List of speakers
Battle of Ideas 2015 is our biggest ever, with over 450 speakers confirmed to date.
A
- David Aaronovitch
columnist, The Times; author, Voodoo Histories; chair, Index on Censorship - Tim Abrahams
co-publisher, Machine Books - Gilbert Achcar
professor of development studies and international relations; chair of Centre for Palestine Studies, SOAS, University of London - Abhay Adhikari
innovation consultant and strategist; founder, Digital Identity - Sam Adlen
head of business innovation, Satellite Applications Catapult - Andrew Adonis
Labour peer; author, 5 Days in May: The Coalition and Beyond - Nicole Agba
Autocar Next Generation Award 2014 Winner - Jobeda Ali
CEO, Three Sisters Care - Shahrar Ali
deputy leader, Green Party - Stuart Allan
professor of journalism and communication, Cardiff University; co-author, Digital War Reporting - Duleep Allirajah
sports columnist, spiked; Crystal Palace fan - Merris Amos
reader in human rights law, Queen Mary University of London - Anthony Anaxagorou
poet, writer, performer and educator - Dr Frankie Anderson
psychiatry trainee; co-founder, Sheffield Salon - Bea Appleby
editor, The Female Lead - Josie Appleton
director, civil liberties group, Manifesto Club; author, Officious: Rise of the Busybody State - Alexandra Archetti Stølen
festival director, Oslo World Music Festival; president, European Forum of Worldwide Music Festivals - Dr Eugenia Arsenis
director; dramaturg, Center for Contemporary Opera, New York
B
- Dr Julian Baggini
founding editor, the Philosophers' Magazine; author, Freedom Regained: the possibility of free will and The Edge of Reason: A Rational Skeptic in an Irrational World - Tom Bailey
journalist; contributor, World Finance, European CEO, and The New Economy. - P Balaji
director - regulatory, external affairs and CSR, Vodafone India - Ros Ball
journalist; author, The Gender Police: a diary - Emily Barley
chairman, Conservatives for Liberty - Dr Graham Barnfield
senior lecturer in journalism, University of East London - Jenny Barrett
reader in film studies and popular culture, Edge Hill University - Leela Barrock
group head, group communications & corporate affairs, Malaysia-based multinational, Sime Darby Berhad - James Bartholomew
writer and journalist; author, The Welfare of Nations - Kalsoom Bashir
co-director, Inspire, an NGO working to counter extremism and gender inequality - Dr Tinneke Beeckman
independent philosopher; writer; columnist, De Standaard - Sean Bell
secretary and founder member, The Brighton Salon; copy-editor, writer and journalist - Simon Belt
IT consultant; coordinator, Manchester Salon - Dr Agiatis Benardou
senior research associate, ATHENA Research Centre - Dr Piers Benn
philosopher; author, Commitment and Ethics; visiting lecturer in ethics, Heythrop College, London and Fordham University, New York - Robert Bevan
writer; heritage consultant; architecture critic for the London Evening Standard; author, The Destruction of Memory: architecture at war - Paul Bew
crossbench peer; professor of politics, Queen's University Belfast; formerly, historical adviser to Northern Ireland’s Bloody Sunday Tribunals - Julie Bindel
journalist, author, broadcaster and feminist activist; research fellow, Lincoln University - Mark Birbeck
internet software and big data consultant - Jonathan Birdwell
head of policy and research, Institute for Strategic Dialogue - Helen Birtwistle
history and politics teacher, South London school - Bill Biss
editor, STAND Fanzine - Dr Tim Black
editor, Spiked Review - John David Blake
history practitioner, Harris Federation - Cara Bleiman
teacher, Arnhem Wharf Primary School - Daisy Blench
policy manager - alcohol policy and responsibility, British Beer & Pub Association - Linda Blum
associate professor of sociology, Northeastern University, Boston - Laura Blumenthal
Conservative Party Councillor, Wokingham Borough Council - Allum Bokhari
columnist, Breitbart - Sylvia Borren
executive director, Greenpeace Netherlands - Sumantra Bose
professor of international and comparative politics, London School of Economics - Professor Mike Boulton
professor of psychology, University of Chester; researcher, bully-victim relationships and psychological well-being - David Bowden
associate fellow, Academy of Ideas; culture writer - Shaun Breslin
professor of international politics, University of Warwick; associate fellow, Chatham House Asia Programme, Royal Institute of International Affairs - Justine Brian
director, Debating Matters Competition - Jennie Bristow
senior lecturer in sociology, Canterbury Christ Church University; author, The Sociology of Generations: New directions and challenges and Baby Boomers and Generational Conflict; co-author, Parenting Culture Studies - Jamie Bristow
director, The Mindfulness Initiative - Justin Bronk
research analyst, military sciences, RUSI; assistant editor, RUSI Defence Systems online journal - Cressida Brown
artistic director, Offstage Theatre; conceived, curated and directed Walking The Tightrope: the tension between Art and Politics - Amy Brown
associate professor in public health, Swansea University; researcher into breastfeeding - Dr Katrina Brown
director, The Common Guild - Jon Bryan
regional support official, University and College Union (UCU); treasurer, The Great Debate - Lyndsay Burtonshaw
activities officer, Sussex University Student Union - Jim Butcher
reader in geography of tourism, Canterbury Christ Church University; co-author, Volunteer Tourism: the lifestyle politics of international development - Nadia Butt
national coordinator, Debating Matters Competition, Academy of Ideas
C
- Michael Caines
assistant editor, Times Literary Supplement - Dr James Campbell
lecturer in American History, University of Leicester; author, Crime and Punishment in African American History - Professor Ted Cantle, CBE
director, Institute of Community Cohesion (iCoCo); chair, Community Cohesion Review - Dr Nessa Carey
