Book your Early Birds tickets by 7 December
Book your Early Birds tickets by 7 December
Book your Early Birds tickets by 7 December
Book your Early Birds tickets by 7 December
Book your Early Birds tickets by 7 December
Book your Early Birds tickets by 7 December
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Illustration of a person with short hair, wearing a blue blazer, standing at a podium with two microphones and gesturing with one hand.

Submit your
Speaker proposal

Sancroft Convene, London & Virtually, 19th – 20th March 2025

Accelerate Innovation. Together

Submit your proposal

Speakers

Alan Peters
Speaker

Alan Peters

Ecosystem Director for Rail and Stations
Connected Places Catapult
Alex Cousins
Speaker

Alex Cousins

Director of Regional Engagement
Connected Places Catapult
Andrew Chadwick
Speaker

Andrew Chadwick

Ecosystem Director Air Mobility & Airports
Connected Places Catapult
Andrew Haines
Grand Challenge Speaker

Andrew Haines

Chief Executive
Network Rail
Dr Michèle Dix CBE
Speaker

Dr Michèle Dix CBE

Commissioner
National Infrastruture Commission
Grand Challenge Speaker

Elliot Christou

Data and Technology Team Lead
Connected Places Catapult
Erika Lewis
Grand Challenge Speaker

Erika Lewis

Chief Executive Officer
Connected Places Catapult
Graeme Craig
Grand Challenge Speaker

Graeme Craig

Director & Chief Executive
Places for London
Jaime Bartley
Speaker

Jaime Bartley

CEO
Unyte Group
Justin Anderson
Speaker

Justin Anderson

Director
Digital Twin Hub
Kellie Beirne
Speaker

Kellie Beirne

Chief Executive
Cardiff Capital Region
Prof Greg Clark CBE
Grand Challenge Speaker

Prof Greg Clark CBE

Chair
Connected Places Catapult
Rikesh Shah
Speaker

Rikesh Shah

Head of Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre
Connected Places Catapult
Stephen Turner
Speaker

Stephen Turner

Director
3Ci
Theo Blackwell MBE
Speaker

Theo Blackwell MBE

Chief Digital Officer
Greater London Authority
Three photos of people at a Catapult conference. One woman in an orange outfit speaks at a podium. Another image shows three men in a panel discussion. A third shows three women seated and engaged in conversation.

How do you contribute to
innovation in Connected Places?

A connected place is where more than just people, infrastructure, economy and planet come together. It’s also where the digital world, new modes of transport and mobility, and exciting new networks for trade and exchange coincide. A connected place is integrated, inter-dependent, interoperable and ultimately more productive and innovative.

The call for speaker proposals is now open until 20th September 2024

Submit your proposal

The vision of a connected place

The Summit will be guided by the vision of a connected place, and how to make it possible through:

Collaboration

We want to support place leaders from across government and industry to rise to the generational challenges and opportunities that new technologies, mobility modes and business models are bringing with them. The Summit is an opportunity to help empower our leaders with the ideas, tools and networks to spend smarter, invest with confidence, and create sustainable, innovation-led local economies.

Explore:

  • How government and industry can rise to the unprecedented technological, economic, environmental and social changes
  • How to empower cities and regions with greater decision-making authority to foster economic growth, innovation, and entrepreneurship
  • What the UK’s new procurement landscape mean for local innovation, jobs and growth

Innovation

Innovation is the engine of transformative change and sustainable, economic growth. Not only do innovative businesses create jobs and investment, place-based innovations improve the UK’s physical and digital infrastructure. That is why local leaders, policy makers, business and industry are coming together like never before – across every mode of transport, every infrastructure sector, every tier of government.


Explore:

  • What the future of connected, sustainable 21st Century transport is likely to be
  • New ways to harness the transformative role of digital technology in decarbonising our economy
  • Tools and networks for growing your local innovation economy

Key themes

Today, our city leaders need to be able to understand in real time the speed with which challenges and opportunities arise in a modern urban context. Issues like air quality, affordable housing, social inequality, and environmental sustainability cannot be tackled without embracing new technologies, opportunities to collaborate with diverse stakeholders, innovative new business models, and a clear vision and roadmap for the future. Place leaders need the tools, insights and networks to unlock the innovation potential of people, economies, and physical infrastructure.

The world of technology is changing almost by the minute. Advances in digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, the internet of things (IoT) and data analytics are enabling local leaders in cities to collect and analyse vast amounts of information about their residents, infrastructure, and resources. The new data-driven economy is helping leaders make better-informed decisions when it comes to improving the efficiency of public services, optimise transportation systems, managing energy consumption, improving public health, while also identifying new opportunities for economic growth.

