Mentors

As Founder and Managing Director of Talking Drum Communications, Bemi has spent over four years helping some of Africa’s most innovative technology companies - including Zipline, Chowdeck, Remedial Health, TradeDepot, Autochek, Curacel, Releaf Earth, and The African Talent Company - shape perceptions, strengthen reputations, and secure impactful media coverage.

Before establishing Talking Drum, Bemi spent nearly a decade leading high-impact PR campaigns for global technology brands such as BT, Sage, and SanDisk, gaining deep expertise in media relations and strategic storytelling.

Today, his mission is to champion innovation by showcasing the transformative work of technology companies and innovators. Through Talking Drum, he works with entrepreneurs and business leaders to turn bold ideas into stories that drive recognition, trust, and success.

Chloe is an Account Director with 7+ years of experience in consumer comms, specialising in food & drink, lifestyle, travel and retail. She has led campaigns for top brands including Disney, Baileys, Kellogg’s, HelloFresh, Walkers and Tesco to name just a few.

Skills include creating earned media conversations, event production, talent & influencer management, copy writing, budgeting and team management.

Armed with an impressive list of media contacts across broadcast, national, consumer, regional and trade, she has secured quality coverage with the likes of Good Morning Britain, ITV This Morning, The Times, and British Vogue.

Connecting the world's biggest brands with people through innovative and disruptive real-world storytelling. Multi-award winning creative director specialising in FMCG and purpose-led campaigns that resonate with audiences and build brands. Work spans household names like Tesco, Walkers, Doritos, Durex, giffgaff, Ginsters, Movember, Greggs and Burger King.

Jessica founded Wimbart in 2014, a boutique public relations company with a heavy emphasis on Africa & emerging markets. They produce hyper-targeted, relevant & meaningful media campaigns for a range of international clients.

Lee Beattie is a prominent creative leader and entrepreneur in the UK communications industry. She currently serves as the CEO and Managing Partner of John Doe, a culture-focused creative agency with offices in London, Glasgow, and Manchester.

Natalie Luke is founder and MD of Aduro Communications. Natalie started her career at Shine in 2003 before launching Aduro in 2012. Aduro has a turnover of £1m and employs 10 people. It specialises in consumer focused public relations work.

Paul McEntee is the founder of the independent consumer Public Relations firm, Here Be Dragons, based in London. The agency was established in 2015.

Here Be Dragons focuses on devising strategies and creative campaigns for clients that lead or disrupt their industries, aiming to cut through industry chatter and connect with audiences. The firm's client roster has included brands such as Beavertown Group, Disney, and Greggs.

Sarah is a senior PR and brand communications leader with a strong track record in driving agency growth, shaping and overseeing high-performance teams, and delivering impactful, integrated campaigns across global, EMEA and national markets. With deep experience spanning corporate, technology and consumer sectors, she specialises in guiding organisations through strategic communications challenges, building meaningful client partnerships and leading programmes that elevate reputation, accelerate growth and create long-term value.

People Like Us is an award-winning not-for-profit that celebrates and supports UK media, marketing and communications professionals from Black, Asian, Mixed Race and minority ethnic backgrounds. It does this by profiling individuals through quarterly networking events and by supporting professionals behind the scenes with tailored solutions on a range of career related challenges. This includes navigating tricky conversations in the workplace, finding mentors, LinkedIn/CV-shaping and, more broadly, advising organisations on inclusivity. 

Viola is the Creative Director at The Romans, where she’s been shaping campaigns since the agency’s launch a decade ago. Her work spans a diverse mix of brands - Lidl, B&Q, Estrid, Papa Johns, and Desperados, to name a few - earning recognition for creativity and cultural impact.