SWBC spring Conference

Speaker: Andy Berry CBE, Chief Executive Officer, UCS College

Andy’s career has spanned over 35 years in Further Education, initially starting in a technical support role, rising through teaching and curriculum management positions to his current leadership role today. He is passionate about the role of FE Colleges as anchor organisations, with a clear vision of their role to transform lives and the communities they serve.

Andy provided the strategic leadership and vision to drive through the College Group’s ambition to become the first College in the Country to be approved to deliver nursing Degrees. Assembling and supporting a team of dedicated professionals who worked alongside external stakeholders from our partner university, the NHS and the regulators.

Speaker: Andrew Cockcroft, Head of Stakeholder Engagement & Social Impact, EDF (UK)

Andrew is responsible for ensuring that Hinkley Point C continues to work collaboratively with external partners to maximise the social and economic opportunities of Europe’s largest low-carbon energy project. With an academic background in sustainability and energy policy, Andrew has been part of the Hinkley Point C project for over a decade – initially working as part of the team developing the planning application that provided the go-ahead for the first new nuclear power station in Britain for a generation.

Speaker: Vice Admiral Andrew Burns CB OBE (RTD), SWBC Director

Andrew Burns was appointed Fleet Commander in September 2021 and commanded all operational arms of the Royal Navy (Surface Flotilla, Submarine Flotilla, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary). This included their generation for task and operational effectiveness. He was the Chief Naval Warfare Officer and the Gender Advocate for the Royal Navy.

He has been privileged to command the mine countermeasures vessel HMS Berkeley, the frigate HMS Somerset, and the amphibious assault ship HMS BULWARK. He was appointed OBE in 2015.

Speaker: David Cartwright, Managing Director, Altilium Clean Technology

David joined Altilium as Managing Director in March 2025, taking on key leadership and corporate responsibilities, and in particular the construction of two major new ‘first of a kind’ EV battery minerals recovery and upcycling facilities. The first of which, ACT3, will be commissioned in Plymouth late next year.

With 40 years of experience in the chemicals industry, David has a track record in complex chemical projects and leading high-performance commercial teams.

Speaker: Claire Pearce, Founder & Executive Director, Real Growth Ltd

Claire has over thirty years’ experience working across the public and private sectors in a diverse range of development roles, all with a key focus on place transformation, performance and delivery. With a demonstrable track record in nationally significant and complex regeneration projects, Claire has been able to create the conditions to attract investment, transform places and uplift opportunities for communities. Known for a pro-growth, pro-business approach, Claire has led and delivered considerable economic restructuring both in Reading and more recently in Bridgwater, Somerset and has left a legacy that celebrates sustained economic growth.

Speaker: Paul Coles, CEO, South West Business Council

Paul is a strategic leader and thinker who, over the last few years, has built a portfolio career covering the commercial world, public and third sectors. He has a passion for innovation and digital, which he brings to bear to advance the South-West economy.

He has an extensive range of contacts across both the commercial and public sectors, built on a solid foundation of trust, passion, and delivery. Senior-level stakeholder management has been a key attribute throughout his career.

Paul was appointed CEO of the South West Business Council in February 202.

Speaker: Matt Hindle, Head of Net Zero and Sustainability, Wales & West Utilities

Matt Hindle is Head of Net Zero & Sustainability at Wales & West Utilities. He is responsible for decarbonisation and sustainability activity for the organisation, which looks after the pipes that keep gas flowing for 7.5m people across Wales and South West England. He has previously worked for Energy Networks Association, where he drove the development of the Gas Goes Green programme, and in the biogas sector.

Before that Matt worked in the Houses of Parliament as a researcher and advisor on policy and legislative issues.

Speaker: David A. J. Brown, OBE DL, CEO, The Port of Bristol Company

David joined The Bristol Port Company in October 2008 as the Operations Director and was appointed as its Chief Executive Officer in 2016. Bristol Port remains the largest private and independently owned Port in the UK, employing over 600 personnel. It operates over a 2,600 acre estate with a hugely diverse portfolio of trades.

Prior to joining the Port David spent 24 years serving in the British Army during which time he was involved in numerous operational deployments culminating in Commanding his Battalion in Afghanistan in 2007.

David is a member of the West of England Business Board – Everyday Economy Cluster Group and a Deputy Lieutenant for Somerset.

Speaker: Andrew Griffiths, CFO, Bristol Airport

Andrew is an experienced finance leader and has most recently held senior finance roles in businesses operating across the retail, financial services, business services and marine sectors.

Prior to this Andrew spent 15 years at Manchester Airports Group, owners of Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands Airports, where he held a number of finance leadership roles including Finance Director for Manchester Airport, Finance Director for Group-wide Airport Operations and Group Financial Controller.

Andrew qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Speaker: Peter Crone, Director, Morwind Ltd

Peter launched his first renewable energy company Farm Energy in the late 1980s.  Farm Energy was the original developer of Fullabrook, England’s largest onshore wind farm, and, in the late 1990s, London Array, the world’s first, and for several years, largest utility-scale offshore wind farm. 

Peter was also a founding member of community energy companies South Dartmoor Community Energy and Devon Energy Collective. In 2020 he helped form Morwind, a collaborative developer, based in the South West, in response to the challenge of developing deep-water floating offshore wind in the Celtic

Speaker: Tim Stiven, Director (Marine) The Crown Estate

Tim is a Director in the Marine team at The Crown Estate, with a focus on delivering an offshore energy system that supports the nation’s needs for economic growth, prosperity, security and a thriving natural environment.

Prior to joining The Crown Estate, Tim was a member of the interim executive team that established the Energy Systems Catapult – which helps him bring a ‘system wide’ perspective to challenge of building an offshore energy system to meet the country’s needs.

As a Panasonic Trust Fellow, Tim’s academic background involves a deep focus on sustainable energy systems, particularly offshore renewables, covering technology, policy and markets.

Speaker: David Williams FCA, Senior Partner, KPMG (UK)

David is a Partner at KPMG and leads its UK Transport Advisory practice, alongside serving as Office Senior Partner for the South West and Wales. He oversees a team of more than 700 professionals across the region, driving growth, performance, and high-quality delivery across audit, tax, and advisory, while championing talent development and an inclusive culture.

With over 23 years’ experience in the rail and bus sectors, David is a recognised leader in transport advisory and a former Global Head of Rail and Bus at KPMG. He has advised governments and major transport authorities on some of the UK’s most high-profile reforms, including rail franchising, the London bus market, and wider bus policy. His expertise combines strategic insight with deep commercial and financial capability.