Fern leads Employer Brand and EVP at NESO, where she’s spent the last few years shaping a people-first narrative that speaks to talent at every level. With a background in global employer branding at National Grid, she brings a sharp mix of strategy, storytelling and insight to the table. Fern’s work is about campaigns and connection. She’s passionate about creating inclusive, values-driven brands that resonate deeply and endure. Outside of NESO, she’s a firm believer in the power of listening before acting, and (rumour has it) can turn even the driest spreadsheet into a story worth telling.

James Dowling is a talent leader who enables the recruitment, development and performance of organisations that are building reputation, targeting growth or transformation. He currently leads talent management at a Global NGO, having previously led the transformation of talent acquisition and redeployment process as it made significant organisational changes with a new operating model. James has had the privilege of working across multiple sectors, including energy, healthcare, digital transformation, consumer products, insurance and now global philanthropy. 

Katie Drake is passionate about helping organisations focus, collaborate, create and transform. She has led projects for global organisations including Coca-Cola HBC, Airbus Diageo and Shell, guiding the development and activation of employer brands that attract talent, engage employees and strengthen retention. With more than 20 years’ experience in communications agencies, Katie brings deep knowledge across research, strategy, internal communications and events and is committed to helping organisations leverage their Employer Brand as a strategic driver of business success.

CCO and Co-founder of Tonic, Mark has worked with national and international brands across a wide range of sectors, developing global and national EVPs, creating compelling Employer Brands that resonate throughout the whole employee experience. Our work has won over 145 awards in our 13-year history, because we believe the best results come from creativity does more than attract, it entertains and builds lasting loyalty. I’m constantly inspired by the ideas and impact our industry delivers, and proud to play a part in its success.

With over 18 years’ experience in recruitment marketing and employer branding, I’ve partnered with hundreds of clients across diverse sectors to help them become employers of choice — attracting, hiring, and retaining top talent with maximum ROI. Formerly Head of Media at my previous agency, my background and passion lie in media strategy, but I also thrive on supporting businesses through every stage of their talent lifecycle.

Fiona Lynch is the group EB programs manager at Coca Cola HBC, collaborating with over 30 EB experts across 29 markets. With extensive experience in the talent and learning space, she is passionate about bringing the organisation’s energy and culture to life, both internally and externally. Working across platforms, social media, EVP, and campaigns, she helps showcase a workplace where people can grow, lead change and win together. Most recently, Fiona has been managing the launch of the new EVP, “We play to grow and win, do you?”, attracting those who are ready to make an impact and succeed in a restless, dynamic, collaborative environment.

Pia de Malherbe has over 20 years of experience in marketing and content across global creative agencies. She is currently Chief Brand Officer at 10 Days, where she leads marketing strategy and trend content.

For the past seven years, Pia has specialised in generational and cultural trend research, with a strong focus on Gen Alpha. Previously recognised as a Gen-Z expert-collaborating with brands such as Coca-Cola-she now channels her expertise into decoding the emerging themes shaping Gen-Alpha.

Pia speaks regularly about key trends for Gen-Alpha and writes extensively on the topic. Through her regular writings, thought leadership, and trend reports, she equips brands with the insights they need to build authentic, lasting connections with the next generation.

With over two decades in employer branding and media strategy, Rali is an accomplished client partner known for delivering award-winning work with global brands. Grounded in media planning and strategy, she takes an integrated approach that brings together creative, digital and social teams to deliver impactful campaigns. As client partner at Havas People, Rali has led the partnership with RWE for over three years. Her client-first mindset and strategic guidance have earned multiple accolades, including Best Video at the RAD Awards, EBMA honours and Best Employer Brand at the RMAs.

Tom has worked at mydentist for over 6 years and has first hand experience of the progression of the mydentist brand. In his current role as Senior Resourcing Marketing Manager, Tom works collaboratively with the resourcing, comms and PR teams to amplify mydentist's new employer brand.

Oscar has been with Wiser for 7 years, starting on the Creative team, before going on to lead Client Strategy. He’s seen Wiser through the eras, and now works with the likes of Coca-Cola, Heineken Global, Amazon and Tesco to bring together their Employer Brand, People and Early Talent strategies. He gets up every day because of the quality of Wiser’s creative, and is frequently compared to a labrador. Alongside Wiser, he runs a Midlands-based theatre company, acting, writing and directing, and believes that being rejected from medical school was one of the best things to ever happen to him.

Theodora Safra is the employer brand and culture programs manager at Coca-Cola HBC, responsible for initiatives in Greece and Cyprus. With over 12 years at the company, she has held key roles in sales, revenue growth Management and marketing before joining the people & culture team.

In her current role, she drives employer branding to position Coca-Cola HBC as an employer of choice, attracting top talent aligned with company’s values and culture. She also leads internal culture programs that promote engagement, inclusion and a strong sense of belonging, contributing to a thriving and purpose-driven workplace environment.

Inger is a creative professional with dual degrees in illustration and creative advertising. Over the past eight years, Inger has worked as an art director within the employer branding industry, partnering with both local and global clients. Her work focuses on refining brand identity, developing campaigns to attract top talent and fostering employee engagement.

With extensive experience leading creative initiatives, Inger’s approach combines strategic thinking with creative execution, resulting in impactful solutions that resonate with audiences and strengthen employer brands.

Dave brings over 16 years of expertise in recruitment marketing, employer branding and talent attraction. Leading a talented team at Creed, Dave delivers industry-leading strategies and solutions that empower clients across sectors to enhance their employer brands, attract top talent and navigate the evolving recruitment and people communications landscape. 

With 14+ years in recruitment across multiple sectors, Adam’s built his career around spotting potential and helping people find where they thrive. Now at NESO, he’s a recruitment business partner helping power the UK’s energy transformation - one hire at a time. He’s lived the highs and headaches of large-scale hiring and brings a grounded, people-first approach to the process. A proud dad, football coach and diehard Blackburn fan, Adam’s known for cutting through the noise, backing his team and never losing sight of the human behind the CV.