TEDxSurreyUniversity

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Ali Borhani

  Ali Borhani is a geopolitical strategist and Managing Director of 3Sixty Strategic Advisors. He advises blue-chip boardrooms, family enterprises, and UHNWIs, helping them decode complex macro signals and turn turbulence into resilient strategy. Known for his contrarian clarity, he connects disparate dots to give CEOs, investors, and Next Gen leaders the foresight needed to navigate an increasingly fractured world. A prolific writer on Substack (Futurearly) and co-founder & co-host of the BRI Dialogues podcast with the al-Sabah Programme at Durham University, Ali cuts through the noise of global disruption. He provides the narrative map essential for intelligent capital allocation and steadfast leadership when it matters most.

• Dr Arokia Antonysamy

  Dr Arokia Antonysamy is an award-winning psychiatrist, researcher, and visionary reshaping the future of mental health. As CEO and Co-founder of MindKonnect, she is pioneering digital pathways that deliver early assessment and intervention, empowering patients to take control of their care. Her innovations include the MaZon tool—winner of the Innovator Award—and PARA, the UK’s first national framework addressing social-media-related risks while championing patient strengths. Her groundbreaking work in reducing violence in psychiatric units featured in the BBC documentary Keeping Britain Alive. A national leader influencing policies and a Warwick Business School scholar, her research spans AI, transgender health, perinatal psychiatry, and patient experience. Globally recognised for thinking beyond boundaries, she is redefining modern mental health.

• Dr Chris Macdonald

  Dr Chris Macdonald is a scientist and founder based at the University of Cambridge. He has a diverse portfolio of professional experience, including work as a consultant and manager for leading-edge tech companies in North America. Upon returning to the UK, Chris established the Immersive Technology Lab to explore the untapped potential of emerging technologies. He later founded the multi-award-winning tech start-up Cambridge VR, developing best-in-class tools for education and healthcare. Dr Macdonald was recently crowned the winner of the 40 Under 40 Award in the highly competitive Science and Innovation category. He is also the recipient of the Digital Health Award, the Digital Education Award, and the Global EdTech Award.

• Dr Nayanee Silva

  Dr Nayanee Silva is a founder, business consultant and researcher. She serves as a Senior Advisor at CIFAL/UNITAR Surrey for UN-certified training and is an Associate Lecturer in Corporate Sustainability at the University of Surrey. She is a Sustainability Fellow at the Institute for Sustainability and a Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Innovation Management at Surrey Business School. She holds Fellowships with the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW), Chartered Management Institute and Royal Society for Arts (RSA). Her work spans research and advisory roles in corporate sustainability management, business transformation and stakeholder engagement. She engages in impact initiatives as a mentor for women entrepreneurs, the Kings’ Trust and through her foundation supporting capacity building projects in Sri Lanka.

• Dr Noelia Noël

  Dr Noelia Noël is an astrophysicist and director of employability within Physics at the University of Surrey. With over 120 publications, Noelia’s work bridges astrophysics, environmental science, and social justice. She leads the UK’s first in-orbit test of ultra-black satellite coatings to reduce light pollution. Her leadership has been recognised through the Santander Women 50 Leadership Programme, the Royal Society Pairing Scheme, the 2023 Vice Chancellor Award, and the Employee Network Award 2025. A passionate communicator, she has delivered invited talks at international conferences, science festivals, and Parliament, inspiring audiences to see science as a force for connection and sustainability.

• Dr Sarita Sharma

  Dr Sarita Sharma is a multi–award-winning skin expert, dentist (qualifying from King’s College London in 1998) and founder of Essex Sanctuary, recognised as the most trusted skin clinic in Essex. With over 21 years of experience in medical aesthetics, her work centres on science-led, reparative and regenerative approaches that help people age well with confidence and self-care. She transitioned into aesthetics, blending clinical precision with a deep understanding of psychology and patient wellbeing. She holds Platinum status with Save Face and is one of the UK’s first recognised experts in ZO Skin Health. Dr Sarita Sharma is the author of the #1 bestselling book “Transform Your Skin to Transform Your Life” and is widely published in professional media.

• Elsie Borms

  With a law degree under her belt, Elsie quickly discovered that her true passion lay in entrepreneurship and human connection. For over two decades, she has helped women around the world grow and scale their businesses with confidence. Affectionately known as the Queen of Networking, she believes that genuine relationships are the cornerstone of success. As the proud Director of Global Woman Brussels and founder of The Networker and Momdernemer, Elsie transforms networking into a catalyst for lasting personal and professional growth. Her leadership blends strategy with empathy — always centered on helping others rise together.

• Emily Gill

  Emily Gill is the Co-Founder of LEVRA, an award-winning EdTech company solving Human Skills gaps for businesses by using psychometrics, and AI to measure and develop Human Skills, such as communication, teamwork and EQ. A former Finance Lawyer at Clifford Chance, she completed her MBA at the University of Oxford and has been recognised as one of the Top 50 UK Women in Tech. Emily is a Certified Coach (CPCC) and serves as Chair of School Governors at Harris Clapham, championing inclusive education and opportunities for young people. LEVRA helps organisations build future-ready workforces and ensures Gen Z in particular have the Human Skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven world.

• Kerry-Lyn Stanton-Downes

  Kerry-Lyn Stanton-Downes is a relationship psychotherapist, speaker and author. Her work centres on a simple truth: what happens between us matters most. She has worked with thousands of individuals, leaders and teams helping them move from survival to safety to success. With a background in psychology and neuroscience, Kerry-Lyn translates complex relational concepts into the 8 Principles of Relational Capacity which anyone can use. Known for her warm, direct style, she shows why relational capacity is essential in a world shaped by AI and constant change. Kerry-Lyn’s work invites people to show up with presence, curiosity and commitment to the quality of the way they relate – wherever they are.

• Ravi Kant

  Ravi Kant designs systems that decide how intelligence is created, trusted, and acted upon. A data engineer with seven years of experience, he builds cloud platforms on AWS and Azure that transform fragmented information into strategic insight. He is building IQ.ai under Cortex Lab, exploring how data engineering, AI, and blockchain shape next-generation decision systems. His venture has been recognised by Santander and reached the final round of a competitive incubation programme. Ravi is a Marang Gomke Overseas Chevening Scholar, recognising leadership and global impact. He contributes to international AI and blockchain conferences on data infrastructure and intelligent systems. Educated at Oxford and Surrey and serving as VP of the Students’ Union, Ravi believes the next era of power will be defined by who designs the architectures that decide what counts as truth.

• Vít Jedlička

  Vít Jedlička, Founder and President of the Free Republic of Liberland (established April 13, 2015), is a Prague University of Economics and CEVRO Institute graduate and lifelong advocate for liberty, inspired by Bastiat and Rothbard. In just ten years, Liberland has attracted over 795,000 citizenship registrations worldwide. Vít has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, USA Today, and Fox Business, and spoken at Bitcoin Miami, TEDx, ALEC, and the St. Gallen Symposium. In 2023, he received the Humanitarian Award at UN Headquarters in New York for advancing human rights and innovative governance. His vision: the freest country on Earth, built on voluntary cooperation, minimal government, and blockchain technology.