Simon Thompson

Independent Consultant

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.

Professor Joost Noppen

Chief Researcher Software, BT Group

Joost Noppen is Chief Researcher Software at BT Group, leading the Software & AI Lab and is responsible for shaping future software engineering theory and practice within BT Group.

He holds MSc and PhD degrees in Computer Science from the University of Twente, a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education from University of East Anglia and an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from Queen’s University in Belfast.

He is a Visiting Professor in the School of Informatics at King's College London, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an award-winning lecturer in Software Engineering.

Debora Dorn

Patent Attorney, Appleyard Lees

Debora is a UK and European patent attorney at Appleyard Lees. She helps companies working in technology areas ranging from AI to medical devices protect their Intellectual Property. Debora has particular experience and interest in developing IP strategies for start-ups that are tailored to their technology area and commercial goals. While Debora specialises in protecting computer implemented inventions, including AI inventions, her background in physics and mathematics means that she has experience with a broad range of subject matter.