Speakers

Andrea is a Partner at PA Consulting in their Nuclear Practice. She has been working in the nuclear sector for just over 35  years’. Prior to joining PA, Andrea had the privilege to work for a number of major global nuclear organisations spanning Westinghouse, ENUSA, Jacobs and Orano in markets across the nuclear lifecycle – from fuel through to decommissioning and waste management.  The nuclear sector has always been her professional home and she has never considered leaving the sector ..despite a few diversity related challenges along the way (she’ll tell you more about that at some point!). Andrea’s first love is nuclear fuel and is thrilled to see the emergence of fuel manufacturing and future fuel types as a prioritised topic of conversation across the sector. Andrea has always had a strong drive to collaborate and work in diverse teams, and whenever an opportunity emerges her first thought is who can we collaborate with .. she advocates that collaboration will always drive diversity of thought and expertise and bring the best value for clients.

Beccy has worked in the nuclear sector in strategic skills and people development roles for the last 19 years, having previously worked within the people development field in the commercial and education sectors. 

Her particular specialism is developing and implementing skills and resourcing, people development, safety leadership, change and talent strategies in both private and public sectors.  Having previously worked at the operational side in these areas, her more recent roles have been orientated to towards developing appropriate strategy and plans, and then programme managing the delivery through others.  Her current role is Head of Programme Delivery for the Nuclear Sector Skills Team, the group responsible for delivering the Nuclear Skills Plan.    

Beccy regularly presents at national and international skills forums, promoting the UK’s position in nuclear skills leadership.  She is co-chair of the NEA Taskforce on Data, part of the Gender Balance High Level Group.

Beccy has had the opportunity through her career to work with a number of significant organsiations, inside and outside of the nuclear sectors including:-  Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Magnox Ltd, Unilever PLC, Nelson Thornes Ltd, The Open University, Lloyds Register, and Barclays PLC.   

Chris is the Managing Director of the AtkinsRéalis Nuclear EMEA business. He leads over 1,800 amazing colleagues across the region and is responsible for operational performance and strategic business growth across the full nuclear lifecycle of new build, generation, and decommissioning.

A Chartered Chemical Engineer by profession Chris has over 25 years experience in the Nuclear & Power sector. Initially starting his career at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) before moving into the private sector where he has consistently delivered business growth in established markets, developing markets, and new geographies.

He is passionate about culture and creating an environment where everyone can thrive and is co-sponsor of Equilibrium, the AtkinsRéalis LGBTQ+ employee network.

Clare Sharpe is the Transfer & Deconstruction Director at EDF UK, where she leads the strategic transition and transfer of EDF’s Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) stations to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) once they are fuel-free. She also oversees the critical preparations for their safe and efficient deconstruction.

Alongside this role, Clare has a voluntary role as the President and Chair of Women in Nuclear (WiN) UK. WiN UK is a not for profit organization, whose mission is to address the industry’s gender balance and improve the representation of women in leadership, enabling equity, diversity and inclusion throughout the nuclear sector.

Previously, Clare served as Business Performance and Transformation Director, where she established a new directorate responsible for governance, risk, and performance. She played a pivotal role in embedding transformational change across the organisation. In 2020, she was appointed Transformation Programme Director, successfully leading the overhaul of EDF’s central support functions.

Clare’s earlier roles include:

- Head of Generation Information Systems, where she maximised the value of information and technology across the Generation business.

- Nuclear Generation IT Projects Delivery Manager, including Programme Director for the enterprise-wide upgrade of Asset Management systems across all eight nuclear power stations.

- Head of Partner Engagement for Corporate, overseeing shared services and corporate IT projects.

Clare joined British Energy in 2007, where she led the Business Solutions team, managing IT project delivery and business relationships. Before entering the energy sector, she built her career in the Home Shopping industry, managing projects across contact centres, financial services, and international shipping.

Clare holds an MSc in Pure Mathematics and a Joint BA (Hons) in Mathematics & Philosophy. She is widely recognised for her strategic insight, collaborative leadership, and commitment to driving innovation and problem-solving in complex, high-stakes environments.

David Peattie was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in 2017, following a 33 year career in a number of technical, commercial and senior management positions in the oil and gas industry, including as Head of BP Russia, where he was responsible for BP’s interests in the TNK-BP joint venture as well as its businesses in the Russian Arctic and Sakhalin.

