Up North Speakers 2025

Up North 2023 stage

Up North features 30 sessions across two stages. We’ll be joined by speakers from F*ck Being Humble, Expedia Group, The Sidemen, TikTok, Google and more. You can find out more about our speakers and their sessions below.

Stefanie Sword Williams headshot
Stefanie Sword-Williams
Founder
Talk
F*ck Being Humble: Be brave and leave a legacy

Stef Sword-Williams is a TEDx speaker, founder, and author of F*ck Being Humble—an empowering movement and consultancy dedicated to inspiring individuals to embrace their achievements unapologetically and conquer the fear of self-promotion. Recognised as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in Europe, Stef’s impactful talks have reached audiences in over 50 countries and have been sought after by global brands including Apple, Unilever, Google, Nike, Adidas, Microsoft, and The BBC.

Her debut book, ‘F*ck Being Humble: Why self-promotion isn’t a dirty word,’ has resonated with thousands, selling over 10,000 copies. Stef’s TEDx Talk on why the world needs to shed its humility has further solidified her position as a thought leader in self-empowerment and personal branding.

Named among the Top 50 Workplace Leaders in the UK, Stef has cultivated a loyal online following of over 170k individuals. Her work has been featured in esteemed publications such as Vogue, BBC World News, The Financial Times, and Forbes.

Perla Bloom headshot
Perla Bloom
Global Senior Comms Planning Manager
Talk
Audience, innovation & entertainment: What modern comms needs right now

Perla Bloom is a dynamic global marketing strategy leader, passionate about the intersection of tech, creativity, and culture. She builds brands, creates connected experiences for audiences that solve a problem to reach specific objectives and is a sought-after international speaker at industry events and on podcasts. She currently leading comms planning for Innovation and entertainment at Expedia Group, and before that was at EA Games writing global marketing strategies for iconic games like Battlefield, The Sims, Need for Speed and many more. She also has expertise spanning various sectors, from FMCG to fintech, to Luxury. Whatever the project she has worked on, she is always committed to providing fully integrated, truly creative campaigns,  with a focus on innovative  multi touchpoint experiences in a human-centric and culturally resonant way.

Martha
Martha Evans
Creative Producer & Social Media Manager
Talk
Two girls who don’t know the offside rule: Becoming a master of your audience

Martha is Creative Producer & Social Media Manager at The Sidemen – full bio coming soon.

Shannon
Shannon Royal
Creative Producer
Talk
Two girls who don’t know the offside rule: Becoming a master of your audience

Shannon is Creative Producer at The Sidemen – full bio coming soon.

Broghan Smith headshot
Broghan Smith
Head of Fashion Key Account Retailers
Talk
TikTok Shop: Unlocking discovery commerce

Broghan Smith is an award-winning digital sales expert delivering success across Key Account Fashion Retailers for TikTok. Broghan is instrumental in shaping and developing TikTok as a platform as TikTok look to ignite social commerce and lead into a space of true innovation and excitement within the global ecommerce market.

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Mercy Fulani
Account Manager
Talk
Once upon a time, your content flopped

Mercy is a digital marketer and designer with over five years of industry experience, and specialising in content and social media marketing.

She was recognised as a Top 24 Marketer of 2024 by the Girls in Marketing community. Over the years she has worked with a range of business owners and organisations to help them elevate their brand.

She is a Real Role Model and a mentor for DigitalHer, an initiative by Manchester Digital that aims to empower and inspire women and girls from all over the country that are working in tech.

Naomi
Naomi Horan
Social Media & Influencer Manager
Talk
Beyond the buzzword: Building real community through organic social

Naomi brings 9 years of industry experience in the social media and influencer space. Working for both brand and agency, her move to CLOUD NINE over 3 years ago sees her leading the global team for all things social and influencer, from strategy through to execution (and everything in between) for the global haircare brand. Launching CLOUD NINE as the first hair electrical brand on TikTok Shop back in 2023.

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George Rawlings
Co-Founder
Talk
Thursdays only: Disrupting dating and building a brand that breaks the rules

George Rawlings is Co-Founder of Thursday – the biggest IRL dating brand in the world.

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Nicola Gunby
Co-Founder & CMO
Talk
The power of purpose: Building community in tech as a female founder

Nicola is a serial entrepreneur who built and sold her first company within three years and is the Co-founder & CMO of CLIQ, a social networking and community app on a mission to bring real-world connection back to the digital space through interest-based communities and IRL events.

