Agenda at a glance

08:30 | Arrival & Registration

09:05 | Opening Keynote

09:20 | Panel: Shoring up the Balance Sheet

09:55 | Keynote

10:20 | Fireside Chat: Females in Finance

10:35 | Making the leap from FD - what skills are needed to move across the board

10:55 | Tea/coffee & networking

11:15 | The CFO-CEO Dynamic

11:45 | Cybercrime Surge: How Finance Leaders Can Strengthen Their Organisation’s Resilience

12:00 | The Reality of AI In Finance

13:10 | Lunch

• View full agenda

Speakers

• View full speaker line-up

The Finance Seat Podcast

The Finance Seat podcast brings together CFOs and FDs from across the UK for candid, practical conversations.Hosted by James Roach, Managing Director of Headstar, a specialist finance recruitment consultancy, this interview series shares real-world lessons from finance leaders who’ve been there and done it.You can find The Finance Seat podcast on Spotify or you can also watch video episodes on YouTube.

How to Build a World-Class Finance Team Guide

This free ‘How to Build a World-Class Finance Team’ guide from Headstar offers a step-by-step process to help you design, hire, and develop a high-performing finance function.Whether you’re a CFO, FD or business leader planning for growth, this guide covers everything from assessing your current team structure to positioning your business as a magnet for top finance talent.

Content Hub

Our primary sponsor, Headstar hosts a comprehensive Content Hub where finance professionals can access freely available resources.This includes:• Webinars: With industry experts speaking on themes such as changes to UK GAAP, unlocking private equity, choosing debt funding and recruiting on character.• Informative videos: Covering a wide range of topics, from defining what a good FD looks like to the best EDI practices.• Practical guides: For example, Your First 100 Days: The New Finance Director and CFO Checklist

Paul Kharbanda, Foreign Exchange Sales Business Lead, Lloyds Bank

Paul’s team provides strategic input and solutions to clients who are exposed to currency, interest rate and commodity markets. They help clients identify and mitigate risks that can impact their profitability while simultaneously building resilience in to their risk management processes.After graduating with a Masters from the University of Edinburgh, Paul joined the Fixed Income, Currency and Commodity division of JPMorgan Chase where he spent ten years coming to be Head of Regional Banks covering financial institutions, private banks and money managers across Western Europe and CEE.Following his time at JPMorgan, Paul worked in advertising and PR, believing he would never go back in to the banking sector. Marriage and the cost of children changed that and he rejoined the industry with Lloyds renewing his FCA credentials on the morning of the EU Referendum. He has never looked back, mostly because the economic landscape has not afforded him that luxury.Paul’s passion is democratising access to financial solutions, demystifying market drivers and helping clients understand what domestic and global events are influencing the markets that directly affect their business. He is firm believer that the role of banks is to bridge information gaps for clients in an accessible way, allowing them to focus on what they do best.

Ben Priestley, CFO, Mansfield Pollard

CFO at Mansfield Pollard, Ben specialises in business transformation for owner managed & PE-backed organisations to deliver both growth & turnaround scenarios, with particular experience in Manufacturing.Commercially & strategically focused with extensive board level experience, Ben’s overall influence extends well beyond the traditional finance boundaries. With special interests in areas such as ESG, Ben acts as both catalyst & sounding-board for business leadership & has played a key role in Mansfield Pollard’s rapid growth since its 2020 management buy-out.

Lou Ellis-Frankland, Chief Executive Officer, Mansfield Pollard & Co

Lou joined Mansfield Pollard as Sales Director in 2017 and ascended to the role of managing director in 2019. Lou orchestrated a Management Buyout (MBO) just three weeks before the onset of the first lockdown in February 2020. Through this move, she not only assumed the role of CEO but also became sole shareholder of Mansfield Pollard & Co.Under Lou's guidance, Mansfield Pollard & Co has solidified its position as a leader in the field, delivering top-tier products that set industry standards. Lou's commitment to excellence and pushing the boundaries of what's possible has resulted in a portfolio of innovative solutions, driving the company toward its ambitious goal of reaching £75m within 5 years. Currently, under her strategic leadership, the company has achieved almost £30m in its prior financial year, with expansion into the Middle East on the horizon.With a profound passion for manufacturing and over two decades of experience in the industry, Lou has dedicated herself to shaping its landscape. Her steadfast belief in manufacturing as one of the most rewarding sectors to work in has been a driving force throughout her career.

