127th Business Lunch

18th November 2026 from 12:15pm — 3:00pm • Trinity House

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Innovation Panel: esports, digital skills and the future of talent

18th November 2026 from 6:00pm — 8:00pm • Information Technologists' Hall

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Living in an Algorithmic world: What can the Worshipful Company of IT Do?

3rd November 2026 from 5:30pm — 8:30pm • Information Technologists' Hall

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Algorithms increasingly shape the decisions, services and information that affect everyday life from recruitment, healthcare and job matching to content feeds, transport and urban planning. They can improve efficiency, accessibility and personalisation, but they can also reinforce bias, enable surveillance, intensify workplace control and undermine democratic accountability. The workshop will examine the dual nature of algorithmic governance: the social and economic value it can create, alongside the risks of discrimination, labour exploitation, privacy loss and democratic erosion. Drawing on perspectives from labour advocacy, digital rights and technology industry practice, panellists will explore real-world examples of how algorithmic systems affect workers, communities and institutions.

The WCIT Social Value Leadership Group (SVLG) will be hosting a discussion focusing on practical action. What can the Worshipful Company of IT do to help its members navigate the algorithmic age responsibly? How can WCIT champion research, promote ethical practice and provide useful guidance for those designing, deploying and governing algorithmic systems?

Join WCIT for a practical and forward-looking conversation on how IT professionals can help ensure that algorithmic systems serve the public good—and help shape the priorities for WCIT’s December conference.

The panel will explore:

• Where algorithms deliver meaningful public and economic value

• Bias, discrimination, surveillance and privacy risks

• Algorithmic management and the future of work

• Content systems, democratic resilience and public trust

• The responsibilities of technology professionals and organisations

Speaker Information

Lexy Kassan

Lead Data and AI Strategist at Databricks

Lexy Kassan is a Lead Data and AI Strategist at Databricks, overseeing and guiding customer organizations through holistic transformation programmes built on industry trends and best practices. As an Ethicist, Lexy coaches companies on implementing responsible AI and works with public affairs to shape Databricks’ messaging to regulators and lobbyists.

Outside of work, Lexy mentors for multiple initiatives supporting underrepresented groups in STEM. She is also the Founder and Host of the Data Science Ethics Podcast in which she delves into the responsibilities and societal ramifications of applying AI across both private and public sectors.

Reema Patel

Founder Director, Elgon Social

Reema Patel is Founder and Director of Elgon Social, an independent research and practice organisation working at the intersection of technology ethics, democratic participation, and equity. Her work focuses on ensuring that data-driven systems and AI are shaped by the experiences, needs, and values of the people affected by them—not by technical or commercial priorities alone.

Reema is a co-investigator and policy-engagement lead with the ESRC Digital Good Network, where she contributes to research and practical approaches that ensure digital technologies serve the public good. Through its Public Voices in AI initiative, she has helped develop a framework and self-assessment workbook to enable policymakers, researchers, and industry to involve communities meaningfully in AI decision-making—moving beyond token consultation towards transparent, inclusive, and accountable participation.

Previously, Reema was part of the founding team at the Ada Lovelace Institute, where she led work on public attitudes, deliberation, justice, and the social impacts of data and AI. She has also advised major public-interest organisations on engagement and equity, including the Wellcome Trust, and has led participatory work across climate action, public policy, and technology governance.

Rashik Parmar, MBE (Moderator)

Rashik Parmar MBE is a distinguished digital leader and former Group CEO of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, with a 40+ year career dedicated to making computing ethical, sustainable, and trusted. He pioneered the concept of Responsible Computing, co-authoring the influential Harvard Business Review article that sets out a systemic framework for responsible code, data, systems, infrastructure, data centres, and impact.

Through BCS, Rashik has championed IT professionalism as a cornerstone of public trust in technology. Under his leadership, BCS strengthened its role as the home for ethical, competent computing professionals—promoting robust codes of conduct, disciplinary mechanisms, and a global community of practitioners committed to “IT for good”, diversity and inclusion, and closing the digital divide. He chairs BCS’ Fellows Technical Advisory Group, which helps the profession navigate emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing with a focus on responsibility and societal benefit.

As Chair of the Living in an Algorithmic World panel, Rashik will guide the discussion towards how responsible computing principles can shape AI, data, and algorithmic systems that are worthy of public trust. He will draw on his experience in defining responsible-computing frameworks and promoting professionalism through BCS to explore how organisations and practitioners can embed ethics, accountability, and long-term societal impact into everyday technology decisions.

Tickets: £25 (inc VAT, drinks and nibbles)

Livery Dinner – IT Hall

22nd April 2027 from 6:30pm — 8:00pm • Information Technologists' Hall

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Artificial Intelligence Discussion Forum

15th October 2026 from 5:30pm — 8:00pm • Information Technologists' Hall

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As part of a three-part, AI Roundtable Forum series, this session will bring together senior decision-makers and subject-matter experts to explore how AI is reshaping the workforce and the growing importance of AI literacy. As Generative AI and Agentic AI become more embedded in business, organisations must consider how roles, skills, responsibilities, and work methods will evolve. For SMEs in Financial Services Tech in London, the discussion will explore building AI literacy, preparing workforce for AI roles, and balancing innovation with responsible use, governance, and regulation.