With significant global experience of leadership in the energy, oil and gas industries, David has a strong track record in tackling complex commercial and engineering challenges in the UK and internationally. Prior to taking up his role at the NDA, David was Chief Executive Officer at Fairfield Energy, where he managed the performance of North Sea assets and oversaw the start of the decommissioning project for the Dunlin Alpha Platform.

He is Chair of Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited, the international nuclear shipping company, partly owned by the NDA, and also served a term as Patron of Women in Nuclear UK from 2020 to 2022.

David is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3), and an Honorary Fellow of the Nuclear Institute. He has personally established and funds undergraduate bursaries for Engineering students at the University of Dundee

Eleri Joyce has over 20 years leadership experience in the nuclear industry and has worked across the generation, extended generation, defueling and decommissioning phases.  She is currently leading the PMO for Sites at Nuclear Restoration Services. She is an ambassador for psychological safety, seeing this as one of the critical enablers of high performance and underpinning a positive safety culture, and is regularly invited to speak on this crucial topic. Having launched psychological safety at Nuclear Restoration Services, she now represents the wider Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on this important subject.  She was one of the first delegates selected for WiN’s groundbreaking Non-Executive Director programme and continues to participate with the Board of Great British Energy – Nuclear.

Emily is the founder of Apply Psychology and has practiced as a psychologist for 30 years, working with a wide range of businesses and sectors. In 2004, she was featured in the Independent on Sunday as one of Britain’s 10 leading Occupational Psychologists. She operates as a thought leader and board level advisor, and helps develop high performing, inclusive, physically safe and psychologically safe, organisations.

Emily is recognised for her psychology expertise, as well as her ability to build relationships quickly, challenge assumptions and ask incisive questions. Her scientific approach means that she tends to look for evidence-based solutions that can be applied in practice. To develop this, she began a part-time PhD with the University of Exeter in January 2024, to research diversity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) leadership. This is part-funded by industry, with AtkinsRéalis, EDF and Stiltz supporting. She, with Caroline Brown, published her first book in 2021: The Strengths-Based Organization: how to boost inclusivity, wellbeing and performance.

Title: More bang for your buck: applying psychology to make sustainable difference to career progression

Emily will focus on how applying the science of psychology can enable positive change in the number of women progressing to leadership positions in the STEM sector. She will describe the early stages of her PhD research which she began in 2024 at the University of Exeter (supported with industry funding from AtkinsRéalis and EDF). She will then be joined by two members of Apply Psychology’s current Creating Positive Change Together WIN-sponsored coaching group to share their thoughts on their experiences

With 19 years of experience within Magnox/NRS, primarily based at Wyla Decommissioning Site, Ffion Morris brings a wealth of technical expertise and leadership to her role as Engineering and Maintenance Manager during one of the most critical phases of the site's lifecycle—decommissioning. Her career has spanned operational, engineering, and strategic roles.

As Co-Chair of Women in Nuclear (WiN) Wales, Ffion is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the nuclear industry. She is deeply committed to inspiring the next generation of talent, working closely with schools, universities, and early-career professionals to promote STEM careers and highlight the vital role of nuclear in a sustainable future where young people can thrive in a sector which offers endless opportunities.

A proud Welsh speaker, Ffion is also a strong advocate for the Welsh language and culture, championing its importance within the industry and beyond. She believes that embracing cultural identity is key to building inclusive and resilient workplaces

Following graduation, Gordon started his engineering career at the Prototype Fast Reactor at Dounreay. He moved quickly up the operations chain to become a shift operations manager, holding the post for six years until the final reactor shutdown and de-fuelling was complete in 1996. With the Dounreay site research work finished, he transferred to nuclear decommissioning, preparing and then implementing decommissioning plans and programmes for chemical process plant, shielded examination cells, criticality test facilities, sodium research laboratories and a materials test reactor. He now uses his experience as Site Innovation Manager to develop new technologies to advance nuclear decommissioning.

It’s not often that you find an athlete, engineer, musician, and a former Miss America all in one. Grace Stanke breaks misconceptions surrounding nuclear energy through social media, public engagements, and educational workshops. During her year as Miss America 2023, Grace was named the “New Face of Nuclear Energy” by the Wall Street Journal and was on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Energy. While completing approximately 270,000 miles of travel, she finished her undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since passing on the title of Miss America, Grace continues to advocate for peaceful purposes of the science of the atom. She was recognized by CNET as part of the four women powering America’s Clean Energy Transition. By encouraging worldwide change for clean, zero-carbon emission energy sources, Stanke emphasizes the benefits of nuclear power and seeks to dispel the myths around nuclear energy while inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. In March 2024, Grace began work as a Nuclear Fuels Engineer & Clean Energy Advocate at Constellation. Outside of the nuclear industry, Grace is an avid waterskier, classical violinist, and a travel enthusiast.

