The Women@Berkeley Network presents
Women's Networking Event
Held in recognition and celebration of International Women's Day 2026 and the theme of Give to Gain.
We're delighted to host a cohort of impressive women to mark International Women's Day and Women's History Month. We encourage you to use this page to build your network and connect with other wonderful women involved in our event.
Please note: a transcript and photos will be taken at this event and by attending you understand and agree that all photos will become the property of The Berkeley Partnership to be used on our website and in our marketing materials.
Our panellists
Katy Cardwell
Director of Digital Customer Experience, British Airways
Katy Cardwell is Director of Digital Customer Experience at British Airways, where she leads the departments delivering the airline’s digital and commercial platforms at global scale.
Katy joined British Airways in 2012 and has built her career across a uniquely broad range of roles, including frontline customer service, sales account management, flying as cabin crew, and operational roles at Heathrow. These experiences have shaped her leadership style and given her a deep, practical understanding of what it means to deliver for customers and colleagues every day.
In recent years, Katy has led critical commercial capabilities including Global Payments and Global Distribution, before additionally taking responsibility for British Airways’ core digital estate — ba.com and the mobile app. Since January 2025, she has been leading British Airways’ largest‑ever commercial platform transformation, including scaling a new website and mobile app, whilst overseeing an industry step-change in Offer and Order Management across the airline, modernising NDC (New Distribution Capability) and transforming our global Payments and CRM platforms.
Alongside her executive role, Katy is a Non‑Executive Director of BA Euroflyer, contributing to governance and strategic direction.
Katy is a strong advocate for people‑first leadership. As a mother of two, she is passionate about creating environments where high performance and wellbeing go hand‑in‑hand, and where flexibility and trust enable people to thrive. She is an active mentor and coach, committed to developing talent and supporting the next generation of leaders across the organisation. Katy is also a passionate advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace, and creating high performing teams where anyone can succeed.
Alison Dyer
Group Chief Information Security Officer, Associated British Foods
Ali joined Associated British Foods (ABF) as Group CISO in July 2024. Prior to joining ABF, Ali held CISO roles at ASOS, where she was responsible for cyber security, physical security and fraud prevention, and Urenco, a uranium enrichment company.
Ali started her career in production engineering with MetalBox and soon moved into an IT role deploying an ERP system across their European Manufacturing plants. She joined GSK in 2002 holding a variety of IT business partner leadership roles and delivering a number of large complex IT change projects. In 2008 Ali moved to Kuala Lumpur, to set up GSK’s Malaysian Global IT Centre, then on to Singapore delivering the Far East strategy for the creation of a Core Business Services division within GSK.
It was through leading the Project Management Office for Core Business Services on her return to the UK that resulted in her moving into Information Security in 2012 - leading GSK’s global cyber security programme for 6 years. Ali holds a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, London and an MSc in Information Security from Royal Holloway University.
Ali is a member of the Gallos Alliance Steering Group and is a member of the UK National Cyber Advisory Board (NCAB).
Emily Shepperd
Former Chief Operating Officer, Financial Conduct Authority
Emily Shepperd is the Chief Operating Officer of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a role she has held since 2022, where she oversees the regulator’s strategy, operations and business performance, as well as its systems, infrastructure, change, communications and finance functions.
Before becoming COO, Emily served as the FCA’s Executive Director of Authorisations from 2021, leading the function responsible for assessing firms and individuals applying to undertake regulated activity and overseeing the FCA’s Supervision Hub.
Emily brings over three decades of financial‑services experience, including her longest tenure- nearly 15 years at BNY Mellon, where she served as EMEA Chief Operating Officer and led operations, technology and major change programmes across multiple businesses, from global markets to asset servicing.
Merel van den Boomen
Transformation Director, Great British Railways
Senior transformation and commercial strategy leader with 15+ years of experience delivering large-scale customer, revenue, and operating model transformation across complex, regulated industries, including rail and telecommunications.
Proven track record in leading multi-stakeholder programmes, defining target operating models, and driving end-to-end customer and digital transformation. Combines strategic vision with hands-on delivery to achieve measurable impact at scale.