international director, PraxisUnico; author, The Epigenetics Revolution - Alvin Carpio
board member, UpRising - Emma Carr
director, Big Brother Watch - Ana Castro
graphic designer; CEO, Circus Network - Saimo Chahal QC (hon)
partner; joint head, Public Law & Human Rights, Bindmans LLP - Tom Chance
housing spokesperson, Green Party - David Chandler
professor of international relations, University of Westminster; author, Resilience: the Governance of Complexity - JJ Charlesworth
senior editor, ArtReview - Jonathan Charley
director of cultural studies, Department of Architecture at the University of Strathclyde - Dr Tom Chatfield
writer and broadcaster; author, Live This Book! and How to Thrive in the Digital Age - Daisy Christodoulou
research and development director, Ark Schools; author, Seven Myths about Education; season ticket holder, West Ham - Dimitris Christopoulos
vice president, International Federation for Human Rights - Ruth Cigman
senior research fellow in philosophy of education, University College London Institute of Education - Professor Nigel Clark
chair, human geography, Lancaster University - Simon Clark
director, smokers’ rights group, Forest; Action on Consumer Choice. - Dave Clements
adviser to local government; blogger, Guardian, Huffington Post; convenor, IoI Social Policy Forum. - Dr Robert Clowes
chair, Mind & Cognition Group, Nova Institute of Philosophy, Lisbon University; chair, Lisbon Salon - Joel Cohen
communications manager, BeyondMe - Christopher Coker
professor of international relations, LSE; books include Future War and Can War Be Eliminated? - Isobel Colchester
chief executive, Poet in the City - Glenda Cooper
lecturer in journalism, City University London; co-editor, Humanitarianism, Communications and Change - Frances Coppola
associate editor, Pieria; contributor to Nesta’s Our Work Here is Done, exploring the frontiers of robot technology - Nick Corston
co-founder, STEAM Co, set up to power communities to inspire children with creativity across the STEAM skills of Science, Tech, Engineering, Art and Maths - Madalena Corte-Real
sociologist , FAS – Fundo de Arquitectura Social - Ed Cottingham
media analyst and researcher - Dr Mark Coulson
reader and associate professor of psychology, Middlesex University; contributor, The video game debate and Online worlds: Convergence of the real and the virtual - John Coventry
global communications director, Change.org - Teresa Cremin
professor of education (literacy), Open University; trustee, UK Literacy Association; board member, Booktrust - Shane Croucher
senior writer, International Business Times - Niall Crowley
freelance designer and writer - Rosamund Cuckston
organiser, Birmingham Salon; lead singer, Pram - Dolan Cummings
associate fellow, Academy of Ideas; author, That Existential Leap: a crime story (forthcoming from Zero Books) - Dr Philip Cunliffe
senior lecturer in international conflict, University of Kent; co-editor, Politics Without Sovereignty: a critique of contemporary international relations. - Barry Curtis
Volunteer and writer - Lesley Curwen
business, economics and personal finance journalist, BBC; writer and speaker - Helen Czerski
physicist, oceanographer and broadcaster
D
- Kenneth Dahlgren
head of social sciences, Rodeo Arkitekter AS - Sue Daley
head of big data, cloud and mobile, techUK - Kimon Daltas
editor, Classical Music magazine - Jeremy Dalton
innovation consultant, PwC - Anas Darkaoui
programme manager, Asfari Foundation - Martin Daubney
award-wining editor, journalist, and broadcaster; columnist for Telegraph Men - Neil Davenport
sociology and politics teacher; writer on culture; former music journalist - Rose Davis
intern, Academy of Ideas - Chrissie Daz
schoolteacher; cabaret performer; author on transgender and gender variant identity - Amali de Alwis
CEO, Code First: Girls - Alex Deane
managing director, FTI Consulting; Sky News regular; BBC Dateline London panellist; author Big Brother Watch: The state of civil liberties in modern Britain - Dr Katerina Deligiorgi
reader in philosophy, University of Sussex; author, The Scope of Autonomy - Dr Shirley Dent
communications specialist (currently working with the British Veterinary Association media team); editor, tlfw.co.uk; author, Radical Blake - Emma Dent-Coad
planning spokesperson, Labour Group, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council; design and architecture journalist - Nadia Denton
film industry specialist; author, The Nigerian Filmmaker’s Guide to Success: beyond Nollywood - Paul Dickinson
executive chairman, CDP, driving sustainable economies - Betsy Dillner
director, Generation Rent - Ceri Dingle
director, WORLDwrite & WORLDbytes - Emily Dinsmore
project administrator, Physics Factory - Mar Dixon
creator, MuseomixUK and MuseumCamp - Laura Dodsworth
photographer; author, Bare Reality: 100 women, their breasts, their stories - Alastair Donald
associate director, Future Cities Project; architecture programme manager, British Council - Ian Douglas
journalist, Telegraph - Ashley Dove-Jay
aerospace engineer; popular science writer; Urban Spaceman columnist, Bristol Post - Andrew Doyle
stand-up comedian; playwright - Ruth Dudley Edwards
historian and journalist; author, The Seven: the lives and legacies of the founding fathers of the Irish Republic (forthcoming) - Ian Dunt
editor, Politics.co.uk; political editor, Erotic Review - Martin Durkin
CEO, Wag TV - Professor Bill Durodié
head of department and chair of international relations, University of Bath
E
- Dr Wendy Earle
impact development officer, Birkbeck, University of London; convenor, Academy of Ideas Arts and Society Forum - Kathryn Ecclestone
professor of education, University of Sheffield; author, Governing Vulnerable Subjects in a Therapeutic Age (forthcoming) - Susan Edwards
dean of law, University of Buckingham - Kajsa Ekis Ekman
Swedish journalist, writer and activist; author, Skulden - eurokrisen sedd från Aten and Being and Being Bought; writer, Dagens Nyheter - Saja Elgredly