She previously founded MY REV, a beauty booking platform that was named one of the fastest-growing beauty tech start-ups in 2021 and was acquired by Revolution Beauty in 2022.

With a deep passion for community building, Nicola is committed to reshaping the way we connect online by creating safe and engaging spaces that drive meaningful, offline interactions.

Andreas
Andreas Stefanou
EMEA YouTube Product Lead
Talk
There’s only one YouTube: Where creative brilliance meets Google AI

Andreas Stefanou is an EMEA YouTube Product Lead at Google, responsible for driving the commercialization strategy for Google’s ads business and helping shape product roadmaps for Google’s diverse group of advertisers. With 13+ years experience in digital advertising, he has worked across various roles in Greece and Ireland, driving digital transformation and accelerating agencies’ & brands’ business growth.

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Gus Pelogia
Senior SEO Product Manager
Talk
How to create a successful SEO roadmap

Gus Pelogia is a journalist turned SEO professional, currently a Senior SEO Product Manager at Indeed, the #1 job site in the world. He’s spoken at events such as BrightonSEO, LondonSEOXL and MB Summit. Gus is also a contributor to Moz, Wix and other well-known industry blogs. Working in cross-functional teams including content creators, UX designers, engineers, data scientists, product managers and other teams, he aims to make SEO accessible and easy to understand. His work is focused on impact, buy-in and processes from ideation to release and measurement, avoiding staying in the SEO bubble. He’s Brazilian-born but built his SEO career abroad, working in-house and for agencies in Argentina, The Netherlands, and Ireland since 2012. His work has awarded him and his clients industry awards such as The Drum Search Awards and Irish Content Marketing Awards.

Olivia Mae Hanlon Headshot
Olivia Mae Hanlon
Founder – Girls in Marketing & Co-Founder – Passata
Talk
People power: How communities build the brands of tomorrow

Olivia is the Founder of Girls in Marketing & Co-Founder of Passata – full bio coming.

Gaby Mendes Headshot
Gaby Mendes
Co-Founder – Passata
Talk
People power: How communities build the brands of tomorrow

Gaby is the Co-Founder of Passata – full bio coming.

Adam Macdonald headshot
Adam MacDonald
Commercial Publishing Lead
Talk
Cutting through the noise: Media, talent & storytelling in a saturated world

Adam leads the team at News UK that delivers commercial, branded content on behalf of talkSPORT, Virgin Radio, Times Radio and Piers Morgan Uncensored. He is responsible for producing and publishing video-first shows and campaigns onto digital platforms, working with high-profile talent, commercial partners, and a team of skilful digital creatives and has previously worked in producer roles for NBC and beinSPORTS.

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Tom Higgins
CEO & Co-Founder
Talk
Gifted & trusted: The new realities of influencer marketing panel

Tom Higgins is the founder of GIFTA, the UK’s leading influencer gifting and seeding company. GIFTA is redefining influencer marketing by prioritising authentic storytelling and empowering creators to share their unique narratives free from brand control, fostering deeper connections with communities.

Offering a fully integrated solution for influencer campaigns, GIFTA handles everything from product personalisation and fulfilment to performance tracking and are the first in the UK to distribute chilled and frozen products to influencers, unlocking unique opportunities for food and beverage brands. GIFTA’s client roster includes global brands such as Unilever, Sainsbury’s, L’Oréal, Adidas, and Heinz.

Elle Pollicott headshot up north
Elle Pollicott
Head of Content Strategy
Talk
The SERPs are shifting: Here’s how to evolve your organic strategy with it

Elle has over nine years of marketing experience, creating and implementing SEO and content strategies for clients in a range of industries including fashion, travel, property, and finance. As our Head of Content Strategy, Elle manages a team of strategists and writers, ensuring that on-page content strategies are devised and implemented, to increase our clients’ rankings, traffic, and conversions.

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Tom Lanaway
Product Manager

Tom Lanaway is an innovation-focused Product Manager at Connective3, where he leads digital solutions that bridge human creativity and artificial intelligence. Passionate about futurism, neuroscience, and the mindful integration of technology, Tom specialises in designing products that enhance human potential, deliver rich insights, and drive meaningful change. When not imagining new possibilities, you’ll find him behind a camera lens, exploring the outdoors, and living the #vanlife.

Dan Morehead Headshot
Dan Morehead
SEO Manager
Talk
How SEO & PPC can be married at first sight

Dan is the SEO Manager at Channel4 – full bio coming.