Karen Pitchforth, Associate Director - Senior Interim and Transformation, Headstar

With 25 years of experience in recruitment, Karen specialises in the Senior Interim Qualified Finance Market. Over the last 19 years, she has developed a deep understanding of the finance sector, successfully matching top-tier interim finance professionals with leading organisations.Karen is an expert in recruiting interim senior roles, including CFOs, FDs and FCs, across a wide range of industries. A strong network built over nearly two decades has allowed her to build long-term relationships with both clients and candidates, consistently delivering outstanding results for businesses seeking interim leadership during times of change, transformation or critical project delivery.Outside of work, Karen enjoys walking and cycling. She is also a ‘mum taxi’ for two fast-growing children and enjoys supporting their education as a school Governor at the junior school.

Ian Fullen, CFO, Unity Advisory

Ian Fullen is the Chief Financial Officer of Unity Advisory, a Warburg Pincus–backed professional services firm delivering technology-enabled advisory solutions to mid-market CFOs. He leads the finance function with a focus on financial operations, controls and commercial and operational excellence. Ian drives disciplined cost management and scalable financial infrastructure to ensure Unity grows efficiently and sustainably.Before joining Unity, Ian spent 7 years at HSBC, culminating as CFO of Zing, a FinTech start-up and subsidiary of. Prior to HSBC, he spent 14 years with General Electric across multiple international finance and leadership positions. He brings a pragmatic and analytical approach to aligning financial rigor with Unity’s ambition to redefine how CFOs deliver value through technology and innovation.

Fiona Roberts, Finance Director, TransPennine Express

Fiona Roberts is a Chartered Accountant and accomplished Finance Director with a strong track record in transformation and strategic leadership. Currently Executive Director at TransPennine Express—a public interest rail operator owned by the UK Department for Transport, delivering intercity passenger services across the North of England and Scotland—Fiona oversees Finance, IT, Procurement, and Audit, Risk & Compliance for a £0.5bn entity.She drives governance, performance optimisation, and stakeholder engagement as the business transitions into Great British Railways. Previously, Fiona led finance transformation at TalkTalk Group, delivering multi-year programmes that enhanced efficiency, embedded automation, and achieved £1m annual savings. With expertise spanning change management, digital strategy, and integration, Fiona combines technical excellence with visionary leadership to enable sustainable growth and innovation.

Jenny McMillan, MD, Northern Bl°c

Jenny joined Northern Bl°c in 2021 as Head of Finance after a successful career with PwC, where she worked in the Business Recovery department before transitioning into Consulting. In this role, she advised high-growth SMEs through periods of transformation, operational change, and strategic development.At Northern Bl°c, Jenny has been central to the company’s rapid expansion. She oversaw the brand’s move into its purpose-built factory, supported the acquisition and integration of new brands, raised both debt and equity finance, and helped guide the company’s evolution from a start-up to a nationally recognised SME—achieving consistent double-digit annual growth. She also played a key role in developing the finance function, progressing into the Finance Director role, and supporting the sale of the business to Bidfood in May 2024.Following a successful transition into the Bidfood group and the departure of co-founder Dirk Mischendahl, Jenny was appointed Managing Director in July 2025. Under her leadership, Northern Bl°c has continued to accelerate, securing major listings with partners including Emirates, IKEA, and English Heritage, and strengthening its position as one of the most innovative and fast-growing brands in the ice cream category.

Joe Bainborough, Finance Director, Pure Pet Food

A commercially focused Finance Director with a track record in scaling hypergrowth consumer businesses. Currently leading across Finance, Insights, Procurement and HR at Pure Pet Food, a rapidly scaling DTC pet food brand and manufacturer.Brings experience in corporate finance and M&A from KPMG, with a track record of building finance teams, raising investment, and implementing scalable systems to support rapid growth. Now focused on improving capital efficiency, strengthening unit economics, and driving sustainable revenue growth as the business continues its growth trajectory.