YAV Debater and Trainer (Egypt) Grad Student at City University London (UK) Culture Corner (Egypt) - Jonn Elledge
editor, CityMetric; writer, New Statesman - Rob Elsworth
policy analyst - climate and energy, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) - Steven Erlanger
London bureau chief, New York Times - Dr Oliver Escobar
co-director, What Works Scotland; lecturer in public policy, University of Edinburgh - Mahan Esfahani
harpsichordist; BBC Music ‘Newcomer of the Year’ 2015 - Raffaele Esposito
architect and urban designer, DRS / Glasgow City Council - Katie Evans
economist, Social Market Foundation - Leo Evans
politics student, University of Liverpool; Liberal Democrat PPC for Liverpool Wavertree, 2015
F
- Craig Fairnington
associate fellow, Academy of Ideas; university finance and accommodation officer - Kishwer Falkner
Baroness Falkner of Margravine; chair, House of Lords EU Financial Affairs Sub-Committee; member, EU Select Committee - Dr Miguel Farias
reader in cognitive and biological psychology, Coventry University - Paul Farmer
chief executive, Mind - Alice Ferguson
director, Playing Out - George Ferguson, CBE
mayor of Bristol - Dr Eliza Filby
visiting lecturer in Modern British History, King’s College London; author, God and Mrs Thatcher: The battle for Britain’s soul - Justin Fisher
professor of political science and director of the Magna Carta Institute, Brunel University London - Dr Michael Fitzpatrick
writer on medicine and politics; author, The Tyranny of Health - John Fitzpatrick
professor of law and director, Kent Law Clinic, University of Kent, Canterbury - Dr Susan Foister
deputy director and director of public engagement, National Gallery - Dr Katrina Forrester
lecturer in history of political thought, Queen Mary University of London - Oliver Foster
managing partner, Pagefield - Claire Fox
director, Academy of Ideas; panellist, BBC Radio 4's Moral Maze; author, I Find That Offensive - Cristiana Fragola
regional director for Europe & Middle East, 100 Resilient Cities - Dr Ashley Frawley
Senior lecturer in sociology and social policy, Swansea University; author, The Semiotics of Happiness: rhetorical beginnings of a public problem - Dr Liz Frayn
consultant psychiatrist, Devon Partnership Trust - Professor Elizabeth Frazer
head of department, Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford; fellow in politics, New College Oxford - Professor Monika Frommel
jurist; former director, criminological institute, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel - Professor Steve Fuller
Auguste Comte Chair in Social Epistemology, University of Warwick - Professor Frank Furedi
sociologist and social commentator; author, What's Happened to the University?, Power of Reading: from Socrates to Twitter, On Tolerance and Authority: a sociological history
G
- John Gapper
columnist , Financial Times - Laia Gasch
special assistant to Deputy Mayor for Culture, Mayor's Office; chair of trustees, Chats Palace Arts Centre - Elisabetta Gasparoni
teacher; convenor of the Future Cities Project Readers’ Group - Dr Clare Gerada
GP; past chair, Royal College of General Practitioners - Jeanne-Marie Gescher
author, All Under Heaven: China’s Dreams of Order; speaker; adviser - Chrissie Giles
senior editor, Wellcome Trust; commissioning editor, Mosaic - Andrew Gimson
author and political journalist; contributing editor, ConservativeHome - Jodie Ginsberg
chief executive, Index on Censorship - Luke Gittos
criminal lawyer; director of City of London Appeals Clinic; legal editor at spiked; author, Why Rape Culture is a Dangerous Myth: From Steubenville to Ched Evans - Dr Daniel Glaser
director, Science Gallery London, King's College London - David Goodhart
director, Demos Integration Hub; author, The British Dream: successes and failures of post-war immigration - Harold Goodwin
professor of responsible tourism, Manchester Metropolitan University - Maria José Goulão
professor of art history, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto - Manick Govinda
head, artists' advisory services; producer, Artsadmin; vice chair, a-n The Artists Information Company - Susan Grant-Muller
professor of technologies and informatics, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds - Dr Maria Grasso
lecturer in politics and quantitative methods, Department of Politics, University of Sheffield; author: Generations, Political Participation and Social Change in Western Europe - Miranda Green
journalist; founding editor, The Day; regular contributor to BBC political shows; former Lib Dem spin doctor - Professor Trisha Greenhalgh
professor of primary care health sciences, University of Oxford - Ross Greer
head of campaigns and communications, Scottish Green Party - Sean Gregory
director, Creative Learning, Barbican/Guildhall School of Music & Drama - Phoebe Griffith
associate director, migration, integration and communities, IPPR - Tiago Guedes
director, Teatro Municipal do Porto - Dr Helene Guldberg
director, spiked; author, Reclaiming Childhood: freedom and play in an age of fear and Just Another Ape? - David Gurnham
associate professor in law, University of Southampton; author, Crime, Desire and Law’s Unconscious - Dr Chris Gyngell
research fellow, Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics
H
- Barbara Hackenschmidt
member of Parliament Brandenburg (2004-2014) and again as of 1st November 2015. - Pauline Hadaway
writer and researcher - Dr Philip Hadfield
associate fellow, University of Leeds; author, Nightlife and Crime - Isobel Hadley-Kamptz
Swedish journalist; author, Frihet och fruktan: Tankar om en ny liberalism - Rania Hafez
programme leader, MA Education, Greenwich University; fellow, The Muslim Institute - Dr Lesley Hall
Wellcome Library Research Fellow - Ahmed Hamad
YAV Debater and Trainer (Jordan) Secretary of International Relations at University of Vaasa (Finland) - Philip Hammond