Holly Watson
Holly Watson
Head of Marketing
Talk
Cutting through the noise: Media, talent & storytelling in a saturated world

Holly brings around 15 years of experience across music, live events, and marketing. She now leads a brilliant team at Co-op Live. Her focus is on growing demand, creating memorable fan experiences, developing artist recognition, and helping shape the venue as a must-visit destination for live entertainment.

Holly has worked on a global scale delivering events including the London 2012 Olympic Games, MTV EMAs and Sir Paul McCartney. Along the way, she’s worked across performing, production, ticketing, and sales – spending time at Ticketmaster and at music-education startups focused on empowering the next generation of talent. She’s turned a personal passion for live performance into a well-rounded career, combining creativity, commercial thinking, and a strong understanding of audiences.

Today, Holly’s approach blends storytelling with strategic insight, helping Co-op Live stand out in a competitive global market while staying true to its community-first values.

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Sophie Smith
Content Executive
Talk
In my revenue era: How Taylor Swift helped me make $200k

Sophie Smith is a content executive with five years of SEO content experience. With a passion for pop culture and experience in the fashion and cosmetic sectors, she understands how essential it is to keep your content relevant to the world around you, from silly TikTok trends to the wider political climate.

Claire Stanley Manock headshot black and white
Claire Stanley-Manock
Chief Strategy Officer
Talk
Beyond the click: Building brands that drive real growth

Claire has over 20 years of digital marketing experience and knows how to navigate the complex digital landscape to deliver incremental bottom line growth for clients. Campaigns and activity are planned with strategic creativity to generate cut through, action and results.

Ash Jones Headshot
Ash Jones
Founder
Talk
Personal branding panel

Ash is the Founder of Great Influence – full bio coming.

Helen Hope headshot
Helen Hope
Heritage Brand Manager
Talk
Magnetic marketing – The laws of brand-attraction

Helen brings over two decades of experience in building and operating large-scale businesses across the UK and internationally. Having worked with diverse teams and brands, she understands that culturally relevant content doesn’t happen by accident – it requires curiosity, creativity, collaboration, consistency, and above all, passion! As a speaker, Helen often shares how these core values have shaped her career and the businesses she’s led, helping them achieve profitable, and meaningful impact.

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Cadie Mayor
Co-Creator
Talk
CTRL+P for impact: Turning digital-first campaigns into real-world experiences with Print.com

Cadie is all about people, print, and bringing big ideas to life. Having just under a decade of relationship building across various different industries, she’s well known for building long lasting relationships with energy, whilst keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes.

Now at the forefront of launching Print.com in the UK, She’s passionate about helping Brands, Agencies and Creatives rediscover the magic of print—offering inspiration, guidance, and hands-on support throughout every step of their print journey.

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Fiona Robinson
Country Captain UK
Talk
CTRL+P for impact: Turning digital-first campaigns into real-world experiences with Print.com

Fiona Robinson brings over 20 years of experience in the print and creative industries, combining deep technical knowledge with a strong background in design, product development, and marketing. A passionate advocate for the power of print, Fiona began her career at a time when campaigns were print-first. In today’s digital-first landscape, she is on a mission to inspire and educate marketers and creatives on the lasting impact and effectiveness of reintroducing print into their strategies.

Her career has seen her lead the launch of print solutions and brands on an international scale, delivering innovative, results-driven campaigns with strategic precision. Fiona has played a pivotal role in shaping and scaling several major players in the print space, known for her clear vision, operational excellence, and creative approach.

In 2024, she took on the challenge of launching Print.com in the UK. Originally founded in the Netherlands and already a leading name across mainland Europe, Print.com blends cutting-edge technology with a premium platform tailored for agencies, brands, and creative professionals.

Jen Hoffman Headshot
Jen Hoffman
Founder & CMO
Talk
Personal branding panel

Jennifer has 20+ years of experience as a Marketing Executive with a focus on B2B SaaS and venture backed tech, helping them to scale from idea through to exit. As an entrepreneur, she has a passion for building; startups, tech, communities, brands and most importantly, high performing teams! Jen is the Founder & CMO of Unstoppable, a female founder focused movement aiming to provide access to resources, networks and capital these founders need to scale high growth businesses. In addition, Jen is also a fractional CMO and growth advisor for several early stage startups across Europe.

