LEAD North 2025

Biography

Gamal Fahnbulleh is an experienced anchor with ITV Granada Reports – ITV’s regional award-winning news programme for the North West of England.

Born in West Africa, Gamal moved to London with his family in 1986. After graduating with a BA Honours from Manchester University in Politics and History he went on to do a Masters Degree in International Politics before enrolling on a postgraduate diploma course in Broadcast Journalism at City University. While at City, he was one of only ten candidates nationally to be selected for the ITV News Group Bursary Scheme in 2005.

He has worked extensively with the British Army as two North West regiments trained and prepared for a six-month tour of Afghanistan at home and overseas. In the summer of 2010 he was embedded in Nad-e Ali, Afghanistan with the First Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. In that year ITV Granada received the award for Best Regional Story, ‘Our Troops in Afghanistan’ at the RTS North West Awards.

Gamal has also worked for Sky News where he held both solo and co-anchor positions across the day’s output, including flagship programmes Sky News Breakfast, Sky News Tonight and Sky News at Ten. When Gamal was not conducting interviews with high profile politicians and celebrities or carrying out the morning and evening newspaper review, he was delivering ‘Breaking News’ in a fast-paced journalistic environment handling rolling news and live updates.

Gamal has also worked for ITV Breakfast as the Northern based Correspondent for Good Morning Britain and worked extensively on the Hillsborough enquiry. He has also worked as a reporter for ITN. When not working, Gamal has a love of all things history and spends his free time reading fact based novels from the classical and medieval period. He is also a self-confessed film buff and will happily lose an evening to some classic cinema or the latest blockbuster.

Having specialised in African and Middle Eastern politics and history at university he maintains his interest in these areas and travels back to West Africa when he can, visiting family. He looks to combine his passion for travelling with his love for food and enjoys experiencing new cultures and destinations with his wife Liz, whenever possible. Both have an interest in emerging themselves in new cultures and traditions.

A talented sportsman growing up, Gamal represented his school, county and region in Rugby and hockey. He remains a keen fitness fanatic, living by the mantra that a healthy body is a healthy mind.

Biography

Bev became Leader of Manchester City Council on 1st December 2021.

First elected in 2011 as a Burnage Councillor she held a range of responsibilities on Manchester City Council including as Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health and Deputy Leader.

Since becoming Leader her focus has been on Manchester’s ambitious plans to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy, increasing investment into neighbourhoods across the city, better outcomes for children and young people, tackling inequalities, building more housing and working to meet Manchester’s net zero ambitions.

Bev is a Deputy Chair of the Local Government Association and Chair of Core Cities UK. In Greater Manchester she holds a range of responsibilities on behalf of the city including leading on the Economy, Business, and International Portfolio for the Combined Authority. 

Originally from Belfast, she moved to Manchester in 2003 for university. After graduating from the University of Manchester she began her career in Local Government, before working in higher education and then a national trade union leading on social care. She holds postgraduate degrees from Warwick Business School and the University of Manchester. Outside of politics she enjoys sports and being outdoors, music, culture and enjoying all that Manchester has to offer.

Biography

Prior to his role as chief commercial officer at Channel 4, Rak Patel was Head of Sales EMEA at Spotify. Having been in the advertising industry for close to twenty five years, Rak has spent his career on the commercial side of media and platform businesses. Starting at EMAP, Rak has also spent time at The Financial Times, Microsoft and Auto Trader.

Rak is passionate about moving diversity and inclusion higher up on the agenda and has a personal ambition to bring equity in all its forms to the workplace, with a focus on championing underrepresented communities. Alongside supporting Spotify’s drive for equity and equality, Rak was a founding member of the Media For All network for those working in the media and advertising industry from minority groups.

Rak is a Campaign Board member for the Historic Royal Palaces, a charity supporting the upkeep of six Royal Palaces across the UK including the Tower of London and a Committee

Board member of 180 Soho House where he’s tasked with strengthening the breadth of representation across their membership. Rak is also an active member of the Advertising Association and has been a board member of the IAB UK.

Married and as the father of four children, when he’s not at work, he finds himself at the mercy of his kids demands…

Biography

Sheena runs ITV’s media for equity fund as Director of ITV AdVentures. She brings a wealth of experience across both investing and TV/media. Sheena began her career as a venture capitalist investing in high growth technology businesses at Summit Partners and has gone on to hold senior positions across commercial, strategy and business development at Virgin Media, Dixons Carphone, UKTV and BBC Studios.

Sheena has direct experience launching and running a media for equity fund prior to joining ITV and she also understands the challenges of launching and growing a business having founded and run a successful startup of her own. She is a passionate ambassador for entrepreneurship having served as a Board Trustee of Young Enterprise for 8 years and also founded the UK Chapter of TiE Young Entrepreneurs. Sheena graduated with an MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University.