“I’m not looking to change the entire world on my own - all I need to do is make the one connection that will start a chain reaction.”

Gwen is a nuclear professional, with experience in multiple aspects of the nuclear lifecycle, from safety and security to new build, fuel performance to operation, outage delivery, and decommissioning.

Gwen started her career as a nuclear physicist and a reactor operator, branching out into commercial roles in the UK, US and Canada, and after being plant manager at Sizewell B nuclear power station, Gwen became the first (and still the only) female station director of an operational civil nuclear power station in the UK, at Heysham 1 in Lancashire.

Gwen became Director of Safety and Assurance for EDF Energy, before taking up a future facing role of Generation Development for EDF Energy’s UK electricity generation business. Gwen then joined Hitachi- Horizon to develop the Wylfa Newydd project for new build and then joined Magnox (Nuclear Restoration Services) as CEO, decommissioning the 12 shutdown civil nuclear power sites in the UK. In 2023, Gwen accepted the CEO role to establish and develop the UK government’s nuclear delivery body, Great British Energy – Nuclear to create a vibrant nuclear pipeline to support UK growth, energy security and net zero delivery.

Gwen has actively supported safety, security, diversity, and inclusion in her professional life and was awarded an OBE for her services to Science and Technology in the UK. She has continued to support Women in Nuclear through her career.

Gwen holds fellowships from the Institute of Physics, the Nuclear Institute, and the Royal Academy of Engineering. She is also a past president of the UK’s Nuclear Institute.

Hasna Al Blooshi is Enterprise Quality Assurance Director for Emirates Nuclear Engy Corporation (ENEC), the UAE’s mandated organization to develop the nation’s civil nuclear energy program. Barakah is now the largest source of electricity in the region, and employs thousands of UAE Nationals.

Hasna has been with ENEC for 13 years and has held various roles within the company. In her current role as Enterprise Quality Assurance Director she is responsible for overseeing and directing the development and implementation of an effective quality assurance program in compliance with regulatory requirements, national and international standards and excellence criteria in the nuclear industry. Prior to that Hasna was the Nuclear Training Director; and the Nuclear Performance Improvement Director.

Hasna founded the first branch of Women in Nuclear Energy (WiN) in the Middle East in the United Arab Emirates in 2014. Hasna has always been an advocate for women and supported their needs within the organization, championing roles for female nuclear professionals across corporate roles and technical roles at the Barakah plant. Hasna has focused on activating the role of the committees across the business. One of the most prominent projects led by the committees is improving the standard of living for women in the Barakah plant, which received support from senior management. Hasna also chaired the organizing committee for the 24^th  WiN Global conference in Abu Dhabi, which was a milestone as the first time the event was held  in the UAE and the first time in the Middle East, which was under the auspices of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, President of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, “Mother of the Emirates”

Hasna has also been a mentor to the last two Barakah WiN Chairwomen providing coaching and advice to support progression of the committee initiatives. Hasna is currently a WiN Global Vice-President providing extensive support.

In her previous executive role, Hasna’s main focus is on managing the continuous improvement of ENEC Culture of Safety through supervising performance, recommending Corrective Actions to take and managing their implementation. This is a crucial role for the business, with nuclear safety culture being the overriding objective for all employees. Hasna’s skills, experience, and people management skills have enabled her to succeed in this role to date and demonstrates her leadership and management expertise.

Prior to joining ENEC, Hasna was employed by the Health Authority - Abu Dhabi as a Section Head, leading a team who managed and oversaw the licensing of health professionals. She also worked at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in various roles related to medical records and systems.

Illy Andrews is Vice President of Amentum’s Defence & Asset Solutions division.

Amentum is renowned for its industry-leading engineering, programme and project management, asset care, scientific research, and consultancy services. The company supports clients involved in new builds, power plant operations, small modular reactors, fusion, decommissioning, waste management, nuclear propulsion, and nuclear defence.

The Defence & Asset Solutions division, under Illy's leadership, employs over 2,000 professionals and operates both in the UK and internationally. Their clients include AWE, Babcock, BAE Systems, DE&S, DIO, MOD, Sellafield Ltd, and EDF Energy,

Illy is a proficient senior business leader with over 20 years of experience in major project and programme delivery across the nuclear, defence, energy, and utilities sectors.

