Future Focus; UK at Expo 2020: Recent Episodes
Future Focus; UK at Expo 2020
Welcome to the Future Focus; UK at Expo podcast series - your spot for the latest on the UK’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Running from October 2021 to March 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai is the world’s greatest show, bringing together more than 190 nations across the planet to celebrate and reimagine tomorrow. Throughout the series you’ll be able to join us as we celebrate and explore the very best creativity, innovation, and culture the UK has to offer, speaking to special guests offering their insight into how we can innovate for a shared future.
Zoë Knight set up and leads the Centre of Sustainable Finance at HSBC, a global think tank finding real economy and finance solutions for sustainability challenges, particularly climate change.
Martyn Link is the Chief Strategy Officer for Wood Plc. A scientist by training, he works to shape energy transition to create a low carbon and sustainable future.
Crucial to helping the world achieve net zero targets is the creation of a finance system which is correctly aligned to and supportive of efforts to build the net zero economy. In this podcast episode, host Mark Jamieson, Institution of Civil Engineers, Middle East and Africa Council Member, and PMKConsult Vice President, talks to Zoe and Martyn about how, looking to the future, we will live but, more specifically, the transition to net zero. The wide-ranging conversation looks at why this is important, what we need to do to accomplish this goal and the role of sustainable finance in partnering with and supporting these initiatives by mobilising capital for net zero solutions.
Chris Sheldrick is the co-founder and CEO of What3Words, the addressing app that gives every metre square on the planet a unique combination of three words, making it very easy to find.
Street addresses and postcodes weren’t designed for 2022. They aren’t accurate enough to specify precise locations, such as building entrances, and don’t exist for parks and many rural areas. This makes it hard to find places and prevents people from describing exactly where help is needed in an emergency. What3Words has divided the world into 3 metre squares and gave each square a unique combination of three words. It’s the easiest way to find and share exact locations.
In this podcast episode, host Chloe Thomas speaks with Chris Sheldrick about What3Words app genesis and what three words are being used by companies, organisations, and individuals around the world.
Beverley Gower-Jones is the Founder and Managing Partner of the Clean Growth Fund. She is a world expert on the investment in and commercialisation of environmental technologies who spent 20 years with Shell International in a variety of roles, including Vice President of Shell Technology Ventures. In this wide-ranging conversation, Beverley talks about how a better, cleaner world can be achieved through imaginative and responsible investment, and examines the feasibility of achieving net zero carbon emissions in the UK by 2050.
https://eu.eventscloud.com/website/3173
Mike Adams is CEO of Purple, an organisation changing the disability conversation with businesses and disabled people. Purple see disability as a value opportunity and Mike is leading the development of products and services which are beginning to transform the landscape across all business sectors.
To find out more about Mike Adams and the work that Purple does, visit https://wearepurple.org.uk/
John Rainford is the co-founder of the innovation lab, systemeticinnovators.com. An industry veteran, John has been helping companies to identify and innovate based on trends and technology for more than 30 years. A mentor to presidents and vice presidents of corporations and their business teams, John promotes the importance of balancing innovation with future aspirations, both from a commercial and holistic point of view.
In this episode Chloe meets John Rainford discussing innovation projects and the creativity behind identifying technology trends.
Carrie Anne Philbin MBE is an award-winning computing teacher, author, YouTuber and podcast host with a passion for computing and computer science. Carrie Anne strives to support educators across the globe so that young people have access to a world class computing and digital making learning experience.
In this episode Chloe meets Carrie Anne Philbin MBE discussing Raspberry Pie, what it is and how this capable little device enables people of all ages to explore computing.
Aran Jones is the founder of Say Something with a special interest in accelerated learning, particularly with regards to languages. The Welsh language is one of the treasures of Wales. It is part of what defines it's inhabitants and as a nation. Welsh Government’s ambition is to see the number of people able to enjoy speaking and using Welsh reach 1 million by 2050. This is certainly a challenging ambition, but a challenge the Welsh Government believes is worthwhile and necessary to secure the vitality of the language for future generations.