Biography

Since its launch in 2018, Damon has been CEO of Ozone, guiding the business through a significant growth period and delivering on its promise to build a more sustainable future for journalism and digital advertising.

Damon is incredibly passionate about championing transparency, open discourse and quality journalism in a digital world. He has previously worked with many data, media and technology companies – OpenX, Snowplow Analytics, Hereford Technologies, Authenticated Digital, Unanimis – as founder, investor and advisor to promote change and better business in advertising through technology innovation.

Biography

Biography

Dan has over 20 years in strategic, creative agencies, starting in London before returning to his native north east in 2008.

Under his leadership Drummond Central has grown to one of the largest and most-awarded creative agencies outside of London. Drummond Central is a 100% employee-owned agency with over 65 people and works with ambitious brands, including Greggs, bet365, Triumph Motorcycles, Dreams and Fentimans, amongst others.

Dan has been an elected member of The IPA Council since 2020, banging the drum for the north, and has been honoured with a lifetime Fellowship (FIPA) for his contribution to The IPA and the industry.

He believes passionately in the power of creativity to grow businesses and is a fierce advocate for northern marketing, having himself once being told that he was “committing career suicide by leaving London.”

Biography

Jon leads PHD’s Manchester office, leveraging his 20+ years of media industry experience to help clients effectively use communication to drive commercial effectiveness. He leads a team that works with a variety of brands across multiple categories and at all stages of business maturity, from new start-ups to international blue chips.

Having spent the early part of his career working for various media agencies in London, Jon moved with his wife and two children to Manchester, where he can indulge his passions for sport and music.

Biography

With over a decade of experience working across the technology sector, Rachel is passionate about using her skills to help founders to scale their businesses. Following positions in M&A at Hampleton Partners and in VC at Talis Capital, Rachel joined dmg ventures in 2018. Rachel has been involved in all aspects of dmg ventures’ growth over the past few years. She is responsible for sourcing, investment execution, portfolio management and fund strategy. Rachel has held various board positions, and is currently Investor Director at bloobloom.

Outside of work, Rachel is passionate about sport, both managing her own netball club, as well as supporting (and occasionally suffering) Sheffield United.

Biography

Joe Hills is the Head of Nurture at JCDecaux, the world’s largest Out-of-home advertising company. He has been responsible for launching the programme in 2016 and expanding its reach to 13 JCDecaux markets, outside the UK. Since launch he has supported over 400 startups and scale-ups, helping them to run their first above the line campaigns, 7 of which have progressed to unicorn status. Prior to launching the programme, he held various positions working closely with media and advertising agencies, planning and executing campaigns on behalf of global brands. Prior to moving into the media and advertising sector, Joe lead sales for an organic food startup, it was here he first developed a passion for helping to grow challenger brands.

Biography

Sharon Lloyd Barnes is Commercial Director and Talent & Inclusion Lead at the Advertising Association, which represents the UK advertising industry and includes advertisers, agencies, media owners, tech platforms and production companies in its membership. Previously, she ran magazine ad sales teams in London and New York before co-founding The Drive Partnership, a consultancy working with businesses across a range of sectors to build profitable growth. Outside of work, Sharon co-founded a school for autistic children in 2000 – now called Beyond Autism – serving children from most London boroughs. 

Biography

Liam Thorp is the political editor of the Liverpool Echo newspaper, one of the largest regional news brands in the country.

Having been with the ECHO for eight years, Liam has risen to become a key figure in the regional press and has used his profile to campaign for a better deal for the north. He also co-authored the book Head North with mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram, which looks at rebalancing the country and unlocking the power of Northern England.

Liam has been named the Regional Press Awards Specialist Journalist of the Year on three separate occasions and has been nominated for the prestigious Orwell Prize and the Private Eye Paul Foot Award for his campaigning and investigative journalism.

He lives in south Liverpool with his wife, toddler son and Romanian rescue dog.

Biography

Richard is the Executive Director of Ingenuity+ and Exco member of The Ingenuity Group, the UK’s largest connector of brands with agencies and agencies with brands. Richard specialises in leading change and making good things happen for brands, agencies and talented folk. Named as one of the ten most influential leaders in digital & tech by BIMA, one of the top twenty allies championing women in the workplace by the FT and a regular Campaign A-Lister.

Former co-owner of Oystercatchers and Managing Director of Econsultancy, and before this Regional Business Leader (EMEA) for Publicis Worldwide, as well as Head of Marketing for McDonald’s Restaurants and international marketer for The Coca-Cola Company. When time allows Richard is a remarkably slow marathon runner & cold water swimmer.