She began her career in engineering and project management with PW Associates and Ashridge before joining Jacobs.

With Jacobs, Illy has held a number of senior roles across many programmes, including leading the Enterprise Asset Solutions business unit.

Illy is a Landmarc Board Member, active in supporting women in defence and women in nuclear. She is the executive sponsor for Amentum’s Agile Careers network and serves as an early careers mentor. Illy is a passionate advocate for career mobility, committed to creating opportunities for individuals to advance and thrive in their professional journeys.

Jack Gritt is a Chartered Mathematician and a Member of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. With 40 years’ experience in the nuclear industry, Jack has held a number of positions in executive management. But more importantly she is a mother of three, grandmother (GiGi) of three, festival goer, skiier and menopause survivor!

Beyond her advocacy for nuclear energy, she champions inclusion and diversity, recognising the powerful impact that strong, inclusive leadership can have on driving performance and innovation.

In the early years of her career, Jack developed a passion for promoting careers in the nuclear industry—especially for women. Today, she serves on the WiN Global Executive and is a Board Member of WiN UK, continuing her mission to reshape how the nuclear sector is perceived.

Driven by a long held belief that we need to shift public perception of the industry, Jack embraced the opportunity to host the WiN Global Conference, and the idea for "Positively Nuclear" was born. Her vision centres on powerful, clear communication to highlight the industry’s role as a sustainable, low-carbon energy solution, while also showcasing it as a place where women can thrive in dynamic and meaningful careers.

Throughout her career, Jack has been a consistent champion for women in nuclear and beyond. Her advocacy extends into her community, where she has served as both a local councillor, a school governor and on the PPG at her GP Surgery. She has made it a personal objective to support women in balancing work and family life, remaining in employment while raising children, and developing the confidence to explore new paths by recognising their transferable skills.

Jack has now retired (yippee) but her drive continues. More recently, she has expanded her impact through motivational speaking, menopause awareness, inclusion consultancy, and is even venturing into writing her first book. Her lifelong passion for diversity, inclusion, and women’s empowerment, combined with her commitment to the nuclear industry, led her to become a founding member of WiN UK over 10 years ago

Jayne Dale is a Chartered Chemical Engineer with over 20 years’ experience in engineering, project leadership, and business development. As Senior Director in Arcadis’ Defence & Security Growth Team, she manages a pipeline of opportunities with clients including the DIO, dstl and DE&S. Jayne began her career commissioning oil refineries globally before moving into the nuclear sector, leading multi-discipline engineering teams on major projects for clients such as Sellafield Ltd, Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd, Magnox, AWE, Tractebel, Westinghouse, Rolls Royce, BAE Systems and Urenco, and most recently transitioning into sales leadership. A passionate STEM ambassador, mentor, and advocate for inclusion and diversity, she actively supports Women in Defence and Women in Nuclear, having been involved with WiN since its conception in the UK in 2014. She is very proud of her original pin badge! Based in North Yorkshire, Jayne enjoys the outdoors and supporting her sons’ rugby activities.

Dr Joanne Lackenby (Jo) has over 17 years’ experience in the nuclear sector in Australia, the majority at the OPAL research reactor at ANSTO specialising in nuclear safety, licensing and regulation. She is currently a Director at Frazer-Nash Consultancy where she applies her nuclear expertise to a range of different projects across Australia.

Jo is a TEDxSydney speaker and has a mission to increase public understanding of the benefits and potential of peaceful nuclear technologies. She is a previous President of the Australian Nuclear Association Inc. and Women in Nuclear Australia Inc.

Jo enjoys the great outdoors, and after this conference is planning to trek across Estonia.

Jo holds degrees in environmental and geotechnical engineering.

Kate is Head of the R&D at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, where she has led NDA’s strategic research portfolio since 2021, and is the NDA lead for RAICo, the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence collaboration between the UKAEA, NDA, Sellafield Ltd, the University of Manchester and most recently AWE Nuclear Security Technologies. A civil & environmental engineer by training, Kate’s doctoral research explored the use of zeolites for effluent treatment, followed by a research fellowship on novel cement stabilisation techniques for environmental remediation. Kate then spent nearly 20 years working for the global engineering consultancy Arup, where she had a dual role as Arup’s regional research leader for UK, Middle East and Africa, alongside technical leadership in land remediation.