In this podcast episode, host Sally Holland speaks with Aran Jones as he shares his own experience of learning the Welsh language and his speciality, accelerated language learning, particularly in the context of minority languages.
Language taster sessions:
Cornish - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fruUTWhMYt_UmVjcPMMBm6Ckg_TEKg6G/view?usp=drive_web
Mandarin - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-dTfhg41WhLvfChE8co1KC6FHIKc2mJe/view?usp=drive_web
Spanish - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1caG3GztPbG5kDLqgeRtC9u24HTCflNZO/view?usp=drive_web
Manx - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vlyXb-seb3k5baqH6uj1NDegNeZhrO01/view?usp=drive_web
Welsh - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x1x8EdhMlKxHHot6-GSbmyCSfAg9kbpb/view?usp=drive_web
In this podcast episode, host Chloe Thomas meets ZigZag CEO Al Gerrie to chat about solutions that help reduce the carbon footprint of retailers and manage levels of production. ZigZag provides a retailer branded returns portal that links directly from the returns page on websites. The software makes intelligent decisions, knowing the most route-efficient ZigZag warehouse to send the return to, so returns can be consolidated, resold or re-fulfilled to another customer. By using the ZigZag returns platform, retailers save money on returns, customers get faster refunds, and stock flows back in the supply chain and available for sale more quickly avoiding waste.
To learn more about Chloe Thomas and listen to more of her podcast, visit https://chloelink.com/ff
Guest Iain Percy is a four-time Olympian, three-time Olympic medallist and double Olympic champion. Passionate about protecting the oceans, the economics graduate founded Artemis Technologies in 2017, with a mission to see how technology could play a part in the decarbonisation of the maritime industry. He has overseen the company's transition from a sailing services provider to an applied technologies company focusing on green innovations for marine transportation.
In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard talks to Iain about his motivations and the challenges he faced in his sporting career which led him to create Artemis Technologies. Ian believes the sea is a perfect place to start with full autonomy, and that domestic maritime transportation is where the UK can show leadership. As Artemis will soon launch their fleet of zero emission vessels, Iain argues how a green solution is more cost effective over time for operators, but work must be done to convince them to make the jump.
Marek Reichman has worked across some of the world’s most famous automobile brands. The 16 years that Marek has been with Aston Martin Lagonda have seen one of the most prolific periods of new model introductions for the British marque, as he led a period of intense innovation and creativity.
In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard discusses with Marek the challenges around an autonomous future for a brand which specialises in designing vehicles for the driver’s pleasure. They will delve into what makes the UK a world leader in high performance car design and manufacturing and how sustainability impacts modern automobile design.
Thompson Aero Seating is one of the leading suppliers of Business and First Class aircraft seating, with a worldwide customer base featuring many of the world’s top airlines including Delta and Singapore Airlines. With increasing market share and an evolving and expanding product portfolio Thompson’s seats are installed upon all major aircraft types from Airbus and Boeing including the A380 and Boeing B787 Dreamliner.
In this podcast episode, Neil Taggart, Andy Morris and Jonny McGreevy join host Rachael Everard to discuss why Thompson Aero Seating is one of Northern Ireland’s most successful and fastest growing businesses. Currently, 1/3 of the world’s airplane seats are manufactured in Northern Ireland, and guest speakers share how Northern Irish manufacturers have developed their innovative and agile approach to design. They also discuss how the company works with airlines to produce interior products that customers won’t forget – from the look, feel, touch, functionality and ergonomics, as well as high-end experiences while considering sustainability – from weight reduction and recycling at end of product life – in the process.
Kirsty Murphy joined The Blades Aerobatic Team in 2016 following a 17-year career in the Royal Air Force (RAF). She was selected to be the first female pilot to fly with the world-famous Red Arrows – RAF’s Aerobatic Team— and had participated in more than 100 public displays and flypasts in about a dozen countries. She also served as a flying instructor after completing her flying training on the Tucano and the Hawk T1, and flew operational sorties in Iraq. She follows in the footsteps of many great female aviators amidst a still largely male-dominated career.