In her current role, Merel is accountable for delivering the digital transformation of UK Fares, Ticketing and Retail—a £352 million portfolio spanning five strategic pillars and over 55 initiatives—shaping the future customer experience of rail in the UK.
Ruth Ovens
Chief People Officer, Informa Tech Target
Ruth Ovens is Chief People Officer at Informa TechTarget. Previously she joined Informa Tech in March 2021 with over 15 years senior global people leadership experience in a range of industries including media, B2B, logistics and tech and is also a Governor for Bath Spa University.
Ruth is passionate about the difference great people, leadership, being inclusive and deliberate development can make not only to business performance but to our colleagues, audience, customers, communities and the tech industry as a whole. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has an M.Sc. in Strategic Personnel and Development, where the dissertation was all about the impact of company values on business performance.
Ruth has a farm on the outskirts of Bath, UK, with her husband and three children, who all love the outdoors, keeping fit and fitness challenges.
Our panellists
Director of Digital Customer Experience, British Airways
Katy Cardwell is Director of Digital Customer Experience at British Airways, where she leads the departments delivering the airline’s digital and commercial platforms at global scale.
Katy joined British Airways in 2012 and has built her career across a uniquely broad range of roles, including frontline customer service, sales account management, flying as cabin crew, and operational roles at Heathrow. These experiences have shaped her leadership style and given her a deep, practical understanding of what it means to deliver for customers and colleagues every day.
In recent years, Katy has led critical commercial capabilities including Global Payments and Global Distribution, before additionally taking responsibility for British Airways’ core digital estate — ba.com and the mobile app. Since January 2025, she has been leading British Airways’ largest‑ever commercial platform transformation, including scaling a new website and mobile app, whilst overseeing an industry step-change in Offer and Order Management across the airline, modernising NDC (New Distribution Capability) and transforming our global Payments and CRM platforms.
Alongside her executive role, Katy is a Non‑Executive Director of BA Euroflyer, contributing to governance and strategic direction.
Katy is a strong advocate for people‑first leadership. As a mother of two, she is passionate about creating environments where high performance and wellbeing go hand‑in‑hand, and where flexibility and trust enable people to thrive. She is an active mentor and coach, committed to developing talent and supporting the next generation of leaders across the organisation. Katy is also a passionate advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace, and creating high performing teams where anyone can succeed.
Group Chief Information Security Officer, Associated British Foods
Ali joined Associated British Foods (ABF) as Group CISO in July 2024. Prior to joining ABF, Ali held CISO roles at ASOS, where she was responsible for cyber security, physical security and fraud prevention, and Urenco, a uranium enrichment company.
Ali started her career in production engineering with MetalBox and soon moved into an IT role deploying an ERP system across their European Manufacturing plants. She joined GSK in 2002 holding a variety of IT business partner leadership roles and delivering a number of large complex IT change projects. In 2008 Ali moved to Kuala Lumpur, to set up GSK’s Malaysian Global IT Centre, then on to Singapore delivering the Far East strategy for the creation of a Core Business Services division within GSK.
It was through leading the Project Management Office for Core Business Services on her return to the UK that resulted in her moving into Information Security in 2012 - leading GSK’s global cyber security programme for 6 years. Ali holds a BEng in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, London and an MSc in Information Security from Royal Holloway University.
Ali is a member of the Gallos Alliance Steering Group and is a member of the UK National Cyber Advisory Board (NCAB).
Former Chief Operating Officer, Financial Conduct Authority
Emily Shepperd is the Chief Operating Officer of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a role she has held since 2022, where she oversees the regulator’s strategy, operations and business performance, as well as its systems, infrastructure, change, communications and finance functions.
Before becoming COO, Emily served as the FCA’s Executive Director of Authorisations from 2021, leading the function responsible for assessing firms and individuals applying to undertake regulated activity and overseeing the FCA’s Supervision Hub.
Emily brings over three decades of financial‑services experience, including her longest tenure- nearly 15 years at BNY Mellon, where she served as EMEA Chief Operating Officer and led operations, technology and major change programmes across multiple businesses, from global markets to asset servicing.