As we reflect on the remarkable journey of two-time Olympic Gold Medallist Dame Kelly Holmes, we celebrate not just her extraordinary achievements but also her enduring impact as a role model and inspiration worldwide. 

Dame Kelly's story began when she joined the British Army at just 17, where she served for nearly a decade as a qualified HGV driver and Physical Training Instructor. Her dedication and service were recognised in 1998 when she was awarded an MBE by the now King Charles, honouring her contributions to the armed forces.

Her illustrious athletic career spanned 12 years, during which she claimed multiple medals at the Commonwealth, European, World, and Olympic levels. The pinnacle of her career came in 2004 at the Athens Olympic Games, where she made history as the first British woman ever to win two gold medals in a single Olympics, triumphing in the 800m and 1500m events. In recognition of her monumental achievements in sport, she was honoured with a Damehood by the late Queen Elizabeth in 2005.

In 2008, Dame Kelly founded the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, a groundbreaking initiative that pairs world-class athletes with disadvantaged youth, empowering them to realize their potential. Her philanthropic efforts have garnered numerous accolades, including the Beacon Award for Philanthropy in 2017 and the Sport and Recreation Alliance’s Arthur Bell Trophy in 2023.

From 2018 to 2024, Dame Kelly held the prestigious role of Honorary Colonel of the Royal Armoured Corps Training Regiment, making history as the first individual to be attached to a regular regiment in this capacity—an appointment that required the approval of the late Queen Elizabeth.

Dame Kelly's influence extends beyond athletics. In 2024, she received an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, adding to a remarkable collection of 13 honorary degrees she has received since retiring. Her powerful documentary, "Kelly Holmes: Being Me," aired in June 2022, showcasing her journey toward authenticity and her commitment to advocating for diversity and inclusion.

As a global inspirational and motivational speaker for over 20 years, a TV presenter, and a trained Mental Health First Aider, Dame Kelly continues to be a voice for change. She embodies resilience, determination, and the spirit of empowerment, serving as a true trailblazer for countless causes.

Dame Kelly Holmes—a beacon of strength, a champion of change, and a relentless advocate for those striving for greatness.

Loretta’s career has spanned the UK Defence and Nuclear sectors as a project manager, business development manager and now consultant. Since 2019, Loretta has been supporting the Hinkley Point C Project,in a number of roles spanning supply chain engagement, ED&I and training

Loretta has also  been involved in the leadership of WiN UK since it was first formed in 2014 and now sits on the board. Loretta was a proud recipient of the WiN Global Honorary award in 2022. 

Meg joined AWE in 2017 as Head of HR to support transformational activity. Prior to this, she spent ten years for Vodafone, working in several national and global leadership roles supporting M&A activity, business transformation, major cultural change programmes, global offshoring initiatives as well as establishing Vodafone UK’s first wellbeing team and launching its first D&I strategy. Her earlier career included EMEA roles in investment banking and five years as a country Head of HR in Sydney, Australia. 

Meg leads on People, Places and Corporate Communications through its mission of “Enabling high performance through our people: The AWE workforce is agile, engaged, and future ready, with the right skills, behaviours, and capability to deliver our mission through a high-performance culture.” 

Melina Belinco is a specialist in international cooperation with over 18 years of experience in technical cooperation in the nuclear sector. She currently serves as the National Liaison Officer (NLO) to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Deputy Manager of Technical Cooperation at the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) of Argentina. Her expertise includes a key assignment at the IAEA in Vienna (2016–2017), where she contributed to the successful design and implementation of national and regional nuclear projects.

Melina is the President of Women in Nuclear (WiN) Global (2024–2026), following her tenure as Vice-President (2020–2024). A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, she has played a pivotal role in WiN Argentina since 2014 and co-chaired the groundbreaking Joint IYNC 2018/26th WiN Global Annual Conference in Argentina, for which she received the “WiN Global Special Award.”

A recognized voice for equality in the nuclear sector, Melina is an active member of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) High-Level Group on Improving Gender Balance in the Nuclear Sector, co-leading initiatives since 2023. She is an IAEA expert in capacitybuilding programs designed to boost the leadership skills of women and young professionals in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Her mentorship extends globally through the World Nuclear University (WNU) Summer Institute (2022, 2023, 2025). In 2023, she was the President of the Skills and Knowledge Management Jury at the WNE Innovation Awards. Beyond her contributions to the nuclear field, she has over a decade of academic experience as a professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and the University of Salvador (USAL).

