Ali Vowles Chair
Professional event host, interviewer and media trainer
Ali Vowles is a multi-disciplinary freelance journalist and presenter who has worked for the BBC on TV and radio for over thirty years. Since going freelance Ali has used her trademark skills as an engaging interviewer, to host events, chair panels on any subject and offers media training to share her considerable experience of the industry. Her voice can be heard on short educational films and several audio publications including the Times Educational Supplement and Financial World.
Lynne Fernquest
CEO of Bath Rugby Foundation
Lynne Fernquest is CEO of Bath Rugby Foundation and an ex-Trinity Mirror editor. Bath Rugby Foundation is a charity that drives change through community and educational interventions and believes that ‘every child deserves a fair start in life’. The Foundation builds confidence, develops skills, and creates independent pathways for young people to thrive. It has an Alternative Learning Hub based at The Rec and is active in many schools, has after-school clubs, and during the Pandemic pioneered BreakOut holiday camps to support struggling families. Most recently the Foundation has harnessed 20 years’ worth of inclusion practice and launched a Lose the Labels training programme inspiring businesses to explore the many benefits of a diverse workforce.
Kate Abbey
Co-Founder and Director of the Bath Arts Collective
Kate Abbey is Co-Founder and Director of Bath Arts Collective (BAC), a community interest company that drives, develops and contributes to a varied and vibrant arts and culture scene across the city and further afield. She is an award-winning books and music festival & events programmer; specialising in curating conversations, amplifying diverse voices, supporting local creatives and creating inclusive experiences. Her first original festival with BAC is Curious Minds: a festival to ignite ideas which ran in March 2024 and featured over 30 book talks, film screening, writing workshops, live performances and walks across Bath.
BAC is currently working with Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institute, The Holburne Museum, Salisbury Cathedral, Bowood House & Gardens, Bath Spa University, Ryedale Festival and Lammemmuir Festival.
Kate is also Artistic Director at Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival, festival programmer for Stratford Literary Festival and Trustee at Bath City Football Club Charity Foundation.
Lizzie Heffer
Marketing Director of Thrings Solicitors
With 15 years’ experience in professional services marketing and business development, Lizzie leads Thrings’ marketing and corporate communication functions. This is a strategic role in which Lizzie works closely with her team to identify and communicate both internally and externally – the brand values and USPs of Thrings. Lizzie’s remit is to plan, direct and oversee all the output from the marketing team, from corporate events to client surveys, from public relations to social media, from advertising to website content, from writing pitches to building strategic relations with clients and referrers. A key role for the marketing team is to position Thrings in the legal landscape and to differentiate the Thrings brand in a highly competitive marketplace. A recent project that the team worked on to accomplish advisers. The team rolled out the campaign across print and digital platforms to showcase the Thrings brand.
Anita Jaynes
Founder of The Business Exchange South West
Anita is Founder of The Business Exchange South West, an independent business-to-business publishing company covering Bath & Somerset and Swindon & Wiltshire championing these areas and helping businesses and organisations grow. Alongside this, Anita is involved in a lot of community activity, from judging and setting up local award schemes to supporting local charities and mentoring.
In 2022, Anita was named by f:Entrepreneur as one of the UK’s most inspirational female entrepreneurs.
Part of the Bath Business Conference 2024
The Bath Business Conference brings businesses together to discuss topics that are important to them. 2024 is the third year of the conference and we are pleased to share that there will be more intelligent conversation, discussion and fun to be had!