The roundtable will provide a focused forum for peer exchange, practical insights and discussion on the capabilities organisations will need to succeed in an increasingly AI-enabled workplace.

Please book by contacting booking@wcit.org.uk if you are not a WCIT member.

Keynote Speakers And Panelists

Arvinder Mudhar

Chief Digital Officer,

Ocorian Limited

Arvinder Mudhar is Chief Digital Officer at Ocorian and a board-level technology and digital transformation leader with more than 30 years’ experience in financial services. Prior to joining Ocorian, he served as Group CIO at IQUW, Chief Information & Digital Officer at Unum and CIO at Brit Insurance.

Earlier in his career, Arvinder held senior technology and transformation roles at Barclays Wealth, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan, following experience at NatWest Markets and Credit Suisse First Boston. His international career has included leadership assignments across London, New York, Mumbai and Geneva, spanning investment banking, private and wealth management, insurance and enterprise technology transformation.

Alongside his technology leadership experience, Arvinder holds an MSc in Career Management and Counselling from Birkbeck, with a strong focus on leadership development, mentoring and building high-performing global teams.

Graeme Burns

Director

Mavai Ltd

Graeme Burns is a senior HR, transformation and responsible AI leader with more than 25 years’ experience, predominantly in financial services. He is Director of Mavai Ltd, an independent advisory practice focused on responsible AI and the future of work, and an Advisor to AI West. Previously, Graeme spent years at Nationwide Building Society, where he led AI people strategy, helped shape AI governance, served on the organisation’s AI Council and supported the responsible assessment and implementation of AI use cases. Prior to Nationwide, he was Senior HR Business Partner at Lloyds Banking Group.

An MCIPD, Fellow of Practice at the Institute for the Future of Work and FRSA, Graeme has also contributed to CIPD and the Institute for the Future of Work’s research on AI, job design and organisational change, and contributes his expertise to initiatives examining AI’s impact on jobs and skills.

Mike Chapman

Principle,

The Satori Partnership

Mike Chapman is a C-suite technology, transformation and commercial leader with more than 30 years’ experience in the global recruitment and talent services industry. A founding director of Alexander Mann Solutions, he helped shape the early European RPO/MSP market and supported the company’s expansion into Asia. He later spent seven years on the main Board of NES Fircroft, serving as CTO and Chief Customer Officer, leading global technology and client transformation across an organisation with more than 80 offices worldwide.

Mike subsequently joined the main Board of Phaidon International, where he held senior technology and client leadership roles, including Managing Director, Clients & Technology, and CIO, driving digital transformation, data strategy and practical applications of AI across the business. He has since returned to consulting and non-executive advisory work with The Satori Partnership, helping recruitment businesses use technology, automation, data and AI to improve performance and drive profitable growth.

Mike holds a degree in Information Systems, has project management qualifications, and has completed Oxford Saïd Business School’s AI for CIOs programme.

Dr Indranil Nath, FBCS, CEng.

Managing Partner,

Gekkō Advisory Services Ltd

Indranil Nathis a Chartered Engineer, entrepreneurial leader, board member, and independent Non-Executive Director with global experience spanning insurance operations, technology, and governance.

Dr Nath built his career through senior roles at DXC, IBM, AXA, and EY, before moving into advisory work for private equity firms on portfolio turnarounds. He is currently a Managing Partner at Gekkō Advisory Services and serves as a Non-Executive Director and Advisory Board Member at AI+Partners B.V. and Parallel Learning Trust. He is an Associate Professor in Engineering at City St George’s University of London, a Visiting Fellow in AI Capability Evaluations and AI Field Operations, and a Visiting Lecturer in Engineering Strategy at Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University. He is also an advisor to the National Centre of Creativity enabled by AI (CebAI) at Bayes Business School. He is a Fellow of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, and the Institute of Directors.

 An alumnus of the University of Cambridge Judge Business School, Dr Nath holds an MBA in Management and Information Systems and a PhD in Engineering Management. He was named one of the Top 100 Diverse Leaders in Tech by the Technology Inclusion Council in 2021.

Vijay Mitra (Moderator)

HO Digital & Generative AI Risk Partnering, COO Office

Nationwide Building Society

Vijay Mitra is a results-driven governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) leader with over 20 years of cross-sector experience in financial services, spanning retail and investment banking, wealth management, fund administration, and digital FinTech. He specialises in building and scaling AI governance and digital risk frameworks, helping firms navigate Responsible AI, cybersecurity, and regulatory change across complex financial ecosystems.

 With deep expertise in Responsible AI and Generative AI risk management, Vijay operationalises governance models aligned with FCA, PRA, and global ethical standards, embedding fairness, transparency, and accountability across AI-powered solutions. His experience spans Open Banking, Cloud, Crypto, Mobile Platforms, and Embedded Finance, underpinned by robust conduct, model, and cybersecurity controls.

 A trusted advisor to Boards, Risk Committees, and C-suites, VM has engaged with regulators globally, including the FCA, PRA, and central banks in the EU and the Middle East. He mentors FinTechs, banks, and scale-ups to embed Responsible AI frameworks that safeguard customers and enable sustainable innovation.

