Ben Branson, Founder, Farmer & Inventor, spent 39 years not knowing his brain worked differently.
In that time, he pioneered the global non-alcoholic drinks movement with Seedlip, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit, taking it from his kitchen to 35 countries, 30 US states & 7,500 of the best bars, restaurants & hotels in just 3.5 years.
As a television chef, Joe has worked alongside Jamie Oliver, Gennaro Contaldo, Francesco Mazzei and the late, great Antonio Carluccio. He’s also a regular guest presenter on BBC 1’s Saturday Kitchen.
Steve Hargreaves is an award-winning Executive Coach, Author of ‘The Compassionate Leader’s Playbook’, and the Founder and Director of The Compassionate Leadership Company - a coaching, culture, and leadership development company which specialises in helping organisations and their leaders to inspire, craft and sustain high performing, emotionally healthy, compassionate workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, achieve and stay well.
He continues to lead & shape how we drink with innovations including Sylva, the first distillery & maturation labs making aged non-alcoholic spirits.
Ben’s autism diagnosis in 2022 led to creating The Hidden 20% 🟢, an award-winning neurodiversity charity, podcast & 250k strong community on a mission to include every mind using media, research & advocacy.
Ben’s inspiring story charts the extremes of addiction, institutionalisation & abuse through to proof a different brain, properly understood, can change the world.
With over 20 years of senior leadership experience of leading change and modernising large scale, operational services across local government, regulated care and charitable sectors.
A pioneer in the freedom to speak up movement, undertaking the role of Freedom to Speak Up Guardian for a national health care charity, working to build more compassionate, connected, and collaborative workplace cultures underpinned by high levels of trust and inter-personal safety.
He lives in the UK, on the North Somerset coast with his family, his dog, and his chickens.
Cassie Davison brings more than 30 years’ hospitality experience and 25 years as a founder and owner to her work with hospitality SMEs and the organisations that serve them.
Raymond Gianotten has over 20 years of DRS experience, including 16.5 years as Managing Director of the Dutch DRS Operator.
As Events & Partnerships Lead at Exchange For Change, Teni Charles is responsible for developing strategic partnerships and delivering engagement opportunities that connect stakeholders across the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) ecosystem.
She is the author of Stand Out Hospitality, a Business Book Awards 2026 finalist, founder of Kith & Kin, and a hospitality speaker and consultant specialising in founder-led hospitality businesses.
Her work focuses on how hospitality SMEs think, decide, grow and thrive, and why apparently good ideas, products and support sometimes fail to land.
Cassie works directly with founders and established hospitality businesses, helping them make clearer strategic decisions and strengthen the foundations of the business.
She also works with suppliers, funders, technology businesses, BIDs, local authorities, trade bodies and sector organisations whose success depends on understanding hospitality SMEs properly.
Because misunderstanding how founder-led businesses make decisions is expensive.
Products go unused. Support fails to engage. Marketing misses the mark. Investment is directed at the wrong problem.
He advises operators, producers, retailers, hospitality, governments and industry bodies on DRS strategy and implementation. He is the author of Everything You Need to Know About DRS, commissioned by UNESDA and NMWE - widely used as the go-to introduction to deposit systems.
As Lead DRS Advisor at Exchange for Change, Raymond draws on this experience to help build the world’s best Deposit Return Scheme for the UK, ahead of its launch in 2027.
She works closely with partners, members and industry stakeholders to build meaningful relationships and support collaboration ahead of the UK's DRS launch in 2027.
Christine is an experienced sports business leader with more than 15 years' experience in sports management, commercial development and stakeholder engagement.
Dr Megan Janasiewicz (she/her) is currently the Head of Residential Experience at the University of Nottingham. She has worked in higher education for the past 17 years, has an MA in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana University, and a PhD in University Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia.
Currently the CEO of Nottingham Venues Ltd (NVL) a multisite meeting and events business. NVL is a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Nottingham. It is operated at arm’s length with the objective of delivering a commercial return to the University.