In this podcast, host Rachael Everard explores Kirsty’s reasons for joining the military and the value of teamwork, diversity, and collaboration. Kirsty opens up on challenges she faced to reach the skies in her career, and how reliance and persistence to achieve goals helped her succeed. She also discusses her experiences as an ambassador, encouraging young women to take up flying, and as an engineer who promotes Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in schools. She shares her interests in innovations in aviation to help deliver a more sustainable mode of transport in the future.
David Oxley is Director of Strategic Projects with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Scotland’s regional economic and community development agency covering the North and West of Scotland. David and his team are behind the Space Hub Sutherland – a facility that would enable vertical rockets to launch small satellites into low Earth polar and sun-synchronous orbits.
In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard chats with David as he shares his vision to develop the ‘world’s greenest spaceport’, the importance of such facilities being developed in the UK, and how the UK is well placed to accomplish this. He also expounds on sustainability – how the spaceport is taking the environment into consideration in its construction, and how HIE works with the local community to ensure that they part of the space port’s development as they should be.
In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard meets Libby Jackson, currently the Human Spaceflight and Microgravity Programme Manager for the UK Space Agency, responsible for the UK's Human Spaceflight and Microgravity programmes at the International Space Station (ISS).
Libby reflects on her time as a flight director and explains how she coped with the mental stress this role involved. Previously a flight director on space missions, she ensured that everyone worked together, and everything went according to plan.
Flight directors talk to everyone involved – from the astronauts to the scientists on Earth, to the people who are responsible for making the rockets work.
A flight director's most important tasks are to keep the astronauts safe, to check that all the planned experiments take place in space, and to sort out any problems that crop up. Though these things can happen, the flight director will always find the answer.
In this podcast episode, host Rachael Everard delves into Professor Lord Martin Rees’ esteemed career and asks the question: ‘Should we regulate space before humans ruin it?’ This timely subject stems from many scientists’ concern that developments in human technology may soon pose new, extinction-level risks to our species as a whole. Such dangers have been suggested from progress in artificial intelligence, developments in biotechnology and artificial life, nanotechnology, and the possible extreme effects of anthropogenic climate change.
The wide research interests of Professor Lord Martin Rees OM, FRS, FREng, FMedSci – Astronomer Royal, former Trinity College Master and University of Cambridge Emeritus Professor – spans space exploration, to black holes, galaxy formation, the multiverse, and prospects for extra-terrestrial life. Against the backdrop of recent commercial space enterprises, he shares his insights on what regulation should focus on, and governments’ shared responsibilities and areas of collaboration.
After completing an MBA at the University of Ulster Graeme pursued a highly successful career in the arts in Belfast and Londonderry.
In 2006 Graeme became director of the Belfast Festival at Queen's University, establishing the festival's reputation as a must-see arts festival and later became Head of Culture and Arts at Queens's, responsible for the Queen's Film Theatre and the Naughton Gallery.
Since joining the Wales Millennium Centre as Artistic Director in 2016, Graeme has brought the critically-acclaimed City of the Unexpected to Cardiff, as well as Tiger Bay the Musical and the international arts festival,Festival of Voice, which continues to grow.
In this episode, host Hannah Austin talks with Graeme about the state of the art sector in the UK as we emerge from the pandemic, while exploring why culture can only truly be great if it’s accessible to all.
Find out more about Graeme and the Wales Millennium Centre here: https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/what-we-do/meet-the-team/senior-management
Martin Green CBE is the Chief Creative Officer of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, the latter being a groundbreaking celebration of creativity taking place across the UK in 2022.
Previously, Martin has masterminded some of Britain’s most significant major events including the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies; the opening of The O2 in London; and the opening ceremony of the 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ in Leeds. He also served as CEO and Director of Hull UK City of Culture 2017, where he delivered 365 days of transformative culture for the city to huge acclaim.
In this episode, host Hannah Austin discusses with Martin what it means to create a major creative programme designed to reach millions and bring people together. Martin talks about the UNBOXED programme, which features 10 projects by hundreds of creatives from across science, technology, engineering, arts and maths, and explores the power of creativity and collaboration to shape the way we live, work and play.