Clair Heaviside Headshot
Clair Heaviside
Co-Founder and Creative Director
Talk
Personal branding panel

Clair Heaviside is a creative force and strategic leader. She is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Serotonin, a multi-award-winning digital agency founded in 2019, based in Manchester and London.

Outside the agency world, Clair is a passionate ultra-runner who brings the same grit and endurance to business as she does to the trails. She is an ambassador for SheUltra, advocating for greater female representation in endurance sports. She speaks regularly on her resilience-building framework, The Endurance Mindset, and recently launched Create Brave, a podcast exploring courage, creativity and perseverance through the lens of athletes and entrepreneurs.

Clair’s drive for impact goes beyond business and sport. She founded the social justice charity Odd Arts in 2004, delivering creative workshops in prisons across the UK and South America, and has spent over five years as a Trustee for domestic violence charity Haven. Recognised as Business Woman of the Year at the 2023 Women of the Year Awards, and one of The Telegraph & NatWest’s Top Ten Female Entrepreneurs to Watch, Clair continues to lead with heart, purpose and an unwavering commitment to doing things differently.

Ben Martin Headshot
Ben Martin
Partnerships Manager
Talk
Ain’t it a wonderful world: Maximising your budgets, without compromising on creative or damaging your brand

Ben is the Partnerships Manager at Powerhouse – full bio coming.

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Kate Manton
Coach & Mentor
Talk
Embracing disruption, through AI, team and you

Kate has over 20 years of experience leading global teams in the Market Research industry. Her career, which includes building teams across the globe and living in countries such as Argentina, Japan, and South Africa, has shaped a deep appreciation for cultural intelligence and the transformative power of diversity. She believes that when teams and leaders are empowered to challenge how they work and disrupt the norm, extraordinary results follow. A TEDx speaker and publisher, Kate now coaches and mentors organisations and leaders on embracing self-leadership, unlocking the power of teams, and harnessing change to drive performance.

Tom Baker Headshot
Tom Baker
Founder – FordeBaker
Talk
Borderless growth: Navigating international expansion through marketplaces

Tom founded FordeBaker, a leading marketplace agency dedicated to helping consumer brands thrive on platforms, like Amazon and TikTok Shop. He leads a talented team that supports retail businesses, including beauty, fashion, home & garden, and pet supplies sectors.

With expertise in Amazon Seller and Vendor Central, Tom helps clients set up, optimise, and scale sales in the US, UK, and Europe. FordeBaker services cover vendor-Amazon relations, product page optimisation, sponsored ads, promotions, and forecasting—all tailored to the unique needs of each business. The business also offers TikTok Shop services and creator management, helping brands tap into new audiences and drive sales through social commerce.

Molly Bartram Headshot
Molly Bartram
Senior Influencer Marketing Manager
Talk
Gifted & trusted: The new realities of influencer marketing panel

With experience in both talent management and influencer marketing, Molly offers unique insights and expertise into all things influencer marketing. She has worked with top names in the creator industry, gaining expertise across fashion, beauty, FMCG, gaming, and technology sectors. Molly is adept at developing and executing influencer campaigns that prioritise your brand and goals, ensuring impactful and successful results.

Karl Randay Headshot
Karl Randay
Experience Director
Talk
How to uncover hidden opportunities: using Friction Mapping to take action at pace

Karl is a UX & design leader specialising in human-centred design, strategic direction and innovation, with over 20 years of experience spanning UX, interaction design, product development, design psychology and leadership.
Karl’s expertise lies in driving impactful, human-centred experiences by aligning strategic planning with creative problem-solving, focusing on the profound effect design has on people, whether empowering teams within organisations to make a difference or crafting meaningful products and services that resonate with users’ needs and aspirations.

Having collaborated across a diverse set of industries, from global fashion and leisure brands to healthcare and the energy sector, Karl bring a deep understanding of designing for human behaviour and leveraging cognitive science.

Rosa Mitchell Headshot
Rosa Mitchell
Director of Manchester
Talk
Beyond the click: Building brands that drive real growth

With over seven years’ experience in digital PR, content creation, and social media, Rosa has worked across a variety of different projects, from stand-alone campaigns to long-term strategic roadmaps. She combines her analytical skills with her love of creativity to create concepts that work for a large number of industries, including e-commerce, finance, law, and travel.

Alicia Torres Headshot
Alicia Torres
Senior Marketing Manager
Talk
Making the inbox hit like Instagram

Full bio coming soon.