professor of media and communications, London South Bank University - Adnan Harambasic
architect; partner SAAHA - Lisa Harker
director of strategy, policy and evidence, NSPCC - Phineas Harper
deputy director, The Architecture Foundation - Sabrina Harris
technical author; longtime gamer; regular commentator on issues relating to freedom of speech and internet subcultures - Andrew Harrop
general secretary, Fabian Society; author, A Presumption of Equality; contributor, The Generation Game - Adrian Hart
author, That's Racist! How the regulation of speech and thought divides us all and Leave those kids alone – How official hate speech regulation interferes in school life - Dr Anna Hartnell
senior lecturer in contemporary literature, Birkbeck, University of London - Professor Dennis Hayes
professor of education, University of Derby - Dr Sudhir Hazareesingh
fellow and tutor in politics, Balliol College, Oxford; author, How the French Think: an affectionate portrait of an intellectual people - James Heartfield
writer and lecturer; co-author, Who’s Afraid of the Easter Rising? - Bríd Hehir
writer, researcher and traveller; retired nurse and fundraiser - Professor Magnus Henrekson
professor in economics and managing director of Swedish IFN (The Research Institute of Industrial Economics); author and public debater. - Barbara Hewson
barrister, Middle Temple; writer and commentator - Nancy Hey
director, What Works Centre for Wellbeing - Angie Hobbs
Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy, University of Sheffield - Christina Hoff Sommers
writer and resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute; host, weekly video series, The Factual Feminist - Jon Holbrook
barrister; writer on legal issues; regular contributor to spiked - Rosemary Hollis
professor of international politics and director of the Olive Tree Programme, City University London - Professor Alan Hudson
director of leadership and public policy programmes, University of Oxford; visiting professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University - George Hull
co-founder, Bloc; contributor, the Spectator - Mick Hume
editor-at-large, online magazine spiked; author, Trigger Warning: Is the Fear of Being Offensive Killing Free Speech? - Huw Humphreys
head of music, Barbican Centre - Dr Rupa Huq
Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton
I
- Dr Humeria Iqtidar
senior lecturer in politics, Department of Political Economy, King’s College London - Tracy Irish
Warwick Business School Shakespeare Scholar; author, The Shorter Shakespeare - Tom Ironside
director of business and regulation, British Retail Consortium
J
- Helen Jamison
head of media relations, Wellcome Trust - Christopher Jamison
director, National office for vocation, Catholic Church of England and Wales; author, Finding Sanctuary and Finding Happiness; featured in BBC TV's The Monastery - Ana Jara
founding member and manager, ARTÉRIA – Humanizing Architecture - Sian Jarvis
managing director, Jarvis & Bo Communications; former director general of communications, Department of Health - Paul Jasper
consultant, Oxford Policy Management – a leading international development consultancy - Nitin Jayakrishnan
tech entrepreneur (Co-Founder of iTrucks PLC and LO/RE); student, Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick; alumnus, Debating Matters India - Leszek Jazdzewski
editor-in-chief, Polish liberal journal Liberté! - Vít Jedlička
president of Liberland - Dr Tiffany Jenkins
writer and broadcaster; author, Keeping Their Marbles: how treasures of the past ended up in museums and why they should stay there - Louise Johns-Shepherd
chief executive, Centre for Literacy in Primary Education - Dr Lucy Johnstone
consultant clinical psychologist, Cwm Taf Health Board, South Wales; author, A Straight Talking Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis - Rachael Jolley
editor, Index on Censorship magazine - Lorien Jollye
vaping advocate, New Nicotine Alliance UK - Daniel Joseph
rector of Derby, Dean of East Midlands, Russian Orthodox Church; chaplain and lecturer in philosophy, University of Derby
K
- Dr Thomas Karshan
lecturer in literature, University of East Anglia; author, Vladimir Nabokov and the Art of Play - Maja Kecman
design lead, HELIX, St Mary’s Hospital - Professor Mike Kelly
senior visiting fellow, Behaviour and Health Research Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge; researcher in nudge theory and choice architecture - Angus Kennedy
convenor, The Academy; author, Being Cultured: in defence of discrimination - Dr Peter Kent
immediate past president, ASCL; headteacher, Lawrence Sheriff School - Ashutosh Khandekar
editor, Opera Now - Aditi Khanna
senior correspondent, Press Trust of India; editor, India Inc.; president, Indian Journalists’ Association - Geoff Kidder
director, membership and events, Academy of Ideas; convenor, IoI Book Club; IoI’s resident expert in all sporting matters - Thomas Kielinger
UK correspondent, Die Welt - Rob Killick
CEO, Clerkswell; author, The UK After The Recession - Marie Kinsey
joint head of department, Journalism Studies, University of Sheffield - Matthew Kirk
group external affairs director, Vodafone - Lesley Klaff
senior lecturer in law, Sheffield Hallam University; associate editor, Journal for the Study of Antisemitism - Dr Simon Knight
senior youth work practitioner; vice chair, Play Scotland - Pius Knüsel
teacher; cultural editor and writer - Boris Kotchoubey
professor, University of Tübingen - Serena Kutchinsky
digital editor, Prospect
L
- Dr Alexandra Lamont
senior lecturer, psychology of music, Keele University - Dr Sean Lang
senior lecturer in history, Anglia Ruskin University; director, Better History Forum - Nadia Latif
theatre director; credits include, Homegrown (NYT); Octagon (Arcola Theatre); Even Stillness Breathes Softly Against A Brick Wall (Soho Theatre) - Dr Shirley Lawes
researcher; consultant and university teacher, specialising in teacher education and modern foreign languages; Chevalier dans l’ordre des Palmes Académiques - Paul Lay