Tracy Harwood is Professor of Digital Culture at the Institute of Creative Technologies at De Montfort University. She serves as director of the University’s Usability Lab and the award-winning Art AI Festival.
Her work is transdisciplinary, crossing computer science, arts, design, health and marketing disciplines, and focuses on the application of emerging technologies to creative and applied business and consumer contexts. This includes Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Virtual/Augmented/Mixed Reality (VR/AR/MR), and game engines technologies used in machinima and virtual production.
In this episode, host Hannah Austin discusses with Professor Harwood how art and data are logical and creative partners. They also explore the process that goes behind the visual representation of data and the Art-AI Festival, taking place in Leicester between May 2021-2022, which celebrates creative applications of artificial intelligence.
For more information about the Art-AI Festival and DMU’s Institute of Creative Technologies, visit https://www.art-ai.io/ and https://www.dmu.ac.uk/research/centres-institutes/ioct/index.aspx
To listen to more of Professor Harwood’s podcast on her channel, ‘And Now For Something Completely Machinima', visit https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-now-for-something-completely-machinima/id1551547214
Lise Arlot is an art entrepreneur and art business guest lecturer. She is passionate about increasing access to and engagement with art. She co-founded Feral Horses, a global crowdfunding platform which sold shares of about 20 artworks to happy co-owners who are now experiencing the joy of being art collectors.
Lise is now the Head of Operations & Strategy at MTArt Agency, an award-winning talent agency that represents the top visual artists around the world.
In this episode, host Hannah Austin talks to Lise about art’s role in public places, how it ‘turns spaces into places’, and why local communities should be involved in the selection process for the majority of public art pieces. Lise also expounds on the role that the art market plays in supporting and protecting public art pieces.
For more information about MTArt Agency and the Inside out Festival, visit https://mtart.agency/ and https://www.westminster.gov.uk/insideout
Helen Brunsdon has worked extensively across the animation industry as a consultant, producer and executive, working with some of the most creative names in animation.
In addition to her production work, Helen also works as animation adviser, programmer, events producer and jury member. Helen served as the Director of Animation UK in December 2016 before becoming the Director of the British Animation Awards (BAA).
The power of animation in telling a story is well known and appreciated by many audiences. In this episode, host Hannah Austin talks to Helen about what it means to have a holistic view of the animation industry and how it fits into many aspects of the Arts, including music, film and children’s TV. Their conversation explores both the artistic and commercial side of animation, audiences’ changing appetites, what challenges the UK animation industry is facing and what must be done to ensure that the industry goes from strength to strength.
For more information about the British Animation Awards, visit: https://www.britishanimationawards.com
In this episode of our E-Commerce podcast mini-series, host Chloe Thomas meets Olivier Buffon, Head of International at Faire, an online wholesale marketplace connecting thousands of independent retailers and brands across the globe. In his role, Olivier oversees Faire's international scaling and expansion strategy.
Faire was founded in 2017 with idea based on the belief that the future of retail is local. Their mission is to help independent entrepreneurs chase their dreams as an online wholesale marketplace empowering small business owners and independent brands to buy and sell wholesale online.
This podcast will explore how e-commerce can support alternative retailers and local economies, helping to build a more sustainable future and thriving communities in place of mono-retail.
For more information about Faire, visit: https://inews.co.uk/news/business/wholesale-marketplace-faire-launch-uk-co-founder-predicts-boom-independent-retailers-924936
To learn more about Chloe Thomas and listen to more of her podcast, visit: https://chloelink.com/ff
In this episode of our E-Commerce podcast mini-series, host Chloe Thomas meets Cally Russell, CEO and Founder for This is Unfolded and Mallzee Insights.
Cally is a firm believer that the fashion industry needs to change to become less wasteful and more equitable. He launched This is Unfolded, a made-to-order clothing brand that reduces fabric waste and creates a new sustainable model for how people shop. https://thisisunfolded.com
This podcast will look at how innovations and agility within e-commerce will highlight the fashion industry’s need to change and how fashion e-commerce can be a force for good.
