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 is an experienced Chair with extensive experience of working with boards in Europe, Asia and North America. Currently Chair of board consultancy Boardelta, the charities The EY Foundation and ESSA- Education Sub Saharan Africa as well as Chair of the oversight board for the Chartered Management Consultant and trustee of the Chartered Management Institute.

Executive experience with Air Products and 3i Group plc where he was Communications Director, a member of its Operating Committee and Chairman of its Operational Risk forum.

Author of the award-winning “Boards” and three other successful books on the subject and was a member of the Higgs Review.

He also has extensive experience of developing social enterprises, most notably with Leap Confronting Conflict where he is Patron and was Chairman, from 2006 to 2015, with ESSA, the EY Foundation and with Warwick in Africa which he founded in 2006. Warwick in Africa has now benefitted over 750,000 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.