Welcome from our Headline Sponsors
Dan Fell, Doncaster Chamber
Mayor Ros Jones
This opening discussion explores how improved connectivity can unlock the North’s full potential. Leaders from across business, government, and academia will discuss the strategies needed to create a truly interconnected region that drives sustainable and inclusive growth.
As demand on infrastructure intensifies, this session examines how the North can futureproof its energy, transport, and housing networks. Panellists will share insights into building resilient systems that support productivity, sustainability, and community wellbeing.
How public transport is managed and delivered across the North will change rapidly before the end of this decade. We discuss its challenges and opportunities to unlocking economic, social and environmental benefits in this new era.
Session Chair: Kamran Rashid, CEO, Impact Hub Yorkshire
Room: Premiere Suite, Main Conference Room
Discover how major events and festivals in the North boost local economies, strengthen communities, and create new opportunities. This session will discuss how collaborations and partnerships can drive social and economic impact, and explore pathways for future development across the region.
Session Chair: Greg Wright, Deputy Business Editor, Yorkshire Post
Room: Nijinski Suite, 1st Floor
Equipping the workforce with future-ready skills is key to levelling up. This discussion brings together educators, employers, and policymakers to explore innovative approaches to training, lifelong learning, and talent retention.
This panel will highlight how collaboration between universities, startups, and industry can accelerate technological advancement, attract investment, develop new jobs, and position the North as a global innovation hub.
Session Chair: Fiona Haran, Deputy Editor, Insider Media Yorkshire
Room: Premiere Suite, Main Conference Room
In a region where energy infrastructure, economic growth and sustainability are increasingly intertwined, this session will focus on how the North can seize the clean-energy opportunity.
Session Chair: Simon Keegan, Editor, Insider Media NW & NE
Room: Nijinski Suite, 1st Floor
This session would explore how healthcare systems across the North of England can be transformed through innovation, partnerships, and equitable access. The panel will discuss aligning health innovation with regional growth, improving patient outcomes, and building collaborative systems.
Introduced by: Richard Salkeld, Head of Communications and Partnerships for Lumo and Hull Trains
Chaired by: Ralph Blackburn, Westminster Correspondent, Yorkshire Post