editor, History Today - Dr Ellie Lee
reader in social policy, University of Kent, Canterbury; director, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies - Philippe Legrain
visiting senior fellow, LSE’s European Institute; author, Immigrants: your country needs them and European Spring: Why Our Economies and Politics are in a Mess – and How to Put Them Right - Sam Leith
literary editor, Spectator; judge, Man Booker Prize 2015 - Richard Lewis
veteran games journalist - Dr Norman Lewis
director (innovation), PwC; co-author, Big Potatoes: the London manifesto for innovation - Penny Lewis
lecturer, Scott Sutherland School of Architecture, Robert Gordon University; co-founder, AE Foundation - Rod Liddle
associate editor, Spectator; columnist, The Sunday Times; author, Selfish Whining Monkeys - Jonathan Liew
sportswriter, Telegraph - Mark Littlewood
director general, Institute of Economic Affairs - Daniel Lloyd
consumer lawyer; member of the employed bar; co-author, Blackstone's Guide to the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (forthcoming) - Peter Lloyd
freelance journalist; author, Stand By Your Manhood - Diogo Seixas Lopes
partner, Barbas Lopes Arquitectos - Jonathan Lundqvist
president, Reporters Without Borders Sweden; vice-president, RSF International - Rick Lyman
journalist; Central and Eastern European bureau chief, New York Times - Rob Lyons
science and technology director, Academy of Ideas; convenor, IoI Economy Forum
M
- George MacDonald
executive editor, Retail Week - Leila MacTavish
head of initial teacher education, Future Training, Future Academies - Dr Jan Macvarish
associate lecturer and researcher, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies, University of Kent; author, Neuroparenting: The Expert Invasion of Family Life - Shiraz Maher
senior research fellow and head of outreach, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), King's College London - John Mair
editor and journalism lecturer; co-editor, The BBC Today: future uncertain - Jakub Makowski
regional chair, Liberal Youth in the East of England - Amjad Malik
education consultant, The Nida Trust - Kate Maltby
theatre critic, The Times; associate fellow, Bright Blue; researcher on intellectual life of Elizabeth I - Lila Manioti
director of cultural affairs, Hellenic American Union - Maria Margaronis
writer and broadcaster, The Nation magazine - Toby Marshall
A Level Film Studies Teacher; PhD researcher in sociology of education, UCL Institute of Education - Carlos Martins
CEO, Opium lda - Jack Marwood
primary school teacher; education writer, Icing on the Cake blog - Nikola Matisic
opera singer and pedagogue; founder, Operalabb - Benita Matofska
chief sharer, Compare and Share; global sharing economy expert - Christian May
editor, City A.M. - Dr Catherine McCall
director, EPIC (the European Philosophical Inquiry Centre) - Amber McCleary
founding director, Copper Clothing - Dr Tara McCormack
lecturer in international politics, University of Leicester; author, Critique, Security and Power: the political limits to emancipatory approaches - Kevin McCullagh
founder, Plan - Nancy McDermott
writer; advisor to Park Slope Parents, NYC's most notorious parents' organization - Angela McFarlane
chief executive and registrar, The College of Teachers - Neil McGuire
designer and design tutor, Glasgow School of Art - Colin McInnes
James Watt Chair, Professor of Engineering Science, University of Glasgow - Dr Anthony McIntyre
author, Good Friday: the death of Irish Republicanism - Dr Marie McIntyre
research associate, Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool - Dr Ken McLaughlin
lecturer in social work; author, Surviving Identity: vulnerability and the psychology of recognition - David McNeill
director of public affairs and stakeholder engagement, Transport For London - James McVinnie
organist; latest release, Cycles - Anna Mdee
research fellow, Overseas Development Institute - Alp Mehmet
retired diplomat; vice-chairman, Migrationwatch UK - Dr Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens
lecturer, King's College London; head of research, ICSR - Clare Melford
interim executive and organisational consultant; presenter, BBC Radio 4 Four Thought programme "Buddha in the Boardroom" - Kaitlynn Mendes
lecturer in media and communication, University of Leicester; author, SlutWalk: feminism, activism and media - Samar Samir Mezghanni
YAV Debater and Trainer (Tunisia) PhD Candidate at University of Cambridge (UK) - Professor Andy Miah
chair in science communication & digital media, University of Salford - Dr Ruth Mieschbuehler
programme leader, education studies, College of Education, University of Derby - Gia Milinovich
producer, broadcaster, professional dork - Sally Millard
co-founder, IoI Parents Forum - Carl Miller
research director, Centre for the Analysis of Social Media, Demos - Alan Miller
chairman, Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) - Beverley Milton-Edwards
professor of politics, Queen’s University Belfast; author, Muslim Brotherhood: the Arab Spring and its future face - Munira Mirza
advisor on arts and philanthropy; former deputy mayor of London for education and culture; author, The Politics of Culture: the case for universalism - Kevin Mole
associate professor (reader) and head of entrepreneurship and innovation, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick - Paul Moloney
trade union and industrial relations manager - Derek Molyneux
historian and writer - Anshuman Mondal
professor of English and Postcolonial Studies, Brunel University London; author, The Politics of Free Speech after Rushdie - Dr Jules Montague
consultant neurologist, Royal Free Hospital - Chris Moody
chief business development officer, Transport Systems Catapult - Rowan Moore
architecture critic, Observer; author, Why We Build - Christian Moos
secretary general, German Section of European Federalists - Juliette Morgan
