Murray launched Cranfield School of Management’s Non-Executive Director Seminar in 1997 and has also delivered NED development programmes for the UK Venture Capital [since 2002] and Eastern European Investment Banking industries [since 2001]. In total over 5000 current and aspiring NED’s have attended his programmes both in the UK and internationally.

Murray likes to practise what he preaches and during his career has held over 25 NED and chairman positions in virtually every type of organisation. He is currently Chairman of Octopus Apollo plc – one of the largest listed VCT’s in the UK and Surface Generation – a fast growing high tech advanced manufacturing company and a NED of James Walker Group – an international engineering group.

Murray is the Course Director for the FT Non-Executive Director Diploma, the FT’s flagship NED Development Programme and the FT’s two day Effective NED programme.

Timothy is the founding Chairman of KPMG's UK Audit Committee Institute and has been specialising in corporate governance since 1993. Timothy is responsible for overseeing a programme of over 30 audit committee development seminars per annum and for developing updates, tools and guidance to assist directors in fulfilling their duties. He has extensive experience of facilitating board effectiveness reviews and in advising on corporate governance matters including compliance with Codes and regulation. Timothy plays a major role in shaping UK corporate governance developments and chaired the European Confederation of Directors' Associations’ (ecoDa’s) working party on audit committees. He speaks on corporate governance matters in Europe, Asia and the US and is the Author of the Audit Committee Guide (ICSA 2010) and The AGM and Shareholder Questions (ICSA 2007). He is also a past winner of the British Accountancy ‘Accountant of the Year’ award for his work with audit committees.

Patrick Dunne has extensive experience of working with boards in Europe, Asia and North America. He is currently Chairman of board consultancy Boardelta, the charities the EY Foundation and ESSA- Education Sub Saharan Africa and also of the Chartered Management Institute’s Board of Companions. Patrick is also member of the advisory boards of Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund and the FT NED club and a former chairman of smart materials business D3O.  His executive experience includes 26 years in a variety of investment and management roles with 3i Group plc where, until 2012, he was Communications Director, a member of its Operating committee and Chairman of its Operational Risk forum. From 1990 to 1997 he built a resource of over 600 experienced directors who were appointed to over 2,000 boards for 3i in 14 countries across Europe, Asia and North America. The programme he established became widely recognised as a model of adding value and a leader in best practice. As a member of the Higgs review in 2003 Patrick has also played a role in shaping governance policy for UK listed companies.The author of three successful books on the subject, Patrick has helped to establish many successful courses on board skills over the last twenty years including for the BVCA, EVCA, FT and ICAEW and helped Chairman across a wide range of sectors to transform the effectiveness of their boards. These have included start-ups; buy out businesses, long established family companies as well as major public organisations. Today he provides this service through Boardelta. Patrick has a passion for education and was a member of the General Council of the University of Warwick from 2006 to 2015. He is a Visiting Professor at Cranfield School of Management, an Associate Fellow at Warwick Business School and former member of Business in the Community’s education leadership group. He also has extensive experience of developing social enterprises using venture philanthropy techniques, most notably with Leap where he was Chairman, from 2006 to 2015, and with Warwick in Africa which he founded in 2006. Warwick in Africa has now benefited over 280,000 young Africans with transformed Maths and English teaching. 

Sean is the founder of Boardroom Dialogue and focuses on undertaking Board Effectiveness Reviews, Business Coaching and being a sounding board for Chairs of Remuneration Committees.

Until December 2013 he was a Senior Partner in PwC’s Human Resource Services group and spent the majority of his time dealing with Boardroom issues. He advised global companies on all aspects of Executive Remuneration across all sectors of the economy. Sean has a particular interest in corporate governance, for example, he led PwC’s work on Board Effectiveness Reviews for public and private companies.

Sean also sees matters from the other side of the table as he is a Non - Executive Director on the Remuneration Committee of the Rugby Football Union and also at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Simon Witney, Travers Smith

Simon Witney is a Senior Consultant with London-based law firm, Travers Smith.

Simon is one of the market’s most prominent private equity lawyers and a regular speaker and commentator on company law, corporate governance and regulatory matters.  He has advised private equity clients as well as the UK Government on a wide range of fund and transactional matters over the last two decades.

Simon has served in senior positions within the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) over a number of years. He is currently a member of the BVCA Council, which is responsible for its strategic direction and oversight, and previously chaired the BVCA’s Legal and Accounting Committee. He is also a past Chair of Invest Europe’s Tax, Legal and Regulatory Committee and has been a member of the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association’s Legal and Regulatory Council.

Simon holds a PhD in corporate governance from the London School of Economics, where he also teaches company law and private equity.  Simon's book, Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment in Private Equity, will be published by Cambridge University Press in January 2021.