Here are Our Day 1 – Masterclass Speakers

Yvonne Akinmodun, FCIPD

Executive Career Coach, Speaker and HR Director

Yvonne Akinmodun, FCIPD is an Executive Career Coach, Speaker and former HR Director with over 25 years’ experience working across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

She is the Founder of Career Coaching Matters and the author of Powerful Career Conversations. Yvonne specialises in supporting HR and People professionals, along with mid- to senior-level leaders, to navigate career progression with greater clarity, confidence and strategic intent, particularly in today’s evolving world of work.

Her work sits at the intersection of individual career strategy and organisational talent development. She partners with organisations to design and deliver programmes that strengthen career conversations, improve retention, and enable more inclusive and visible progression pathways. Alongside this, she works directly with individuals who want to reposition themselves, progress into more senior roles, or successfully navigate career transitions.

Having built her own career in HR leadership and experienced redundancy mid-career Yvonne brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She understands first-hand the challenges of navigating change, rebuilding confidence, and repositioning for new opportunities.

Yvonne is known for her practical, insightful and empowering approach. She challenges conventional thinking around career progression, helping her audiences understand not just how to perform well—but how to be visible, influential and strategically positioned for the future of work.

Chimbuani Ngaliae

HR Transformation Leader And Founder Of Horizon Peace

Chimbuani Ngaliae is an HR transformation leader and Founder of Horizon Peace, a London-based consultancy dedicated to advancing peace-centred leadership in organisations operating across cultures, geographies and complex human dynamics.

With over 20 years of international experience, she has led global teams and delivered large-scale transformation programmes within blue-chip organisations including Google, Vodafone and HSBC.

Through this work, she has developed a distinctive approach that bridges performance with cultural intelligence, human dignity and long-term sustainability.

She is the creator of the P.E.A.C.E Leadership Framework™, equipping leaders to navigate complexity, reduce friction and build environments where trust, openness and high performance can coexist.

Her work focuses on helping leaders move beyond reactive management towards intentional, steady and globally conscious leadership.

As a speaker, Chimbuani brings a grounded, experience-led perspective shaped by years of operating across cultures and high-stakes environments.

She challenges traditional leadership narratives by positioning peace not as a soft concept, but as a strategic and operational advantage in modern organisations.

Samantha Uwadiae

Founder and Principal Consultant 

Samantha Uwadiae is a Director level leader in People, Culture, EDI and Organisational Transformation with over a decade of experience across the NHS, central government and the charity sector.

She is a trusted advisor to Boards and Executive teams, specialising in culture transformation, equity, diversity and inclusion, leadership development and people governance.

Most recently, she served as Associate Director of EDI at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, having previously been Deputy Director of Culture and Leadership at East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

She has also held senior roles across government and the charity sector, shaping organisational approaches to leadership, culture and inclusion.

Samantha has been a professional coach since 2017 and holds an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology. She is also an EMCC accredited Senior Practitioner and is currently completing the ILM Level 7 in Executive Coaching and Mentoring.

She coaches executives and senior leaders, focusing particularly on supporting women of colour and creating culturally and psychologically safe environments.

Samantha is a Board Trustee and People & Culture Subcommittee Chair at Inspire Partnership Academy Trust and a former trustee of Mind. She also previously chaired the NHS Shelford Group EDI Specialist Group.

She is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Uwadiae Partners, where she works with senior leaders to make leadership, culture and EDI visible, measurable and accountable in practice.

Kitan Olukoya

Bar Trainee, Speaker and Founder of The Bold Network

Kitan Olukoya is a speaker, Bar trainee and Founder of The Bold Network, a platform focused on equipping young people with the skills, confidence and connections needed to navigate professional environments.

With a background in family law and mental health advocacy, Kitan is passionate about creating more honest conversations around wellbeing, inclusion and the lived experiences of women of colour in professional spaces.

Her work explores themes including emotional labour, resilience, workplace culture and sustainable ambition, particularly for those navigating invisible challenges such as chronic illness.

Kitan has led networking and wellbeing initiatives for students and young professionals, collaborating with organisations, charities and leadership networks to create spaces centred on confidence, growth and belonging.

Through her speaking and community work, she aims to challenge performative notions of resilience and encourage more human-centred approaches to leadership, inclusion and workplace wellbeing.

Omotoyosi (Toyosi) Akinfemiwa

 CEO & Managing Partner, Elizabeth Roberts Accountants and Business Advisors

Omotoyosi (Toyosi) Akinfemiwa is the CEO and Managing Partner of Elizabeth Roberts Accountants and Business Advisors (ER), a firm widely recognised for delivering professional, personable, and practical accounting and advisory services to individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and charitable organisations.

A Chartered Accountant with extensive cross-sector experience, Toyosi has built a distinguished career spanning banking, public practice, and the charitable and voluntary sectors. She holds a first degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Finance, combining strong academic grounding with significant hands-on expertise. Alongside her leadership at ER, she serves in advisory capacities, supporting business owners in structuring their organisations for sustainable growth, resilience, and long-term success.

Prior to joining ER, Toyosi worked with the Central Bank of Nigeria and Citibank, where she gained valuable experience in Internal Control and Treasury Operations. This background has equipped her with a robust understanding of governance, financial stewardship, and risk management, which she brings into her work with clients and organisations alike.

Toyosi also possesses in-depth knowledge of the responsibilities and regulatory requirements of charity Boards of Trustees. She currently serves on the boards of Woodhall Capital International Foundation and Islington People’s Rights (IPR), a London-based charity focused on alleviating poverty and reducing the impact of debt on individuals and families.

Passionate about education and empowerment, Toyosi is committed to teaching, coaching, and mentoring young people and aspiring professionals. She also lectures part-time in Accounting and Economics, reflecting her dedication to knowledge-sharing and capacity building.

Outside of her professional life, Toyosi enjoys dancing, reading, travelling, exploring new cultures, and playing chess. She is married and a proud mother of two daughters.