How we get from A to B is at the heart of a city’s productivity, accessibility, liveability and sustainability. Effective local and regional leadership requires careful yet bold investment in public transportation infrastructure, promoting active modes of transportation like walking and cycling, implementing smart traffic management systems, and supporting the adoption of electric and autonomous vehicles. By prioritising mobility as a key component, place leaders can enhance connectivity, reduce congestion, and promote a greener and more inclusive urban environment.

Our rapidly changing natural environment is massively impacting urban life. Cities are net contributors to greenhouse emissions and climate change, responsible for 75 percent of global CO2 emissions, with transport and buildings being among the largest contributors.

The sustainability and liveability of our cities is also reliant on how we incorporate the natural world into our local neighbourhoods and spaces. Now more than ever, place leaders across government and the private sector need to be at the forefront of creating robust business cases for sustainable, net zero growth.

Connected Places Summit 2025

Submit your proposal today

Submit your proposal

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Innovation imperatives
Industry Focus
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Alan Peters

Ecosystem Director for Rail and Stations - Connected Places Catapult

As Ecosystem Director for Rail and Stations at the Connected Places Catapult, Alan leads the vision and strategy for the organisation’s rail activities. Alan works with the wider team of rail experts and cross-functional experts at CPC to create programmes and partnerships that help connect those with innovative solutions in rail to those who have applicable challenges.
Previously at CPC, Alan has led a number of automated vehicle programmes including collaborative R&D projects such as MuCCA, HumanDrive and VeriCAV, has worked with the DfT & BSI on a UK strategy for automated vehicle standards, and has developed guidance on the use of simulation for automated vehicle safety verification.
Before CPC, Alan led delivery of the safety case for the Personal Rapid Transit system at Heathrow airport, led innovation projects for Jaguar Land Rover, and applied systems thinking approaches to better assess risk in nuclear industry. In 2011, he completed a EngD in Systems Engineering with thesis: ‘The Safety of Rapid Transit Systems’. Alan is a chartered engineer through the IET and is on the IET Codes and Standards Advisory panel.

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Alex Cousins

Director of Regional Engagement - Connected Places Catapult

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Andrew Chadwick

Ecosystem Director Air Mobility & Airports - Connected Places Catapult

Andrew Chadwick is a Chartered Engineer and is the Acting Ecosystem Director Air Mobility & Airports at the Connected Places Catapult. His work includes Solution Architect on a number of Future Flight Challenge air mobility and aviation sustainability projects, the UK Government Drone Pathfinder Catalyst Programme, plus Solution Architect on the Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure project studying the introduction and transition of hydrogen and electric aircraft and supporting infrastructure into airports and airfields. Andrew also leads on Future Air Transport, Advanced Air Mobility, and Aviation Sustainability innovation initiatives.
Andrew is a Member of the Jet Zero Council Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure Subgroup, Member of the Industry Advisory Board for the Autonomous Vehicle Systems and Dynamics MSc at Cranfield University, a member of the Royal Academy of Engineering Working Group on the Safety and Ethics of Autonomous Systems, a member of the UK Government Drones Industry Action Group, and a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society Remotely Piloted Aircraft & Autonomous Systems Specialist Group Committee.

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Andrew Haines

Chief Executive - Network Rail

Since joining Network Rail in August 2018, Andrew has refocussed Network Rail to be on the side of passengers and freight users; that is easy to engage with and is an efficient and dependable partner; a company people are proud to work for; instinctively recognised as an industry leader.

Andrew has introduced a mindset that puts passengers first as well as a programme which has so far resulted in the creation of fourteen new routes, supported by five new regions. This new structure sets Network Rail up for deeper devolution and to be more responsive to the needs of train operators, passengers and freight users by bringing Network Rail’s 43,000 employees closer to those we serve.

Prior to joining Network Rail, Andrew served as Chief Executive of the Civil Aviation Authority from 2009. This followed a wide-ranging career in the rail industry, which included roles as Managing Director of South West Trains, and Managing Director of the Rail Division for First Group plc.

Following the publication of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail in May 2021, Andrew was also tasked with establishing interim arrangements for the creation of Great British Railways, alongside his role in Network Rail.

