icm08 Conference Speakers

Adrian Chiles is a well-known TV and radio broadcaster, with particular interest in business and current affairs. In addition to presenting the BBC's Working Lunch, Adrian also presented 20 editions of So what do you do all day? - a look at how some of the world's most successful people work and play. In 2003 he fronted a documentary about Britain's richest Asians, Asian Millionaires, and more recently presented The Apprentice: You're Fired, the spin-off to the BBC's hit business series featuring Alan Sugar. He now hosts a new current affairs magazine programme, The One Show.


Joris Kniep, Global Downstream Credit Manager, Shell International has had an international career with Shell since 1980. He has worked predominantly in finance functional areas and management roles in the Netherlands, Greece, Oman, Brunei, Japan and the UK. Earlier in his career, Joris was instrumental in creating the first ever treasury guidelines for Shell and established the network of treasury centres. After an assignment in retail finance, Joris now heads the recently formed Global Downstream Credit function which reaches across 40 countries. He has been active in establishing the global credit function and has overseen the implementation of effective global credit management governance, processes and training.


Chris Sanders, Founding Partner, Business Change Partners Ltd has over 20 years' senior management experience with 10 years in senior management roles including positions of Director Billing Operations, Credit Management, Business Transformation & e-Enablement specialising in management of large operational and geographically dispersed teams (> 500 FTEs) in the areas of credit management, billing, collections and payment management. He has over 8 years in management consultancy working in European and Global assignments including programme management, interim management and consulting in billing, collections, payments and revenue assurance functions delivering significant savings and EBITDA improvements to clients.


Neil Blake, MD Global Economics, Experian Business Strategies Division was a founder director of Business Strategies Ltd, which became part of Experian in 2002. At Experian Business Strategies he has developed a wide range of economic models including macroeconomic and consumer market models, work on small area consumer spending estimates and forecasts, the implications for retail property needs, and for the extension of economic analysis to look at the implications for credit markets and for credit risk. He is also leading an initiative to break economic analysis down to the customer segment level. Dr. Blake has published on a wide range of subjects including economic growth, regional economic modelling, economic history and the use of survey data in economic analysis and forecasting. He was also part of a joint Treasury/DTI/ODPM working group on how to deliver the Government's Regional Economic Performance Public Service Agreement and has worked on both the Lyons Review on the location of government employment and the Barker Review of the economic effects of restrictions on housing supply. He is currently a member of the CLG's Neighbourhoods, Cities and Regions and the Housing Market and Planning panels of experts.


Jane Hingston, Lead Ombudsman, Banking & Credit is the Financial Ombudsman Service's Lead Ombudsman for banking and credit, appointed to the post in January 2005. Her area of the Service expanded significantly from April 2007, when over 80,000 consumer credit licence holders became covered for the first time. A firm believer in the benefits to consumers and to industry of the availability of informal, accessible and independent dispute resolution, Jane began her ombudsman career in 1991 when she joined the Office of the Banking Ombudsman. Holding degrees in Law and in Financial Services, Jane is an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Credit Management.


Phil Pavitt is Group Chief Information Officer for Transport for London (TfL), the functional body responsible for the implementation of the Mayor of London's Transport Strategy and the management of transport services across the Capital including London's buses. As such Phil is ultimately responsible for the technology behind London's buses, the Underground, the Docklands Light Railway and the London River Services. As well as that supporting Victoria Coach Station, the London Transport Museum, London's 4,600 traffic lights and the central London Congestion Charging scheme. Phil's previous roles include division-wide Transformation Director at the Centrica Group, CIO of OneTel and Global CIO at the ntl Group. Phil's core strengths lie in transforming IT functions, in his own words: 'If someone tells me a team can't be changed for the better, I'm the first to rise to the challenge and prove it can be done. Whilst transformation is about vision and strategy, I believe the key to effective change is people - and my passion is to engage, motivate and lead the team so together we develop a culture of success and deliver transformation.' Alongside his work commitments, Phil is a regular public speaker on a range of topics from leadership to IT delivery.


Claire Lipworth is a Partner in Peters & Peters' Fraud and Regulatory Department. Having trained with the firm, she qualified in 1992 and became a Partner in 1999. As a member of the Cartels Investigations team, Claire advises clients on the implications of the Enterprise and Competition Acts in a criminal context. Claire specialises in representing individual and corporate clients facing complex fraud and corruption investigations both in the UK and overseas and has expertise in all aspects of anti-money laundering compliance.


Stephen Allinson, Consultant, Moon Beever, Insolvency and Business Recovery Team. Allinson graduated from Bristol University in 1981 where he studied Law. After achieving Honours in his Law Finals at Guildford College of Law, he trained and qualified at Clarke Willmott. He has specialised in insolvency work since 1987 and became the youngest lawyer to obtain the Licensed Insolvency Practitioner qualification. Stephen was an equity Partner and a member of the firm's Management Board for over 15 years. In February this year and after 25 years at Clarke Willmott, Stephen joined Moon Beever as a Consultant in the Insolvency and Business Recovery team, where he will enhance the team's already high profile and vast experience. Stephen regularly lectures on insolvency and debt recovery to other professionals. In his leisure time he is fiercely proud to be a Director of Yeovil Town Football Club.


Akbar Dhala is Head of Product Management for Payments & Cash Management (Europe) at HSBC Bank plc. Akbar is a cash management professional of several years’ experience in the European arena, having worked in a number of areas including Business Development, and most recently headed up the Payables & Receivables product portfolio, prior to taking up his current role. Akbar has also represented the Bank on a number of industry forums on both UK as well as European issues.




Vincent Cable MP graduated from Cambridge University, where he was President of the Union, followed by a PhD at Glasgow University. He has had a varied career which includes time at the Foreign Office, Chatham House and as Shell's Chief Economist. Vincent Cable was first elected to Parliament to represent Twickenham in 1997. He has been the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor since November 2003 and is currently Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He has published several books and reports on international economics, trade and environmental issues.



John Price, Head of Direct Sales, Atradius is a trade credit insurance expert with 30 years' experience in the industry. He was part of the team which led the privatisation of ECGD's short tem business. Currently Head of Direct Sales at Atradius he also has expertise in claims examination, collections and underwriting. An ICM member, he is a frequent public speaker whose specialist subject is 'Credit Insurance you know it makes sense'. When not focused on increasing Atradius’ business John likes to work out and follow the fortunes of Manchester United.


Ken Maynard, Group Chief Executive, Cabot Financial Having joined the Group in 1999, Ken has extensive experience in a broad spectrum of financial service operations including banking – Lloyds Bank and TSB Bank, finance houses and call centre management. He has in-depth credit management expertise involving both consumer and commercial portfolios gained as a Director of Woodchester Credit Lyonnais, Ventura and GE Capital, both in the UK and Eire. Ken is a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, the Institute of Credit Management, the Institute of Directors and is a Director and Council member of the Credit Services Association and a member of the Governing Committee of the UK Debt Buyers and Sellers Group.