Keynote speakers

Emma Jones

Following a degree in Law and Japanese, Emma joined international accounting firm Arthur Andersen, where she worked in London, Leeds and Manchester offices and set up the firm's Inward Investment practice that attracted overseas companies to locate in the UK.

In 2000, bitten by the dot.com bug, Emma left the firm to start her first business, Techlocate. After 15 months, the company was successfully sold to Tenon plc when Emma was 27. The experience of starting, growing and selling a business from a home base gave Emma the idea for Enterprise Nation which was launched in 2005 to support the flourishing number of start-ups and SMEs.

Enterprise Nation expanded to become an active small business membership community, reaching more than 800,000 businesses each year with its powerful digital business support platform. Whilst leading Enterprise Nation, Emma presented a positive campaigning voice to government and the media on behalf of partners and members.

In 2011, Emma co-founded enterprise campaign, StartUp Britain, that she ran until 2014.  
Emma served as SME Representative for Crown Commercial Service from July 2016, working to encourage more small businesses to sell to the public sector and its major suppliers.

In June 2012 Emma was awarded an MBE for Services to Enterprise. Emma was awarded the rank Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2021.

Clare Bailey

Clare Bailey is one of the UK's most recognised retail experts and the founder of The Retail Champion. She has worked extensively with independent retailers, local authorities, and business groups across the UK, helping them navigate challenges such as high street recovery, COVID-19 resilience, and digital discovery. Clare's ability to connect sector-wide insights with practical solutions has made her a trusted advisor in projects that strengthen places, communities, and small businesses.
 
Alongside her local work, Clare has also advised leading national and international brands including Amazon, O2, Barclaycard and SAP. A bestselling author and frequent media commentator across BBC, ITV, Sky and the national press, Clare is known for her sharp commercial insight, engaging delivery, and no-fluff approach.