As Associate Partner at Cooper Parry Wealth, Marie helps her clients live a better life by taking care of their financial planning, managing their wealth, and helping them understand how they can achieve their goals. She works with entrepreneurs, trustees, professionals and families across the Midlands and London. Marie is a Certified Financial Planner, and Chartered Wealth Manager. Marie also founded CPW’s Female Leaders initiative which aims to improve outcomes for female leaders and encourage investment and support for female-led businesses.

Suzanne Leggott is Head of Private Client at Shakespeare Martineau and is involved in wealth planning for high net worth individuals, probate work, trust matters, wills and powers of attorney. Suzanne is particularly interested in advising family business owners and has the STEP Advanced Certificate in family business advising. She is a former Chair of STEP East Midlands, a full member of STEP and a full Accredited Member of Solicitors for the Elderly. She is also a trustee of the Laura Centre – a charity specialising in bereavement counselling.,

Prof Helen Pankhurst CBE is a leading women’s rights activist and Senior Adviser to CARE International. She is also a Professor at MMU and the 1st Chancellor of the University of Suffolk. Great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst, organiser of the British suffragette movement, and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, political activist and campaigner for women’s rights, Helen has built on her family’s work admirably, inspiring and uplifting women the world over with her work and words.

Victoria is Managing Director of Shakespeare Martineau, leading the strategic direction and operation of the business which provides commercial and pragmatic solutions and advice to our clients – working as trusted advisors alongside our clients.

Sarah King is Founder & CEO of Obu, where she embodies a passionate commitment to impact-driven entrepreneurship and investment equality. Her advocacy and lobbying have resulted in pivotal legislative changes, dismantling discriminatory barriers and fostering enhanced investment accessibility for diverse entrepreneurs and angel investors. Sarah’s achievements have seen her named in the Top 20 Female Impact Entrepreneurs in 2023 by HSBC and We Are The City, NatWest and The Telegraph’s Top 100 Entrepreneurs to Watch, and an EISA Finalist for Best EIS/SEIS Advocate.   

Natalie is a Senior Manager in the British Business Bank’s Policy & Strategy team, ensuring entrepreneurs can access the finance they need regardless of who and where they are. This includes oversight of the Bank’s Nations & Regions Investment Funds, and its DE&I agenda, including the Investing in Women Code.

Prior to joining the Bank, Natalie spent 20 years advancing regional ecosystems and enabling entrepreneurs to start, grow and scale small businesses. She has contributed to SME, regional and DE&I-focused policy at organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses, D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, and the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government.

In 2023, Natalie was awarded an MBE for Services to Businesses in the East Midlands in The King’s New Year Honours list.