Dr Soraya Jones

Director of Engagement for Homerton Changemakers, University of Cambridge 

Soraya is driven by her passion to promote innovation, diversity and entrepreneurship, especially amongst the next generation, hence her involvement with the ambitious and visionary Homerton Changemakers Programme as well as being the Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence for Univ of East Anglia. She is strongly supportive of the Rising Network for the same reason.

After many years as part of the senior leadership team of Tribal Group Plc, Soraya became the first CEO of Cambridge Wireless (CW) from 2007 to 2015, where she was successful in growing the business from a one-person company to a membership cluster of over 425 companies and 20 industry-focused Special Interest Groups Forums, making it one of the premier tech clusters in the UK. She stepped down in 2015 to pursue other ventures including becoming an entrepreneur-in-residence at St. John’s Innovation Centre, Innovation Ambassador for the Bradfield Centre and setting up her own consultancy business. She currently sits on a few boards.

Born in Malaysia, Soraya holds BSc and MSc degrees from Indiana University, USA, and a PhD from the University of Cambridge (Education).

Tarquin Bennett-Coles

Director, Life Sciences Practice 

Tarquin has spent the last 25 years as a Global Talent Scout; identifying, interviewing and supporting leaders in the life science sector. He is a trained competency interviewer and profiler and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion advocate who is deeply networked within the life science space. His focus is on senior leadership roles.

Tarquin has worked in boutique search firms and was a Global Talent Scout with AstraZeneca for the Innovative Medicines and Early Development function. He has been involved in many high-profile hires including the CEO for the global vaccine NGO CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations).

He is an industry STEM advocate who chairs industry panels, been a regular guest on Royal Pharmaceutical Society podcasts and written blogs on talent issues & EDI. Tarquin is a pro bono careers advisor for healthcare on the Cambridge Judge Institute MBA and EMBA courses, a mentor for the Homerton Changemakers programme and a volunteer for Form the Future and advisor to Little Bean Journey.

Harriet Fear MBE 

Founder & Director, Harriet Fear Associates Ltd

Harriet was a career Diplomat for over 20 years with the Foreign Office, serving in 17 countries in various roles including the commercial field and as Head of the national Life Sciences and Healthcare Trade Team for UK Trade & Investment.

She has worked at the heart of the Cambridge business ecosystem since 2003 and was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List 2016. She was Chief Executive of One Nucleus from 2009 to 2017, which became the largest life science and healthcare membership body in Europe under her leadership.

Harriet served as the Prime Minister’s Business Ambassador for Life Sciences for five years, undertaking a range of high-profile duties, and is currently Special Adviser to Cambridge& and Founder Director of the consultancy Harriet Fear Associates Ltd (HFA Ltd).

JAS RAI

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, THE BRITISH LIBRARY

Jas Rai currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at the British Library, having previously held the role of Director of People. With a wealth of experience spanning all facets of HR, Jas leads initiatives in organisational design, development, workforce planning, and talent management. Her journey into her current role began amidst the challenges of a global pandemic, which she saw as an opportunity to champion HR as a driver of change, particularly focusing on mental health, wellbeing, diversity, inclusion, and shaping the future of work.

Before stepping into her role at the British Library, Jas held an executive position as Global Head of Talent & Development at Sony at their headquarters in Japan. Her six-year tenure there equipped her with a global perspective on talent dynamics and organisational excellence. 

Beyond her corporate endeavours, Jas is deeply committed to societal impact and environmental stewardship. As a trustee at Bore Place, Commonwork trust, she aligns her passion for people and nature, striving to bolster educational efforts while championing environmental sustainability. In her role as Chair of the People Sub-Committee, Jas actively shapes strategies to enhance organisational culture and foster meaningful engagement.

KATHRYN CHAPMAN

Director of Science & Entrepreneurship, Babraham Research Campus

Kathryn is an accomplished bioscience professional with experience from diverse leadership and strategic roles in the public and private sector with a recent focus on fostering innovation hubs and ecosystems. Further to a varied research career across multiple disease and technology areas in the life sciences at the University of Manchester, Harvard Medical School, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and GlaxoSmithKline, Kathryn has spearheaded numerous initiatives that have propelled start-ups, entrepreneurs, and businesses towards success and driven meaningful change at an international level.

She has held strategic innovation and leadership roles at the NC3Rs, UKRI, the Milner Therapeutics Institute, the University of Cambridge and the Babraham Research Campus. She has a passion for inclusive innovation and empowering individuals and organisations to reach their potential and currently leads the innovation strategy at the Babraham Research Campus. She is the incoming Executive Director for Innovate Cambridge, assuming the role full time from August 2024.

JAMES PARTON

Managing Director, The Bradfield Centre

James is the Managing Director of The Bradfield Centre, a collaborative entrepreneurial community located in The Cambridge Science Park. With an active membership of more than 120 startups, a busy event programme, and organiser of The Trinity Bradfield Prize Tech & Science competition at The University of Cambridge, The Bradfield Centre is a true focal point for the region's ever-expanding technology cluster.

In 2021 James co-authored ‘'Developer Relations, How To Build And Grow A Successful Developer Program”' with long-time collaborator, Caroline Lewko. In 2022 James & Caroline co-founded DevRel.Agency, a boutique Developer Relations Agency working with a broad range of clients seeking to engage a technical audience. The agency also publishes the annual “State of Developer Relations Report”, which has become an indispensable resource for the growing practice of Developer Relations.

Along with Faye Holland, James hosts a weekly podcast called Cambridge Tech Podcast. Each week they chat to innovators & game changers, cover the week's tech news, and report from all the key events in the UK’s leading tech cluster.