Transformation Director, Great British Railways
Senior transformation and commercial strategy leader with 15+ years of experience delivering large-scale customer, revenue, and operating model transformation across complex, regulated industries, including rail and telecommunications.
Proven track record in leading multi-stakeholder programmes, defining target operating models, and driving end-to-end customer and digital transformation. Combines strategic vision with hands-on delivery to achieve measurable impact at scale.
In her current role, Merel is accountable for delivering the digital transformation of UK Fares, Ticketing and Retail—a £352 million portfolio spanning five strategic pillars and over 55 initiatives—shaping the future customer experience of rail in the UK.
Chief People Officer, Informa Tech Target
Ruth Ovens is Chief People Officer at Informa TechTarget. Previously she joined Informa Tech in March 2021 with over 15 years senior global people leadership experience in a range of industries including media, B2B, logistics and tech and is also a Governor for Bath Spa University.
Ruth is passionate about the difference great people, leadership, being inclusive and deliberate development can make not only to business performance but to our colleagues, audience, customers, communities and the tech industry as a whole. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has an M.Sc. in Strategic Personnel and Development, where the dissertation was all about the impact of company values on business performance.
Ruth has a farm on the outskirts of Bath, UK, with her husband and three children, who all love the outdoors, keeping fit and fitness challenges.
Event attendees:
- Abby Thomas, CEO – Financial Ombudsman Service
- Abigail McManus, Flight Ops Delivery Manager – British Airways
- Ali Buttery, Labs Digitisation Lead – BSI Limited
- Amrit Bhogal, Director of Colleague Services – British Airways
- Amy Rothwell, President UK and Ireland – Getinge Group
- Amy Schnee, Divisional Head of Legal, Informa Festivals – Informa UK
- Amy Wood, Head of Cyber Threat Defence – British Airways
- Anji Henry, Head of Transformation – WPP Group
- Anna L Jones, Senior PMO Manager – NATS Plc
- Anthea Crawford, Head of Retail & Payment Partnerships – Google LLC
- Becca Blake, Commercial Business Graduate – British Airways
- Becky Blakemore, Programme Manager – NATS Plc
- Benita Meswania, HR Business Partner – WPP Group
- Bernie Bird, Senior Technical Programme Manager – Marks and Spencer plc
- Bafrin Nahim, Global Commercial Director, RS – BSI Limited
- Bryony Atkin, NDC Customer Success Manager – British Airways
- Cat Mullen, Head of Product – Marks and Spencer plc
- Charlotte Graham, Business Change Manager – Ocado Retail Ltd
- Chrysanthy Pispinis, Senior Strategy & Planning Manager, Financial Services – Post Office Ltd
- Christelle Heikilla, Contributing Editor – CIO Online UK
- Clare Craigie, Head of ATM and Collaboration – NATS Plc
- Claudia Reynolds, Associate – ClearToken
- Colleen Lutz, Workday Deployment Manager – VML
- Crystal O’Connell, Head of HR Technology Solutions, Services & Global Marketing – Informa UK
- Daria Ziemianska, Digital Product Manager – IFCO Systems
- Dawn McKerracher Head of Loyalty Strategy & Proposition - Marks & Spencer
- Dee McManus, Executive Director, Chief Compliance Officer – Blue Motor Finance Ltd
- Deborah Fenson, Senior Strategic Change Manager – NATS Plc
- Dilpa Raval, Director – S&W Group
- Dominica Masarova, Lead Data Analyst – British Airways
- Eleanor Hruzik, Head of Change – ClearToken
- Elizabeth Nyman, Director, Technology Strategy & Insights – Informa UK
- Ella Knibbs, Deputy Project Manager – NATS Plc
- Eloise O'Shaughnessy, Junior Legal Counsel – Brown Shipley
- Emily Shepperd, Executive Director – FCA
- Emma Murray, Head of Product – Marks and Spencer plc
- Emma Pearce, Service Transition Lead – SMBC Group
- Evie Campbell, BD Associate – Brown Shipley
- Fej Patel, Practice Group COO – Fladgate LLP
- Fiona O’Reilly, Executive Coach, Consultant – Freelance
- Georgia Enright, Director – Octopus
- Gemma Bailey, Transformation Director – Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd
- Hannah Winterlevy, Head of Business Planning – Informa UK
- Hayley Cresswell, Head of Planning Practice – NATS Plc