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Dr Michèle Dix CBE

Commissioner - National Infrastruture Commission

Michèle Dix is a civil engineer with over 45 years’ experience, specialising in transport, in the public and private sector. She started her career with the Greater London Council before joining Halcrow Fox and becoming the Board Director for Urban Transport. She joined Transport for London in 2000 as the Director of Congestion Charging. In 2008 she became the Managing Director for Planning with responsibility for strategic planning and analysis, borough partnerships and the development of major projects across London. Michele also represented the UK on the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). In 2015 she became the Managing Director for Crossrail 2. Michele retired in 2021 and has since held a number of non-executive roles as a Director for the Major Projects Association, Crossrail International and the Restoration and Renewal Programme, an advisor on University College London’s Major Infrastructure Delivery MBA Board and as an ICE policy fellow.

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Elliot Christou

Data and Technology Team Lead - Connected Places Catapult

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Erika Lewis

Chief Executive Officer - Connected Places Catapult

Erika Lewis joined the Catapult from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) in March 2024 as Chief Executive Officer.

In July 2023, Erika was appointed the CEO of the AI Safety Summit. This was a world first event and brought together international governments, leading AI companies, civil society groups and experts in research to consider the risks of AI, especially at the frontier of development, and discuss how they can be mitigated through internationally coordinated action.

The Summit was the culmination of a busy 5 years in central government, Erika joined the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in 2018 to deliver the National Data Strategy. In October 2019, she moved to the role of Director, Cyber Security and Digital Identity, where she led on the economic support for the cyber sector, the development of security approaches for consumer IoT, the government work on Secure Connected Places and Digital Identity in the economy. In 2020, she also led DCMS on the Covid-19 response package for the Voluntary Sector and in 2023, led the initial transition programme for the newly formed Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Before moving into central government in 2012, Erika became a Project Director at the Competition and Markets Authority, where she was responsible for both merger and market investigations. Most notably, she ran an Energy Market Investigation and a Private Motor Insurance Market Investigation.

Erika was a part of the set-up team for the London Development Agency (LDA) in April 2000. Staying for 12 years at the LDA, she delivered regeneration programmes across London and was subsequently the Director of Strategy.

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Graeme Craig

Director & Chief Executive - Places for London

Graeme is the Director & Chief Executive of Places for London. With career spent largely in operational and project management, Graeme joined Transport for London from Capita in 2004, initially to manage the operation of the central London Congestion Charging scheme. After a number of years as Director of Congestion Charging & Traffic Enforcement, Graeme led a TfL-wide transformation programme that included the creation of TfL’s first commercial development function. Taking on the role of Director of Commercial Development, Graeme led a new approach to property in TfL that culminated in the creation of a wholly owned commercial property subsidiary in 2022. Places for London is now a £1.7bn company that has 1,500 commercial tenancies across London and a pipeline that will see over 20,000 homes built across London, largely delivered through joint ventures with leading developers.

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Jaime Bartley

CEO - Unyte Group

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Justin Anderson

Director - Digital Twin Hub

As the Director of the Digital Twin Hub, Justin Anderson is dedicated to fulfilling the Hub’s mission by aligning and amplifying the Digital Twin ecosystem, with the goal of accelerating the adoption of innovative solutions that address system-level challenges.

Prior to his role at the Digital Twin Hub, Justin served as the Global Head of Technology COE at KPMG International, where he was responsible for assessing the impact of technology on various industries, supporting the firm’s Digital Transformation program, and providing training on emerging technologies to a global team of 80,000 consultants.

Justin’s passion for technology and its intersection with policy, business, and society is evident in his establishment of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence, which serves as the authoritative voice within the UK Parliament on all matters related to AI. Additionally, Justin has played a key role in developing BSI PAS 212, a standard for data interoperability that has been widely adopted in Smart City programs worldwide. Justin also serves as a member of the BSI Innovation Committee, contributing his expertise to further advancements in technology and innovation.

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Kellie Beirne

Chief Executive - Cardiff Capital Region

Kellie is Chief Executive of the Cardiff Capital Region and an innovation practitioner. Kellie is a Governor at Cardiff Metropolitan University, a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and sits on the advisory boards for Swansea University’s Morgan Advanced Studies Institute and the Board of Cardiff University’s public value Business School.

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Prof Greg Clark CBE

Chair - Connected Places Catapult

Greg Clark is Chair of Connected Places Catapult. He is a British and Irish writer, Board Chair, Non-Executive Director, and advisor on cities, mobility, built environment, and urban innovation. He is the author of 10 books and 100 reports on cities, mobility, real estate, climate, urban economies, investment, and place leadership, and has worked with 400 cities around the world.

