Sir Andy Street served as the first Mayor of the West Midlands from 2017 to 2024, helping to establish the West Midlands Combined Authority and oversee a huge influx of public and private investment into his home region.

Prior to that he was the Managing Director of John Lewis (having started his career there as a graduate trainee), guiding the employee-owned business to one of the most successful spells in its history – culminating in the department store chain being named the most trusted brand in Britain.

He currently chairs Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and previously chaired the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.

He has also served as the lead non-executive director for the Department for Communities and Local Government, as well as a member of the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group.

He was awarded a CBE in 2015 for services to economic growth, and was knighted in 2025 for services to public service.

Before entering Parliament, Luke worked in the private sector and for a national charity, with a track record of getting things done. He has also worked on housing, energy and climate policy at a national level.

Since being elected, he has been appointed Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Climate and Net Zero, and sits on the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee.

Luke has raised issues in Parliament that matter to people in Basingstoke; the cost of living, long waits for NHS care, the urgent need for better Special Educational Needs and Disability support, and reforming the broken leasehold system to give homeowners more control and security.

Luke has held surgeries, coffee afternoons and community events on NHS reform, anti-social behaviour, leasehold reform and the future of the Top of Town, where he has promised to bring people together to help revitalise the historic town centre of Basingstoke.

Dame Wendy Hall, DBE, FRS, FREng is Regius Professor of Computer Science, Associate Vice President (International Engagement) and is Director of the Web Science Institute at the University of Southampton.

She became a Dame Commander of the British Empire in the 2009 UK New Year’s Honours list and is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the ACM.

Dame Wendy was co-Chair of the UK government’s AI Review, which was published in October 2017 and a member of the AI Council. She is currently the co Chair of the ACM Publications Board and Editor in-Chief of Royal Society Open Science. She is an advisor to the UK government and many other governments and companies around the world and in 2023 was appointed to the United Nations high level advisory body on artificial intelligence.

Kate Beal is an award-winning producer, author, and founder of Woodcut Media, one of the world’s leading true crime specialists. With over 20 years in unscripted television, she has overseen acclaimed productions including Confessions of a Psycho Killer (Prime Video), Fiennes: Return to the Nile (Nat Geo), Queens That Changed the World (C4), and Titanic in Colour (C4).

Since founding Woodcut in 2014, Kate has built a diverse company recognised internationally, launching Woodcut International, FAST channel Crime Files, and True Crime Uncut on YouTube, while achieving B-Corp certification. A UK Export Champion, she also chairs the Association of True Crime Producers and mentors emerging talent.

Emily Hudson is the Senior Journalist covering politics in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for the BBC.

She regularly appears on BBC South Today and Politics South, BBC Radio Solent and if you open up your BBC app on your phone, she’s likely to have written at least one of the articles in the Hampshire section every week!

Emily has worked at the BBC for 25 years and met thousands of people in that time, hearing their stories, their views and giving them a voice. Her role also involves taking some really complicated subjects like devolution and local government reorganisation and trying to explain them and make sure people understand how they will be affected.

Mark was appointed Chair of the Business Board Network (formerly the LEP Network) in September 2019. He was awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2023 for services to business, the economy and to charity, particularly during Covid-19. He is an independent consultant with 40 years of wide-ranging business experience, including in several high-profile Government programmes. Mark was a Managing Director (Partner) in the leadership team of the professional services firm Accenture and before that worked for Plessey, Siemens, Royal Mail and Tata. He sat on the Business Leaders’ Council of the charity Teach First for 13 years and was previously an Ambassador for Home Start Herts.

Mark has an MBA in Export Management and International Business from City, University of London Business School, and a BSc Econ (Hons) in Management Studies. He was a Royal Signals Reserve Officer (Major) and holds a Territorial Decoration. Mark was a member of the Secretary of State for BEIS’ Levelling Up Taskforce, of the Minister for Local Government’s Economic Recovery Working Group and the Business Action Council, all focused on helping the country grow out of the Covid-19 crisis. Mark joined the Hertfordshire LEP Board as Business Representative and Chair Designate in January 2016, and was Chair from June 2016 until March 2023.

Rachael is Principal and Chief Executive Officer of HTP Apprenticeship College Ltd which she established in the year 2000.

Prior to that she was involved in Government funded training, working for New Deal and a national apprenticeship provider. Her roots are also firmly based in the world of Hospitality, Tourism and Farming.

Since his appointment in 2017 Henri has established the Northern Powerhouse Partnership as the business led organisation which convenes the North together.

From having made the case consistently for Northern Powerhouse Rail, to challenging for a better deal for the most disadvantaged from the education system, his team are focused on how government, business and partners can drive the North’s ambitions. Before joining the Partnership, he worked in senior research and policy roles in policing and financial services, and as a former senior local government figure in Newcastle upon Tyne remains a commentator on regional and wider industrial policy.

Since 2020 Henri has also served as a member of the Royal Society Science, Industry and Translation Committee, and is also currently a member of the Court of Newcastle University.