- Helen Hewitt, VP, Head of Design Operations – Dow Jones
- Indhu Gosal, Head of IT Ops Planning – British Airways
- Jane Cathrall, HR Director – Bank of England
- Jennifer McGuire, Head of Internal Audit and Assurance – ABF plc
- Jenny Fernandez, Head of Research & Insights – (none listed)
- Joanna Balfour, PokerStars CPO – Flutter
- Josephine Mathews, Disputes Partner – Wallace LLP
- Juanita Draude, EVP – Monks
- Julie Thomas, COO – Post Office Ltd
- Karolina Oconnor, Product Experience Director – JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- Katherine Gooch, SCO Senior Manager – Bank of England
- Kathrin Kahrass, Group SVP – The Adecco Group
- Katie Harrigan, RS Business Improvement Director – BSI Limited
- Katie Young, Head of Commercial – Schroders Personal Wealth
- Katy Cory, Director of Cyber Strategy and Transformation – Unilever
- Kirsten Whitmarsh, Commercial Planning Manager – British Airways
- Laura Griffin, Head of HR Transformation – Informa UK
- Laura Peal, Tribe Delivery Lead – British Airways
- Laverne Udeze, Change Manager – Informa UK
- Letitia Trimmer, Head of Technology Portfolio – Informa UK
- Lisa Gibbard, CIO – Thomas Miller Holdings Ltd
- Lizette Butkiewicz, Head of Climate and Nature – Flora Food Group
- Lizzie Mothersill, Commercial Delivery Manager – British Airways
- Lizz Webb, P&P Demand Lead – NATS Plc
- Louise Baxendale, Head of Indirect Platforms – British Airways
- Louise Dunning, Senior Resource Manager – Eversheds Sutherland
- Lynne Walker, Director of Primark Cares – ABF plc
- Maisie Timms, PMO – Informa UK
- Mandy Gunn, Strategic Solutions Manager – Getinge Group
- Mary Dalby, Director of Portfolio Management, Transformation – BSI Ltd
- Mary Fleming, Managing Partner, UK Shared Service Centre – WPP Group
- Megan Liebetrau, Technology and Transformation Director – Unilever
- Mel Stocker, IT VP Product – Burberry Group plc
- Michael Field, Revenue Accountant – Ogilvy
- Mischa Coleman, Comms Lead – WPP Group
- Monica Johnston, BD Director – Projecting Group
- Natalie Peire, Partner Manager EMEA – Datatonic
- Nicky Keeley, Director of Cyber & IT Risk – British Airways
- Nikki Parkins, GDT Strategy & Governance Lead – Unilever
- Patricia Sampaio, Senior IT Business Partner – Brambles
- Penny Milsom, Deputy Chief Executive – (none listed)
- Prerna Kanwar, Product Manager – Marks and Spencer plc
- Priya Brahmbhatt-Patel, Executive Director of Communications & Engagement – Ofgem
- Priya Desai, HR Transformation Director – WPP Group
- Rachel Bristow, Associate – Conker
- Rachel Power, Chief Executive – The Patients Association
- Reshma Shaikh, Head of Transformation – Wiley
- Ria Patel, Director, Digital Technology – AllSaints
- Sabah Carter, Chief Data, Intelligence & Technology Officer – FSCS
- Samantha Bedford, Cost Transformation Delivery Lead – Holland & Barrett International
- Sangeetha Parsan, VP Professional Services – Informa UK
- Sarah Jane Sinclair, Director of OCIDO – British Airways
- Sarah Kelly, Head of Office of the CIO – Sky Group Limited
- Sarah Rapson, Executive Director – Financial Reporting Council
- Sarah Tilsed, Head of Partnerships and Involvement – The Patients Association
- Serene Anderson, Commercial Business Graduate – British Airways
- Sneha Das, Senior Product Manager – Marks and Spencer plc
- Sophie A Burton, EA to CEO – NATS Plc
- Sophie Thomas, Head of Projects and Programmes – NATS Plc
- Stella Wilson-Haffendon, Director of Product Development – Kantar
- Stefania Di Gesu, Digital Product Lead – British Airways
- Sue Killen, Chair – PSNC
- Tahseen Syed, Business Readiness Lead – London Metal Exchange
- Tejaswini Saji, Portfolio Associate – Informa UK
- Toni Cranko, Change Management Lead – Digital Supply Chain – Brambles
- Vicki Swain, Product Longevity & Partnership Lead, Primark Cares - Primark
- Victoria Jelley, Merchandise Product Owner – AllSaints
- Wendy Goppy, PMU – FCA
Broadening our impact
Give to Gain
We’re proud to once again partner with Smart Works and Bottomless Closet who help unemployed women receive the coaching, clothing and confidence they need to secure employment and change the trajectory of their lives. For the month of March, we are gathering clothing donations for both organisations in our London and NYC offices.