In the UK. He is Chair of Connected Places Catapult (CPC), the UK’s national innovation accelerator for transport, cities, and place leadership, and Chair of the Cities Commission for Climate Investment (3Ci), which convenes local leaders and investors to find innovative means to capitalise a just urban transition. He is a Board Member of Transport for London (TfL). He chairs TfL’s Land and Property Committee, which oversees TfL’s property company, Places for London. He is a Senior Advisor to New London Architecture, and Hon Prof of cities and innovation at Strathclyde University. Greg is also chair of the UK Government’s Secure Connected Places Advisory Group. He was previously Lead Advisor, Cities & Regions, Office of Deputy Prime Minister (2004-2010), Executive Director, London Development Agency, Chief Executive of the London Enterprise Agency, Managing Director of Greater London Enterprise, and he teaches regularly at LSE and University College London. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS).

Globally. Greg is Hon Global Fellow at the Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is the former chair of the OECD LEED Forum of Cities and Regions (1996-2016) and former Global Fellow on cities at the Brookings Institution. He has advised the World Bank, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and the HSBC Group on cities, sustainability, and financial innovation. He is currently working with the Inter-American Development Bank on the future of the cities of the Amazon, where 47,000,000 people live. Greg has chaired more than 20 International Advisory Boards and Committees for Cities; including New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Vienna, Oslo, Barcelona, Turin, Toronto, Auckland, and Cape Town. He is a member of the WEF Global Future Council on Cities & Urbanisation, and a member of the Bloomberg NEF Council on Cities.

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Rikesh Shah

Head of Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre - Connected Places Catapult

Rikesh is recognised as a thought leader and speaker on public sector innovation with many years of practical and academic experience at leading organisations and institutions. Rikesh is the Head of the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre – a UK government-funded initiative to stimulate more market innovation through procurement for the public sector to create more value from the £300Bn spent each year.

Previously Rikesh led Transport for London’s award-winning innovation team to create new value through advances in new technology for London by working with start-ups, corporates, academia, accelerators and venture capitalists. He was responsible for creating TfL’s first Innovation Hub which has delivered some pioneering projects on areas such as air quality, road safety, active travel, enhancing customer experiences to retail and property development. The Hub set out the organisation’s key challenges and problem statements, bringing in the best innovators from across the world, piloting and scaling innovative solutions with the potential to commercialise, as well as establishing the right culture and procurement processes in the company focusing on agility and design thinking to work with market innovators by doing things better, quicker or cheaper. Rikesh was also responsible for TfL’s world leading open data programme which has 17,000 registered users, 700 apps powered by TfL data used by 42% of Londoners which an independent review stated that it’s worth to London is £130m per annum. He also was actively in involved during the 2012 Olympic Games and TfL’s response to COVID-19. After TfL, Rikesh worked for PA Consulting to advise public and private sectors in transport and aviation on open innovation and open data. Most recently, Rikesh has been recognised in the Top 100 Asian Stars in UK Tech in 2019 – 2023, being named one of the top five for sustainability in 2019. He was also recognised in the Top 100 Influencers for the Drum Digirati in 2018.

Rikesh sits on the London Transport Museum Board as a Non-Executive Director, as well as a Civic Innovation Director (Non-Executive Director) at Cities Today, the global public innovation think tank. He has also been an Ambassador for London Tech Week since 2020.

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Stephen Turner

Director - 3Ci

Steve is based at the Connected Places Catapult where he his Director of 3Ci – the Cities Commission for Climate Investment. Working with the Advisory Board he has overall managerial responsibility for the implementation of the 3Ci’s strategy and operations working closely with leaders from cities, industry, finance and government. As a recognised leader in innovation and sustainability he has over 25 years of experience working in both the public and private sector. Previously, he was Digital Cities Leader for Arup where he delivered sustainability focussed technology strategies for some of the largest developments in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, representing £billions of investment. He has held several senior positions across local government, primarily in London and Manchester. As Head of Low Carbon Economy in Greater Manchester he established the UK’s first Low Carbon Economic Area and a joint venture alongside the Green Investment Bank. He also established the city’s widely admired sustainability innovation programmes, Triangulum and CityVerve.

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Theo Blackwell MBE

Chief Digital Officer - Greater London Authority

Appointed in 2017 as London’s first Chief Digital Officer, Theo leads on London-wide digital transformation, data and smart city initiatives at City Hall.

His role involves:

Strategic leadership on the digital transformation agenda for London’s public services, across the GLA group and the wider public sector. Convening on behalf of the Mayor, across London local government to support the take-up of innovative, technology, and data-led approaches to service delivery and public engagement. Developing and promoting partnership between the public, private and community sectors to enable and support the development of new public service-oriented technology and innovation.