CTEX3 – Human Craft in the Age of AI (Discover how AI is really changing creative work)

16th September 2026 from 5:30pm — 8:30pm • Amazon Corporate Offices, 1 Principal Pl, London EC2A 2FA

Contact  peter.george@member.wcit.org.uk  to book →

The Creative Industries Panel is running its third public event in its AI in the Creative Industries series.

CTEX3 brings together practitioners from Publishing, Games and Craft who are actively using AI in their day-to-day work.

Venue: Amazon Corporate Offices, 1 Principal Pl, London EC2A 2FA

17.30 Doors open – drinks

Four speakers with a break halfway

20.30 Event finishes

Please contact producer Peter George peter.george@member.wcit.org.uk to register your interest and receive full details when available.

Medicine & Health Panel Event: Orbis – Use of Technology and Innovation to combat avoidable blindness around the world

28th October 2026 from 5:00pm — 8:00pm • Information Technologists' Hall

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This presentation provides a fascinating insight into how technology and virtual reality are helping the Orbis charity to combat avoidable blindness worldwide.

Our very own Larry Benjamin will be providing an entertaining introduction to some of the key areas where the eyesight charity (Orbis) is making effective use of technology, such as

• Use of technology in “flying eye hospitals” to support difficult to reach areas of the world
• Innovative tools such as Cybersight – a telemedicine approach to support and train medical professional around the world
• Cost effective use of Virtual reality equipment to provide realistic training and support for eye surgeons with lower financial resources

This hybrid event will allow participants to connect both remotely and in person, where we will be providing demonstration of the type of equipment used.

About the Speaker:

Larry Benjamin is a recently retired ophthalmologist and previous trustee of Orbis UK. An active member of the WCIT Medicine and Health panel, he first became involved with Orbis in 2004 with a volunteer assignment to the Philippines. Since then, he has actively supported 16 projects, training ophthalmologists in Zambia, China, Myanmar, Pakistan and Ghana to name a few, with both the Flying Eye Hospital and on independent hospital-based programmes.

In 2016, Larry won an award for his dedication to improving global eye health at the Charity Staff and Volunteer Awards and was a finalist in the Humanitarian Awards category of the 2017 International Bond Development Awards. He has previously presented insights on use of data science to improve safety and outcomes in eye surgery.

129th Business Lunch – Armourers’ Hall

19th May 2027 from 12:15pm — 3:00pm •

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Automation: Friend or Foe

28th September 2026 from 6:30pm — 9:30pm • Stationers' Hall

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The Annual Quad Livery Digital Media Event comprises the Worshipful Companies of Stationers, Marketors, Information Technologists and Communicators.

Digital technology affects almost all aspects of modern life – from shopping to sport, gaming to education, how we think to how we feel. AI, the internet of things, 5G, and cloud storage continually enable an avalanche of new products and services, many of which we welcome and rely on, and others which raise concerns. As we learn to live with these ubiquitous technologies, it leads us to question where the boundaries between people and digital technologies lie. How much do they shape how we think, feel and act?

Panellists

Oliver Aust is Founder & CEO of Eo Ipso Communications and former Chief Communicator at easyJet. Oliver works with CEOs and business founders on leadership communication, brand reputation and stakeholder engagement,  navigating the opportunities and challenges of AI and automation, and their impact on brands and customer engagement. He is also the founder of the Speak Like a CEO academy and podcast.

Rachel Caldicott, OBE. Founder and executive director specialising in the social impact of new and emerging technologies, and founding CEO of think tank Doteveryone. Rachel has led influential research into responsible innovation, with a career spanning the BBC, Microsoft, BT, and Channel 4. Rachel was awarded an OBE in 2020 for services to the digital society.

Peter Cheese was Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the UK’s professional body for HR and people development until July 2026. Based in London, he is also a companion of the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Prior to this he was Global Managing Director at Accenture.

Simon Farrar has over 25 years’ experience in financial services, including senior executive leadership at Nationwide, where he transformed customer communications – delivering major shifts from print to digital. Now Executive Director within Go Inspire – a Xerox Company specialising in Marketing Performance.

Alex Merrifield is a product leader with more than 30 years’ experience helping organisations build products that deliver meaningful customer, commercial and strategic value. Known for continually asking “Why?”, Alex specialises in bringing clarity to complex challenges and leading innovation where there is uncertainty. He has extensive experience creating and scaling new products, leading cross-functional teams and shaping product strategy across start-ups, scale-ups and global enterprises.

Chair – Omaid Hiwaizi is a marketing strategist and communications leader with deep experience in developing brands across emerging technologies. Omaid has worked with both high-growth startups and global corporations including Sapient, WPP and Future Positive through to augmented reality platform Blippar, multiple Web 3/Blockchain projects and weight loss start up Elcella. Thought leader Omaid will explore automations’ transformative potential and its wider societal implications with the panel.

Pro Bono Exchange – Helping DAY ONE Achieve IT Independence

14th October 2026 from 6:30pm — 7:30pm • IT Hall & Online

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