Chloe Thomas is founder of the eCommerce MasterPlan, a best-selling author and host of the successful eCommerce Masterplan podcast. For more information on Chloe, you can go here: https://chloelink.com/ff
Mariah Idrissi featured in a campaign for global retail giants, H&M and became recognised as the World’s first hijab wearing model in 2015. She was on the cover of Emirates Woman Magazine in 2018 and won the ‘Young Achiever’ Award at the Arabian Business Awards in 2019.
While she acknowledges that the fashion industry is “doing better” and has been making strides to be more inclusive over the past five to six years, she believes it’s going to take a lot longer for equality and equal opportunity to trump equity, and for the Modest Fashion mission to truly be accomplished. The podcast will help us to understand the journey which Mariah has gone on and the changing attitudes the industry has gone through. It will go on to ask what still has to be done, to ensure that fashion truly reflects the diverse and inclusive aspirations we have.
For more information on this episode’s guest, visit: https://www.instagram.com/mariahidrissi
Our host for this episode was Dr Nick de Leon, for more information about Nick and his role at the Royal College of Art, you can find out more here: https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/staff/nick-leon
In this episode, host Dr. Nick de Leon meets Stephanie Phair, CCO at Farfetch.
In April 2017, Farfetch unveiled their Augmented Retail vision and launched their FARFETCH Store of the Future, a technology-powered retail operating system. This suite of technologies aims to improve retail productivity by capturing consumer data and enhancing interactions between consumers and sales associates, both in store and when the consumer interacts with the retailer or brand online.
In this episode, Nick and Stephanie discuss what has been learned since 2017 but most importantly what Farfetch is predicting following the impact of COVID-19.
For more information on this episode’s guest, visit: https://aboutfarfetch.com/about/leadership-team/stephanie-phair
Our host for this episode was Dr Nick de Leon, for more information about Nick and his role at the Royal College of Art, you can find out more here: https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/staff/nick-leon
Claire Lerpiniere is a senior lecturer in textile design with over 20 years of teaching experience. This has been particularly focused on the studio practice of textile design and its intersection with the human and ecological impacts of textiles.
In this episode, host Dr. Nick de Leon talks to Claire about the circular economy and what can be done to implement a truly circular economy in the fashion sector. Is there a problem with our consumer attitudes and behaviours or does a new business model have to be implemented that will force us to change our behaviour?
For more information on this episode’s guest, visit: https://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/academic-staff/art-design-humanities/claire-lerpiniere/claire-lerpiniere.aspx
Our host for this episode was Dr Nick de Leon, for more information about Nick and his role at the Royal College of Art, you can find out more here: https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/staff/nick-leon/
In the first episode of Future Focus, host Dr Nick de Leon, Executive Education and Knowledge Exchange Lead at School of Design, Royal College of Art meets Lucy Jones, a designer with a focus on solution-based design.
Lucy aims to marry style and function with the intent of addressing a larger portion of society, often overlooked in the fashion design process. The podcast will explore Lucy's approach to design and the importance she places on understanding all types of consumers when designing.
This podcast supports In the Future... What will we Wear programme of activity. For more information on how to get involved, visit -https://eu.eventscloud.com/website/3176
For more information on this episode’s guest, visit - https://www.lucyjonesdesign.com
Our host for this episode was Dr Nick de Leon, for more information about Nick and his role at the Royal College of Art, you can find out more here - https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/staff/nick-leon
Welcome to the Future Focus; UK at Expo podcast series, your spot for the latest on the UK's participation at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Running from October 2021 to March 2022, Expo 2020 Dubai is bringing together more than 190 nations across the planet to celebrate and re-imagine tomorrow. Throughout the series you'll be able to join us as we explore the very best creativity and innovations the UK has to offer and speak to special guests about how we all can innovate for a shared future.
If you want to hear more, you can subscribe to Future Focus via your favourite podcast app and see more about UK at EXPO 2020 Dubai via this link: https://www.expo2020dubai.com/en/understanding-expo/participants/country-pavilions/uk