Richard Pugmire, Chief Executive Officer, Answer Digital

Richard Pugmire is Chief Executive Officer of Answer Digital, an employee-owned technology consultancy specialising in complex, regulated and data-intensive environments.With more than 20 years of experience leading large-scale digital transformation, Richard brings a deep understanding of how organisations turn technology investment into operational capability. His background spans digital strategy, platform modernisation, integration, data and enterprise delivery, working at the intersection of executive decision-making, engineering and governance.As CEO, Richard has been instrumental in shaping Answer Digital’s approach to AI adoption, helping organisations move from early experimentation to scalable, responsible use of AI embedded within core operations. His focus is on ensuring AI initiatives are aligned to strategic objectives, grounded in trusted data, and delivered with the controls required for long-term resilience and confidence at board level.Richard is a strong advocate for disciplined execution, clear accountability and human-centred adoption. He works closely with executive teams to ensure AI supports financial resilience, operational agility and informed decision-making, particularly in environments where regulation, risk and complexity are central considerations.

Ben Priestley, CFO, Mansfield Pollard

Ben Priestley is Chief Financial Officer of leading Bradford-based manufacturer Mansfield Pollard. With an extensive background in leading strategic direction and transformation for owner-managed and private equity-backed mid-market businesses, Ben has played a key role in Mansfield Pollard’s rapid growth since its 2020 management buy-out.Ben’s influence extends well beyond the traditional boundaries of finance with his work acting as a strategic catalyst for transformative change, impacting areas including sustainability and the implementation of machine technology and AI solutions.

Ben Priestley, CFO, Mansfield Pollard

Ben Priestley is Chief Financial Officer of leading Bradford-based manufacturer Mansfield Pollard. With an extensive background in leading strategic direction and transformation for owner-managed and private equity-backed mid-market businesses, Ben has played a key role in Mansfield Pollard’s rapid growth since its 2020 management buy-out.Ben’s influence extends well beyond the traditional boundaries of finance with his work acting as a strategic catalyst for transformative change, impacting areas including sustainability and the implementation of machine technology and AI solutions.

Jonathan Healey, Group Technology Director, IDHL

Jonathan Healey is Group Technology Director at IDHL, leading technology strategy and AI innovation across the business. With over 25 years’ experience in software development, IT infrastructure, and digital delivery, he has delivered more than 300 websites and pioneered AI adoption for two decades, beginning with early neural‑network experimentation.Jonathan previously drove major growth at NetConstruct and unified IDHL’s Web Division. He regularly speaks at industry events and contributes to European CMS expert groups. Outside work, Jonathan enjoys gardening, optimisation projects, and expanding his book collection.

Andrew McPhillips, Chief Economist, Northern Powerhouse Partnership

Andrew is the Chief Economist at the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP) where he is responsible for the organisation’s research and analysis. This has included research on differences in educational attainment across the country, the potential for fiscal devolution in England and understanding the differences in productivity both between and within regions.Prior to joining NPP, Andrew worked as an economist at Yorkshire Building Society where he provided economic advice to the Board and senior management team. He has also worked in the public sector in the Departments for Education, Work and Pensions, and Transport. Andrew is also a Senior Independent Director at the West Riding County FA and the former President of Leeds Credit Union.

Brendan McManus, CEO, PIB Group

After a 30 year career in larger corporate insurance organisations, Brendan has taken PIB Group from a start up in 2015 to one of Europe’s fastest growing insurance distributors. Now established in 10 countries across Europe , with over 3800 colleagues , PIB has completed over 100 acquisitions since start up, and has revenues in excess of £0.5bn.

Simon Hartley, CEO & Founder, Be World Class

Simon is an elite sport psychology consultant and world class performance coach. For almost 30 years, he has helped athletes win medals and teams win trophies – most recently with teams such as Fiji rugby 7s and FC Bayern Munich. He applies the same approaches within business and has published 12 books, including Hire Great People.

Mark Goldstone, Policy Manager - UK Competitiveness, CBI

Mark leads the CBI’s policy team covering UK Competitiveness, focusing on the levers that can unlock economic growth across English regions including planning reform, infrastructure delivery,
industrial strategy and devolution. Mark has over 18 years’ experience working on economic policy.

Sarah Ashby, CFO, Mamas and Papas

Sarah is currently the CFO of Mamas and Papas, the leading nursery brand in the UK, with her role covering finance, operations, procurement, property and legal.Sarah is ICAEW qualified but unusually studied and trained “in industry” during her first role out of university at P&G. Sarah has spent much of her career in global consumer goods businesses in a variety of finance roles (P&G, Heinz and Pladis).Latterly, she spent 4 years at Asda as a senior finance director for George Clothing and non food, plus a role leading M&A and cash management for the business. Sarah also is a charity trustee and a passionate mentor of women in business.