If you'd like to support these charities, you can directly donate money to Smart Works here and Bottomless Closet here. Bottomless Closet’s Amazon Wish List with their most needed items is here.
Meet the female winemaker
Our International Women's Day panel event will feature sparkling wine from the British Nyetimber vineyard. Cherie Spriggs is head winemaker at Nyetimber with vast experience of winemaking, having made wine all over the world.
Spriggs’ uncompromising attention to detail and commitment to crafting consistent, reliable wines at Nyetimber has garnered her and the brand much recognition and accolades. In 2018, she won Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge – an achievement for the history books as she was the first person outside of Champagne, France, as well as the first woman ever, to win this prestigious award. Nyetimber even produces a wine named after her – the Cuvee Chérie Multi-Vintage.
Sustainable sourcing and dietaries
We have made active choices for our event to prioritise sourcing local and seasonal produce, ensuring our ingredients are fresh, sustainable, and ethically obtained. Eggs are sourced through ethical means and we greatly value our caterer's collaboration with Compassion in World Farming (CiWF) for their expertise in animal welfare policies.
Our food includes locally produced seasonal ingredients, organic milk and wine, Red Tractor-certified meat, and MSC-certified fish.
Where possible, we implement smart menu planning, optimising ingredient use across multiple dishes to minimise waste. To ensure accurate preparation and ordering, we aim to finalise menu choices and guest numbers as close to the event as possible, allowing us to effectively accommodate any dietary requirements.
Our evening will be nut-free and our menu offers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free selections.
Broadening our impact
Give to Gain
We’re proud to once again partner with Smart Works and Bottomless Closet who help unemployed women receive the coaching, clothing and confidence they need to secure employment and change the trajectory of their lives. For the month of March, we are gathering clothing donations for both organisations in our London and NYC offices.
If you'd like to support these charities, you can directly donate money to Smart Works here and Bottomless Closet here. Bottomless Closet’s Amazon Wish List with their most needed items is here.
Meet the female winemaker
Our International Women's Day panel event will feature sparkling wine from the British Nyetimber vineyard. Cherie Spriggs is head winemaker at Nyetimber with vast experience of winemaking, having made wine all over the world.
Spriggs’ uncompromising attention to detail and commitment to crafting consistent, reliable wines at Nyetimber has garnered her and the brand much recognition and accolades. In 2018, she won Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge – an achievement for the history books as she was the first person outside of Champagne, France, as well as the first woman ever, to win this prestigious award. Nyetimber even produces a wine named after her – the Cuvee Chérie Multi-Vintage.
Sustainable sourcing and dietaries
We have made active choices for our event to prioritise sourcing local and seasonal produce, ensuring our ingredients are fresh, sustainable, and ethically obtained. Eggs are sourced through ethical means and we greatly value our caterer's collaboration with Compassion in World Farming (CiWF) for their expertise in animal welfare policies.
Our food includes locally produced seasonal ingredients, organic milk and wine, Red Tractor-certified meat, and MSC-certified fish.
Where possible, we implement smart menu planning, optimising ingredient use across multiple dishes to minimise waste. To ensure accurate preparation and ordering, we aim to finalise menu choices and guest numbers as close to the event as possible, allowing us to effectively accommodate any dietary requirements.
Our evening will be nut-free and our menu offers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free selections.