C&W Tech Global Lead – London Head of Property – Tech City UK - Paul Morley
music journalist; author, The North (and almost everything in it) - Mark Morrin
research associate, ResPublica; co-author, Devo Max - Devo Manc - Daniel Moylan
former deputy chairman of Transport for London; Conservative Councillor; co-chairman, Urban Design London - Frank Mulder
researcher, writer and journalist; ; columnist, De Groene Amsterdammer; author, De geluksmachine (The Happiness Machine) - Phil Mullan
economist and business manager; author, Creative Destruction: How to start an economic renaissance - Para Mullan
senior project manager, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development; FCIPD - Chris Muller
head, Sir William Perkins’s School - Annabel Mullin
PhD researcher, UCL Institute of Education; Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson for Kensington - Toby Mundy
founding director, TMA literary agency; executive director, Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction - Liam Murray
founder and owner, We Are Flat Five, a boutique management consultancy - Rupert Myers
barrister and writer
N
- Jonathan Neame
chief executive, Shepherd Neame Ltd - Dr Kristian Niemietz
senior research fellow, Institute of Economic Affairs; author, A Patient Approach: putting the consumer at the heart of UK healthcare - Charles Nishikawa
management consultant, Across Associates Consultants; lecturer, Mejiro University - Jon Nixon
writer, Centre of International Education and Lifelong Learning, Hong Kong Institute of Education; author, Hannah Arendt and the politics of friendship; founding co-editor, Perspectives in Leadership in Higher Education - Ted Nordhaus
chairman, Breakthrough Institute - Peter North
reader in alternative economies, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Liverpool - Robin Norton-Hale
artistic director, OperaUpClose - Teresa Novais
partner, aNC arquitectos - Professor Fred Nyberg
senior professor in biological research on drug addiction, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University
O
- Margaret O’ Callaghan
historian and political analyst, Queens University of Belfast - Anthony O'Hear
professor of philosophy, University of Buckingham; editor, Philosophy; director, Royal Institute of Philosophy - Mohsen Ojja
principal, The Crest Academies - Kunle Olulode
director, Voice4Change England; creative director, Rebop Productions - Brendan O'Neill
editor, spiked; columnist, Big Issue; contributor, Spectator; author, A Duty to Offend: Selected Essays - Andrew Opie
director for food and sustainability, British Retail Consortium - Daniel O'Reilly
comedian, aka Dapper Laughs - Andrew Orlowski
executive editor, Register; assistant producer, All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace - David Orr
chief executive, National Housing Federation - Sulaiman Osman
writer, blogger and political activist - Ann Overbergh
programmer, Dutch-Flemish House deBuren - Michael Owens
commercial director, Bow Arts Trust; owner, London Urban Visits; formerly, head of development policy, London Development Agency
P
- Adrian Pabst
senior lecturer in politics, University of Kent - Danni Paffard
divestment campaigner, 350.org - Dr James Panton
head of politics, Magdalen College School, Oxford; associate lecturer in politics and philosophy, Open University; co-founder, Manifesto Club - Lefteris Papagiannakis
member, Athens municipal council; president; Immigrant Integration Council - Eva Pascoe
chair, digital network Cybersalon; co-founder, Cyberia, world’s first internet café; co-author, An Alternative Future High Street for the UK minister for high streets - Bénédicte Paviot
U.K. correspondent, France 24; regular contributor to news and current affairs programmes, BBC TV & Radio, Sky News, LBC and other UK and overseas outlets - Laurie Penny
journalist; contributing editor, New Statesman; author, Unspeakable Things: sex, lies and revolution - Luis T Pereira
founding partner, [A] ainda arquitectura architecture studio, Porto - Shyama Perera
writer, broadcaster and novelist; acting director, One World Media - Martyn Perks
digital business consultant and writer; co-author, Big Potatoes: the London manifesto for innovation - David Perks
founder and principal, East London Science School; director, the Physics Factory - Stephen Plaice
librettist; writer in residence, Guildhall School of Music and Drama - Jeannette Pols
professor of social theory, humanism and materialities, University of Amsterdam - Martin Powell
global head of urban development, Siemens Plc - Dr Weronika Priesmeyer-Tkocz
programme director, European Academy Berlin - Vicky Pryce
board member, Centre for Economics and Business Research; economic advisor, British Chamber of Commerce - Dr Vanessa Pupavac
associate professor; co-director of the Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice, University of Nottingham
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- Jamie Ratcliff
assistant director, Programme, Policy and Services, Greater London Authority - Adam Rawcliffe
partnerships manager, Academy of Ideas - Helen Reece
reader in law, LSE - Dr Paul Reeves
engineering software designer, SolidWorks R&D (part of Dassault Systèmes); convener, manufacturing work group for Big Potatoes: the London manifesto for innovation - Abdul Rehman-Malik
journalist; programmes manager, Radical Middle Way - Alex Renton
award-winning journalist; writer on food and food policy; author, Planet Carnivore: how cheap meat costs the earth - Jacob Reynolds
consultant, SHM Productions - Martin Robinson
educational consultant and teacher; author, Trivium 21c: preparing young people for the future with lessons from the past; writer, Times Educational Supplement - Carolyn Robson
executive headteacher, Rushey Mead School, Leicester; CEO, Rushey Mead Educational Trust - Alex Rogers