In her role as Assistant Director of Sport (Business Development) at the University of Nottingham, Christine is responsible for shaping and delivering the department's commercial strategy. She leads a broad portfolio encompassing marketing and communications, memberships, major events, facility hire, finance, retail and partnerships, with a focus on driving sustainable income growth while protecting and enhancing the student experience.
Before joining the University of Nottingham, Christine held senior commercial positions at Premiership Rugby clubs Saracens, London Irish and Leicester Tigers. Her expertise spans commercial strategy, brand development, fan and customer engagement, and long-term business sustainability, with a track record of delivering growth and maximising the positive impact of sport.
Megan has worked in a number of student services areas, including Fraternity and Sorority Life, International Education, Career Services, and Residence Life. Megan is an American expat who loves exploring promising practices in higher education from a global perspective. In her free time, Megan loves cooking and baking, visiting local markets, and exploring all the best bits of her new home country.
It has 2 hotels with over 300 bedrooms, East Midlands Conference Centre the leading meeting and events space in the East Midlands in addition it sells University facilities and Halls outside term time on a commercial basis .
Over Tom’s career he has managed hotels for Park Plaza Hotels, Hilton, IHG and independent owners. He has a passion for food and beverage having led several restaurant development projects. Under his leadership NVL has focused on developing it’s team with the belief that this will deliver exceptional guest service that will in turn deliver superior commercial returns for the University
He is Vice Chair of Nottingham Hotel Association. He maintains a close relationship with Nottingham College and local schools to support the development of future talent for the industry. He a Master Innholder, an Innholder scholar, he attended the General Managers Program at Cornell and holds a certificate in company Direction from the Institute of Directors.
In his free time Tom enjoys running at a sadly reducing pace, walking, and attempting to cook for his family.
With 20 years’ experience working in professional services roles in further and higher education institutions, Susanna joins CUBO from the University of Sussex where she was Head of the Researcher School.
Sue joined the CUBO Executive in 2019, having chaired the CUBO Marketing Group for 4 years. A senior leader, Chartered Marketer and experienced higher education professional with over 25 years' experience in marketing, 19 of those years spent working across the higher education sector.
Deenie Lee is one the Co-Founders of The Property Marketing Strategists – a boutique consultancy specialising in the rented property sector including BTR, PBSA and university accommodation.
Having provided both strategic and operational leadership at all organisational levels, and having managed a range of critical student-focussed and -facing teams, Susanna brings a deep understanding of the student experience, and of the strategic and operational challenges faced by further and higher education institutions.
Susanna also serves as an elected Executive Board member and Trustee of the UK Council for Graduate Education, giving her key insights into the management and operation of a non-profit, membership-focussed organisation from multiple perspectives.
She is currently Head of Marketing & Communications at the University of Leeds, where she leads the strategy and delivery of marketing, communications and engagement for key institutional priorities, including commercial growth, campus experience, sustainability and large-scale transformational change initiatives. Sue plays an active role in the wider marketing industry as a Chartered Marketer, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and previously as a member of the regional CIM Board.
"I am incredibly excited to be part of CUBO at this pivotal moment in its journey. For many years, CUBO has played a vital role in championing the commercial and campus service professionals who help shape the daily experience of students and staff. As our sector navigates significant financial, operational and societal challenges, the importance of campus experience, commercial sustainability and strong leadership has never been greater. I am excited by the opportunity to build an even stronger, more connected CUBO community, develop the next generation of leaders, strengthen our sector influence, and demonstrate why, now more than ever, campus experience matters."
With a focus on data and research to influence strategy, they undertake marketing consultancy assignments alongside their industry webinars, podcasts and youth forum. Deenie has over 20 years of experience in senior marketing roles. Focusing on results, she is passionate about understanding a business’ goals and developing an effective strategy to meet and exceed targets. She was of the team which led to the growth of Campus Living Village’s (CLV) UK arm from 1.000 to 16.000 beds and one of the top five student accommodation brands in the country. Deenie is passionate about brand, technology, data and people. Working with organisations to build teams, develop junior marketeers and growing and establishing new departments, products and services.
