James Pickles is a Speaker, Coach and facilitator that helps high performers stay that way, sustainably. Since 2020, he has have delivered over 50 talks and workshops to a combined audience of over 3500 people from various sectors and industries, including M&S, Mintel, GSK, Watch Me Think, and Smart Pensions. He also provide personal coaching and mentoring to private clients who want to improve their performance, communication, and resilience. His sessions are candid, impactful, and have tangible, practical application. His clients often report immediate personal and financial benefits, such as averted resignations, increased retention, and better collaboration.
With over 20 years of high performance, high expectation sales and management experience in market research, he knows the challenges and pressures of working in relentless results-driven environments. He's walked many miles in your shoes, leaned the hard way, and now helps others tread an easier path.
In this interactive session attendees will be matched with peers within intimate, "lifestage" groupings to have frank and illuminating moderated discussions. This is your opportunity to connect with Summit attendees on the topics most relevant to your personal and professional life, and to form affinity groups which will serve as a backbone for reaching your annual goals.
Shazia Ginai, Founder of business growth consultancy Exhale Expand Ltd, is a dynamic insight and marketing expert. She is a driving force seamlessly turning insights about businesses and the humans that form them, into action. With a stellar track record, Shazia has successfully led insight capabilities in various organizations across brands and agencies, catalysing change across diverse markets and functions at Chief Growth Officer and CEO levels. She began her journey in the luxury fragrance and skincare industry at P&G, solidifying her expertise. Later, she established and led the global insight function at ghd, cementing her passion for actionable insights and empathetic leadership. Following this Shazia was CEO of the thought leading neuromarketing agency Neuro-Insight.Beyond her career, Shazia passionately champions equality and inclusion. She holds a role on the advisory board for Women in Research, until recently was Chair of colour of research and on the Market Research Society D&I council. Shazia's commitment extends beyond her professional life. She dedicates her time and energy to raising awareness and researching menstrual health, actively volunteering for Endometriosis, is trained in breathwork for trauma integration and yoga, actively championing decolonisation of this sacred south Asian practice.
Madeline McQueen is a force of empowerment with extensive experience as an Executive Coach, Speaker, and Trainer. She has worked with a diverse range of clients, including industry leaders like Google, Saatchi & Saatchi, Sopra Steria, Facebook, Omnicom, and Natixis Asset Management, to name a few. Madeline’s signature approach centres on enhancing clarity, confidence, and strategic leadership, particularly for women in senior leadership roles. She is a passionate advocate for gender equality, helping women to embrace their magnificence and step into their power.
Her personal journey is as inspiring as her professional work. Having navigated both personal and professional adversity, including surviving corporate sales, a business downturn and personal loss, Madeline has built a thriving career in personal and leadership development. Alongside her work, she sits on the board of NoMore.Org, driving action for gender equality. Married for 30 years, with two daughters, she balances her professional achievements with a fulfilling family life and a love of travel and dance.
Keris runs a private nutritional therapy clinic and lectures in nutrition. She is also a personal trainer, yoga teacher and co-founded Fitter Food with her partner Matt. Keris has a personal interest in menopause health and has devised an integrated, evidence based approach to perimenopause and menopause health that includes nutrition, exercise, mindset support and supplements.
Kristin Luck serves as an advisor and growth strategist to a number of cutting-edge marketing and analytics technology and services firms through her consultancy, ScaleHouse. She is the founder of two marketing analytics companies that she led to successful exits. Kristin co-founded OTX, an online research business that was named the fastest growing research firm in the world in 2002 and 2003 and was subsequently acquired by Pilot Group and again by Ipsos in 2007. She then founded Forefront Consulting Group, a research technology firm that was acquired by Decipher. Decipher was acquired by FocusVision in 2014 after seven consecutive years of double- and triple-digit growth. FocusVision merged with Confirmit in 2021 to become Forsta, where she sat on the the Board of Directors until its recent acquisition by Press Ganey.
Kristin is a licensed investment banker with Oberon Securities and a founder focused on helping fellow founders and executive teams scale and monetize their businesses. Her deal expertise on both sides of transactions comes from participating in both acquisitions and exits from $30 million to $225 million. She is also passionate about supporting founders in international markets execute their entry into the U.S. Kristin regularly contributes to both the commercial (Fast Company, Forbes) and academic press (Research World, Journal of Brand Strategy) where she explores emerging marketing and research methods. She is consistently ranked as one of the top 100 sales and branding experts to follow on social media.
In addition to Founding, Women in Research, Kristin has also served on the board of ESOMAR, the global insights and analytics association, for eight years; including a two year term as Vice-President and a two year term as President.
Kristin Luck serves as an advisor and growth strategist to a number of cutting-edge marketing and analytics technology and services firms through her consultancy, ScaleHouse. She is the founder of two marketing analytics companies that she led to successful exits. Kristin co-founded OTX, an online research business that was named the fastest growing research firm in the world in 2002 and 2003 and was subsequently acquired by Pilot Group and again by Ipsos in 2007. She then founded Forefront Consulting Group, a research technology firm that was acquired by Decipher. Decipher was acquired by FocusVision in 2014 after seven consecutive years of double- and triple-digit growth. FocusVision merged with Confirmit in 2021 to become Forsta, where she sat on the the Board of Directors until its recent acquisition by Press Ganey.
Kristin is a licensed investment banker with Oberon Securities and a founder focused on helping fellow founders and executive teams scale and monetize their businesses. Her deal expertise on both sides of transactions comes from participating in both acquisitions and exits from $30 million to $225 million. She is also passionate about supporting founders in international markets execute their entry into the U.S. Kristin regularly contributes to both the commercial (Fast Company, Forbes) and academic press (Research World, Journal of Brand Strategy) where she explores emerging marketing and research methods. She is consistently ranked as one of the top 100 sales and branding experts to follow on social media.
In addition to Founding, Women in Research, Kristin has also served on the board of ESOMAR, the global insights and analytics association, for eight years; including a two year term as Vice-President and a two year term as President.