professor in conservation biology, Somerville College, University of Oxford; scientific director, International Programme on State of the Ocean (IPSO) - Kevin Rooney
politics teacher and head of social science, Queen's School, Bushey; co-author, Who's Afraid Of The Easter Rising? - Nick Rose
teacher; leading practitioner in psychology and research; shortlisted TES Teacher Blogger of the Year - Dr Joel Nathan Rosen
associate professor of sociology, Moravian College; co-author, Black Baseball, Black Business: race enterprise and the fate of the segregated dollar; author, The Erosion of the American Sporting Ethos: Shifting Attitudes Toward Competition - Aoife Rosenmeyer
freelance critic; contributing editor, Art in America & Art Agenda - Nick Ross
broadcaster; visiting professor, University College London - Dr Martin Roth
director, Victoria and Albert Museum - Nathalie Rothschild
freelance journalist; producer and reporter for Sweden's public service radio - Maisie Rowe
landscape architect, writer and illustrator - Phil Rumney
professor of criminal justice, Bristol Law School, UWE; co-author, Understanding and Responding to Sexual Violence: a multi-disciplinary approach (forthcoming) - Dr Tamara Russell
clinical psychologist; director, Mindfulness Centre of Excellence, London; visiting lecturer, King’s College London - Kiernan Ryan
professor of English language and literature, Royal Holloway, University of London; author, Shakespeare’s Universality: here’s fine revolution
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- Angela Saini
science journalist; author, Geek Nation: how Indian science is taking over the world - Hilary Salt
actuary; founder, First Actuarial - Yunas Samad
professor of South Asian studies, University of Bradford - Peter Sammonds
professor of geophysics, University College London; director, UCL Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction - Jane Sandeman
convenor, IoI Parents Forum; contributor, Standing up to Supernanny; director of finance and central services, Cardinal Hume Centre - Dr Michael Savage
blogger, Grumpy Art Historian - Dr Helen Scales
freelance writer and broadcaster; author, Spirals in Time: the secret life and curious afterlife of seashells - Professor Giaco Schiesser
vice-president & board member; University of the Arts, Zurich - Jonathan Schofield
editor-at-large, Manchester Confidential; editor, Manchester Books Limited - Bauke Schram
business reporter, International Business Times UK - Dr Patrik Schumacher
principal, Zaha Hadid Architects; author, The Autopoiesis of Architecture - Laurence Scott
lecturer in English and creative writing, Arcadia University; author, The Four-Dimensional Human: ways of being in the digital world (winner of Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Award for 2014) - Matthew Scott
barrister, Pump Court Chambers; blogs at www.barristerblogger.com, shortlisted for The Comment Awards "Best independent blog" 2015 - Paul Seaman
co-founder, Zurich Salon; editor, 21st Century PR Issues - Professor John Seddon
leader of the Vanguard organisations; visiting professor, Hull University Business School - Fredrik Segerfeldt
writer; author, Den nya jämlikheten : global utveckling från Robin Hood till Botswana; co-founder, Migro - Alka Sehgal Cuthbert
educator, writer, doctoral researcher - Freddie Sehgal Cuthbert
student; contributor to spiked - Adam Seldon
co-director, Lauriston Lights, an education charity - Jack Self
contributing editor, Architectural Review; director, the REAL Foundation - Dr Sadhvi Sharma
researcher and writer on politics in India, development, and NGO campaigns - Karl Sharro
architect; writer; Middle East commentator; co-author, Manifesto: Towards a New Humanism in Architecture - Jeremy Sice
business and communications advisor, JS&A - Roxana Silbert
artistic director, Birmingham REP Theatre - Dr Hayaatun Sillem
director of programmes & fellowship, Royal Academy of Engineering - Lenore Skenazy
founder of the book, blog and movement Free-Range Kids; “America’s Worst Mom” - Alv Skogstad Aamo
architect; urbanist; partner,DARK architects - Jason Smith
associate fellow, Academy of Ideas - Jean Smith
specialist development consultant; co-founder and director, NY Salon - Dr Richard Smith
chair of trustees, ICDDR,B; former editor, British Medical Journal; chair, Patients Know Best - Karel Smouter
deputy editor, De Correspondent - Justin Smyth
librarian; co-founder, Dublin Salon - Christopher Snowdon
director, lifestyle economics, Institute of Economic Affairs; author, The Art of Suppression - Sonia Sodha
freelance policy analyst; Observer leader writer - Dr Nikos Sotirakopoulos
lecturer in sociology, University of Loughborough; author, The Rise of Lifestyle Activism: From New Left to Occupy - Thomas Soud
chair, Brighton Left - Barbara Speed
staff writer, CityMetric, New Statesman - Josh Spero
editor, Spear's magazine; art critic, Tatler; author, Second-Hand Stories - Dr Alex Standish
senior lecturer in geography education, University College London/Institute of Education - Dr Dominic Standish
author, Venice in Environmental Peril? Myth and Reality; lecturer, University of Iowa's CIMBA campus, Venice - Dr Ben Stanley
lecturer, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, SWPS University in Warsaw - Sandy Starr
communications officer, Progress Educational Trust; webmaster, BioNews - Susan Steed
economist and aspiring stand up comedian - Duncan Stephenson
director of external affairs, Royal Society for Public Health - Dr Jack Stilgoe
senior lecturer in science and technology policy, University College London; author, Experiment Earth: responsible innovation in geoengineering - Dr Melvyn Stokes
professor of film history, University College London; author, The Birth of a Nation: a history of the most controversial motion picture of all time and American History through Hollywood Film: from the Revolution to the 1960s - Sarah Strang
founder, CIVIC ROOM - Keith Stuart
video games editor, Guardian - Keith Sullivan
