassador, he represented the company in various Open RAN discussions and also created tutorials on Open RAN and O-RAN which are being used as reference for new starters on the topic.
Richard Jacklin - Business Development - Commercial Lead, Plextek
Richard is the Commercial Lead for Plextek Services, helping customers design and produce highly innovative electronic, radar and radio communications enabled solutions. His career, now over 30 years, has included sales management, product management and engineering leadership in companies including Ericsson, Samsung, UL, Keysight, PPM and NI. He has presented and contributed to many forums including Cambridge Wireless, GSMA working groups, and Satellite Innovation Group. Richard graduated from the University of Portsmouth with a degree in Electronic Engineering, he was also awarded Chartered Engineer status and Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Bob Oates is a specialist in the interaction between safety and security for operational technology, critical infrastructure, and IoT devices. He works within the Engineering Assurance Team at Cambridge Consultants, ensuring that intelligent, AI-enabled systems are safe and secure. In addition to his academic background, Bob has over a decade of industrial experience working in the critical national infrastructure, defence, aerospace, nuclear, and maritime domains, including acting as the head of security for the development of the world’s first commercial remotely operated ship. He holds an Honorary Professorship in Safety and Security at De Montfort University.
Yiru Zhong - None
Yiru is an M2M/IoT market veteran with an industry research background and practical deployment experience. She understands the complexity of new service launches and the investigative nature of enterprise adoption trends. In her analyst past, she has launched two successful M2M/IoT research programmes, changed leadership minds on focussing on security, and managed an IoT platform validation programme. Her current role utilises her industry and IoT technology knowledge to accelerate enterprise adoption. She represents Soracom in the UK to lead conversations with start-ups, SMBs and enterprises on how to use IoT for their business. She is passionate about resolving commercial practicalities of IoT deployment and mostly building a positive conversation around IoT security.
