Business 2050

This event is now fully booked.

This event is part of Alliance Manchester Business School’s Festival of Business.

The world is changing at an ever-faster pace. Businesses and society are facing challenges never encountered before, such as climate change, technology, and changing attitudes to work.  

As the Original Modern City, Manchester pioneered new ways of working and employment rights and led innovation. Fast-forward to 2050, and what will Manchester and the world look like? How will businesses navigate these new challenges and those yet to be discovered? How will work cultures be fostered in a world of remote or hybrid working?  

At this event leading business professionals and academics will discuss how business and society can come together to find viable and sustainable solutions to these challenges.  
 
Discover how Ford Europe is looking ahead, forging new business models, and anticipating changing needs from consumers. Learn from the fifth-generation leader of Booths Supermarkets on how they have had to adapt to a changing retail environment while maintaining strong relationships with employees, suppliers, and consumers. And hear from experts in technology and AI how humans, businesses and society will navigate a new and evolving world. 

Join us for an inspiring, complimentary event with lunch and refreshments provided.  

Transformation 

Explore how businesses will need to structure themselves to be able to deliver successful transformation and thrive despite increasing external challenges. 

Speakers: 

• Will Periam, Vice President of Transformation, Ford Europe:
  Will Periam is an alum of AMBS and now leads Ford Europe’s transformation. The global automotive organisation has faced multiple challenges in terms of consumer behaviour, technology, and the environment. He will talk about Ford is navigating this through business transformation into what might be a vastly different operating model.  
  
  
• Matt Cobbold, Strategic Growth Manager, Palatine Private Equity:
  Working within the Value Enhancement team at Palatine Private Equity ,Matt helps management teams across the buyout and impact portfolios to identify, prioritise and execute on value driving initiatives.
  
  
• Sacha Jacobs, CFO, Fabacus:
  As CFO of pioneering data-as-a-service technology company Fabacus, Sacha brings extensive experience from senior roles at GE, NBCUniversal, and several private equity and VC-backed media and tech firms. At Fabacus, he oversees financial strategy and investor relations, enhances business growth and efficiency, and has previously scaled several media businesses globally. Fabacus specialises in innovative product data management solutions, transforming how brands, retailers, and manufacturers manage their brand and licensing portfolio and product catalogues through their supply chain.
  
  
• Judy Zolkiewski, Professor of Marketing, Alliance Manchester Business School:
  Judy Zolkiewski's main teaching interests are in the area of business-to-business marketing and strategy. She currently offers marketing courses on the MSc in Marketing and provides specialist input on business-to-business marketing and relationship management to undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

People & Society 

An ever-changing world creates new and significant challenges for organisations and society.  How do organisations create value in this post-pandemic world? Consumers, employees, and investors are now looking at companies to go beyond expectations. How will organisations respond to climate change, what will employees' attitudes to work be, and what will their impact be, and its impact on society? Can organisations put purpose ahead of profit?  

Speakers: 

• Edwin Booth CBE, Chair of Booths Supermarkets:
  Booths is one of the oldest supermarket companies and is still led by the Booth Family. Edwin will discuss how the founding philosophy of ‘Sell the best goods available, in attractive stores, staffed with first class assistants,’ has weathered over the 177 years of trading. Committed to their suppliers and employees, discover what makes Booths a successful business. Edwin Booth CBE previously chained the Advisory Board North West of Business in the Community and Chaired the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership. He is supported by his younger brother, Graham. 
  
  
• Lisa Shaftesley, HR Director Trips:
  Lisa Shaftesley leads Booking.com’s people strategy across its businesses. A highly versatile and forward-thinking HR leader, Lisa has worked in retail, social housing, banking, and finance. With over 25 years of experience, she recently supported Booking.com’s relocation to its £80m head office in Manchester.
  
  
• Michelle Carter, Professor of Information Systems, Alliance Manchester Business School:
  Michelle's research focuses on information technologies’ involvement in identity and social change, factors that shape IT usage behaviours, and information systems management. She is part of the AMBS Leadership Team as Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead.

The role of technology and innovation in business  

What are the opportunities and challenges facing business through the rapid advances of technology? Adoption of AI is at a rapid pace despite a lack of regulation or understanding of the broader impact on individuals, intellectual property, and workers. This session will explore the technology landscape and how organisations can prepare for the future.  

 Speakers:  

• Lou Cordwell, Professor of Innovation Ecosystems, Alliance Manchester Business School, and The University of Manchester:
  Lou began her career working for WPP before founding the Manchester-based digital design studio, magneticNorth (mN). In 2021, mN merged with Fluxx, creating the UK’s leading design and innovation consultancy, Magnetic, where Lou continues to be involved as Chief Creative Officer. She has spent the past two years building a team and the strategic masterplan for ID Manchester, Europe’s most ambitious Innovation District project. 
  
  
• Patrick Vizzone, co-founder and CFO, Honorary Professor of Sustainable Innovation & Entrepreneurship:
  Patrick Vizzone is an executive, investor, and entrepreneur with a career that has spanned agri-food, finance, technology, and sustainability. Patrick joined the University of Manchester’s Global Leadership Board in 2019 and serves as President of the University’s Hong Kong Foundation. The university recently appointed him an Honorary Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He is co-founder and CFO of Vertical Oceans, an AI-driven, fully automated platform focusing on sustainable food production, particularly aquaculture. Patrick held leadership positions at ANZ Banking Group, National Australia Bank, and Rabobank. At ANZ, he served as Alternate CEO, Head of Coverage, and International Head of Food and Agribusiness. 
  
  
• Matt Robinson, Head of Nations and Regions, techUK:
  Matt is techUK’s Head of Nations and Regions. He leads techUK’s work with members and stakeholders across the UK to increase the Local Digital Capital across the UK’s nation and regions, build communities and to ensure that digital technology plays a key part the post-COVID-19 levelling-up recovery. Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked for several national education charities and membership bodies to develop their regional partnerships with schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and other stakeholders. He’s also worked with local authority leaders and other stakeholders to engage communities, work with elected members and improve public services. He holds a BA in Politics from the University of York and an MA in International Relations from the University of Leeds. Away from work he’s a keen football fan and golfer.
  
  
• Mohammad El Hajj, co-founder and CEO, Bright Biotech:
  Mohammad El Hajj is co-founder and CEO of Bright Biotech, a start-up specialising in plant-based production of high-quality and affordable proteins for R&D, therapeutic, cosmeceutical, agri-food and industrial applications. Mohammad has a PhD in Biotechnology and Enterprise from the University of Manchester, and received training in Entrepreneurship at AMBS.

The event

The discussions will be facilitated by Chris Smith, Senior Lecturer in Critical Systems, Operations and Supply Chains, AMBS:

Dr Smith teaches across the entire portfolio at AMBS, Undergraduate, Masters, MBA, Executive Education and supervises Doctoral Students. As the Business Engagement Lead for AMBS, he works with a wide range of organisations across the whole portfolio of activity within AMBS. His research interests concern how decision makers take complex decisions through facilitation and model building, and applying these methods to contexts including operations and supply chain strategy.

The event will begin at 9.30am with refreshments served from 9am.

The event will finish at 1.30pm, followed by a networking lunch.