Effie Kanyua - Director of PR & Comms - Hearst UK.

Effie has a wealth of PR and communication experience having worked at some of the world’s leading agencies including: Shine, Weber Shandwick, Splendid Communications and M&C Saatchi on accounts for global brands in all sectors from drinks to tech including Diageo and Samsung.

Alison Lloyd - designer - Ally Capellino.

Ally started Ally Capellino in 1979 at the time when British Fashion was probably at its most edgy and ground-breaking. She was also one of the first British designers to break Japan. Famous for her understated style, she moved from clothing to bags almost 40 years ago continuing to design practical, long lasting pieces that are as discreet as they are functional and durable. Ally is and has always been a visionary and still one of the few successful women in fashion leading her own business

Helen Brocklebank – CEO Walpole.

Helen is the CEO of Walpole the official sector body for UK luxury. Founded in 1992 as a not-for-profit organisation, it counts more than 250 British brands in its membership and is recognised as the voice of British luxury. Walpole’s purpose is to promote, protect and develop a sector worth £48 billion to the UK economy and the jewel in the crown of UK business. Helen is prolific in her support for all things British and all things luxury. In addition to supporting and promoting some of the most internationally recognisable British brands she is also a champion for education and the role of women in the board room.

Maria Grachvogel - Designer.

Obsessed with the idea that clothing can transform your body, your mood and your confidence Maria experiments with innovative cutting always keeping the woman who wears the clothing front of mind. She is personally committed to preserving the craft of luxury fashion and is working with a technology partner to reimagine the future of fashion. One could easily describe Maria is a fashion architect instinctively interested in materials, shape, form and flow. Today we talk to Maria not only about her clothes but about embracing change in a changing world…

Bijou Abiola – Director of Consumer Insights L’Oreal Luxe.

Bijou is a proven innovator with over 10 years of driving growth in customer-centric businesses through creative strategies and compelling storytelling. Developing omni channel businesses for brands like Dior, Chanel, Bobbi Brown, Ralph Lauren and DVF, her collective experience across multiple retail categories produced a differentiation strategy that delivered over $220M in sales for a major department store in the U.S. In her current role, she partners with business leaders within L’Oréal’s Luxe division to convert data-driven insights into actionable customer acquisition and retention strategies.