retired educational psychologist and university professor, National University of Ireland; author, The Anti-Bullying Handbook - Gabriella Swallow
cellist, broadcaster and arts commentator - Richard Swan
writer and academic - Isabelle Szmigin
professor of marketing, University of Birmingham; author, Understanding the Consumer
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- Amin Taha
architect, Amin Taha Architects and Group Work; jury member, RIBA’s National Awards and Stirling Shortlist - André Tavares
chief curator, Lisbon Architecture Triennale - Dr Mark Taylor
vice principal, East London Science School; London convenor, IoI Education Forum - Peter Taylor
award winning reporter, BBC; documentaries include Provos, Loyalists , Brits and Generation Jihad; author, Talking to Terrorists: face to face with the enemy - The Revd Canon Dr Simon Taylor
canon chancellor; Derby Cathedral - Güneş Taylor
stem cell researcher, University of Oxford - Dr Funda Tekin
senior researcher, Institut für Europäische Politik - Jemima Thackray
journalist, Telegraph and Church Times; founder, UK’s first mums' chaplaincy service; soon-to-be trainee priest, Church of England - Paul Thomas
civil servant; qualified FE teacher; organiser, Leeds Salon - Paul Thomas
professor of youth & policy and director of research, University of Huddersfield; author, Responding to the Threat of Violent Extremism: failing to prevent - Matt Thomson
head of planning, Campaign to Protect Rural England - Leonora Thomson
director of audiences and development, Barbican Centre - Anne Torreggiani
chief executive, The Audience Agency - Lida Tsene
head of public relations, art and educational programs, Comicdom Press - Colin Tweedy
chief executive, The Building Centre Trust; formerly chief executive, Arts & Business - Menelaos Tzafalias
freelance journalist and producer based in Athens
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- Jake Unsworth
trainee solicitor, Bond Dickinson; convenor, Debating Matters Ambassadors
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- Daniella van Dijk-Wennberg
head of Interkulturelt Museum, Oslo Museum - Liesbeth van Tongeren
member of parliament, GroenLinks - Joana Varajão
architect, RA\\ Architecture & Design Studio - Georgios Varouxakis
professor of the history of political thought, Queen Mary University of London; author, Mill on Nationality - Nikos Vatopoulos
arts editor and columnist, Kathimerini - Annie Vernon
Olympic silver medallist and two-time World Champion rower; journalist and speaker - Marco Visscher
journalist; curator, Tegengeluid - Ignacio Vita
lawyer specialising in migration law, EC law and right of asylum
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- Dr Stuart Waiton
lecturer in sociology and criminology, Abertay University; author, Snobs' Law: criminalising football fans in an age of intolerance - Philip Waldron
district minister for Merseyside, Unitarian Church - Brendan Walsh
literary editor, The Tablet - Jason Walsh
journalist; foreign correspondent, CS Monitor - Philip Walters
chair, Rising Stars (educational publisher), and the GL Education Group; Spurs season ticket holder; member of Middlesex County Cricket Club - Stuart Walton
cultural historian, novelist and critic; author, A Natural History of Human Emotions and The Realm of the Senses: a materialist theory of seeing and feeling - Annie Warburton
creative director, Crafts Council - Bruno Waterfield
Brussels correspondent, The Times; co-author, No Means No - Dr Keon West
social psychologist & lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London - Helen Whately
member of parliament for Faversham and Mid Kent - Ella Whelan
assistant editor, spiked - Myles Wickstead
visiting professor (international relations), Open University and King’s College London; coordinator, Aid and Development: a brief introduction - Dr Steve Wiggins
research fellow, Overseas Development Institute, London - Simon Wilde
science and health communicator - Austin Williams
associate professor in architecture, XJTLU University, Suzhou, China; director, Future Cities Project; convenor, Bookshop Barnies; founding member of New Narratives - Dr Joanna Williams
academic; author, Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity; education editor, spiked - Peter D Williams
executive officer, Right To Life - Dr Glynne Williams
senior lecturer in industrial relations, University of Leicester - Jane Wills
professor of human geography, Queen Mary University of London - Ruth Wishart
columnist, Herald; board member, Creative Scotland - David Wood
chair, London Futurists - Chris Woods
director, Airwars.org; author, Sudden Justice: America’s secret drone wars - Peter Worley
CEO and co-founder, The Philosophy Foundation - James Woudhuysen
visiting professor, London South Bank University - Martin Wright
writer, editor and adviser on environmental solutions and sustainable futures - Professor Ian Wright
director, Science and Technology Directorate, National Oceanography Centre - Mike Wright
executive director, Jaguar Land Rover
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- Milo Yiannopoulos
technology editor, Breitbart - Dagmawi Yimer
film-maker, AMM (Archive of Migrants' Memories) - Raymond Yiu
composer; conductor; jazz pianist - Cathy Young
contributing editor, Reason magazine; author, Ceasefire! Why women and men must join forces to achieve true equality - Dr Kevin Yuill
senior lecturer, history, University of Sunderland; author, Assisted Suicide: the liberal, humanist case against legalization - Kathryn Yusoff
senior lecturer in geography, Queen Mary University of London; author, Anthropogenesis: Origins and Endings in the Anthropocene
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- Jan Zalasiewicz
professor of paleobiology, University of Leicester; chair, Anthropocene Working Group of the International Commission on Stratigraphy - Dr Paul Zanelli
chief technical officer, Transport Systems Catapult - Kolja Zydatiss
editor, NovoArgumente