Michael Shanks was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 9 July 2024. He was elected as the MP for Rutherglen in October 2023.

Education

Michael graduated from the University of Glasgow with a degree in history and politics. He then studied for a PGDE at Glasgow.

Political career

Michael served as the Shadow Minister of State for Scotland from October 2023 to May 2024.

Career outside politics

Michael was a secondary school teacher and previously worked in the third sector on reducing offending. He ran a charity for disabled children for 15 years and is a trustee of 3 other charitable organisations.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Energy)

The minister is responsible for:

• Great British Energy
• renewables and biomass
• energy systems, the grid and networks
• energy market reform including Review of Electricity Market Arrangements
• North Sea transition
• energy security, resilience and preparedness
• community energy

I am the Technical Director in EDF Nuclear Operations. As a member of the Nuclear Operations Executive Team, I report directly to the Managing Director and a member of the Licensee Board of EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Ltd.

I am responsible for leading the Technical Directorate, including all technical arrangements critical to supporting the generating and defueling performance of the existing nuclear power station fleet. I am also the executive member responsible for Security including acting as the Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO).

I am a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and joined British Energy as a graduate in 2001 (British Energy was subsequently acquired by EDF Energy in 2009). I have held various engineering and leadership posts within the central support functions, including holding the Head of Design Authority post for the three years prior to my current appointment.

Nicky Edson is currently the Director of Technical Services and Consulting at NUVIA.  She has worked in the nuclear industry for almost 30 years, joining after completing a PhD in Chemistry.  Nicky has held many roles in her career, starting out as a workshop facilitator running a wide range of different types of meetings from technical optioneering to strategy sessions.  Later in her career she worked as a risk manager before leading the project management office at NUVIA.  Her favourite roles have always involved interacting with lots of people, allowing them to grow and develop and become their best selves at work.  She is an active member of the NUVIA ED&I working group and a menopause champion.

Outside of work Nicky is married with two grown up children and an elderly cocker spaniel.  She has a passion for endurance sports, especially running and swimming and is always willing to give something ago, as you never know what you can achieve until you try!

Paul joined Cavendish Nuclear Ltd in 2005 and currently serves as Chief Operating Officer, where he leads the company’s work across Decommissioning, Clean Energy, Defence, Nuclear Services, and International markets. With a strong focus on people and safety, Paul also chairs the Safety Leadership Team for the Nuclear Sector within the wider Babcock Group.

With over 40 years of experience in the nuclear industry, Paul has worked across the full lifecycle—from concept design to operations—supporting both New Build and Decommissioning programmes. Earlier in his career, he led complex engineering and technical delivery projects, giving him a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities across the sector.

Paul is a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership and believes that diverse teams drive better outcomes. He is committed to creating a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute and grow, and he actively supports initiatives that promote gender balance and career development in nuclear.

Based in the northwest of England, Paul enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. Outside of work, he’s most at home on the water or out on the golf course—though he describes himself as more “enthusiastic” than expert!

Phoebe Lynch is an accomplished engineer and innovation programme manager with over 20 years of experience delivering large-scale, complex programmes across the nuclear sector.

Her work is driven by a belief in the power of applied innovation—transforming novel ideas into practical solutions that improve outcomes and build lasting capability. Phoebe is also a passionate advocate for inclusive leadership and has made significant contributions to workplace culture by championing fairness and equity.

At this conference, Phoebe has curated a Technical Plenary Session focused on emerging technologies—such as robotics and artificial intelligence—and their growing influence on the industry. The session will explore how modern tools can support long-term transformation and hazard reduction.

Beyond her professional role, Phoebe has led educational initiatives designed to promote the nuclear sector and inspire interest in STEM careers. These include the conference’s Primary School STEM Competition and Secondary School Debating Competition, both of which she proposed to foster curiosity, broaden participation, and connect younger audiences with real-world technical challenges.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi assumed office as the Agency’s 6th DG on 3/12/19. In 9/23, IAEA's 67th General Conference approved by acclamation his re-appointment to serve a second four-year term of office.

Mr Grossi is a diplomat with almost 40 years of experience in non-proliferation and disarmament. In 2013, he was appointed Ambassador of Argentina to Austria and Argentine Representative to the IAEA and other VBOs.

Before assuming office as IAEA’s DG, he was president-designate of the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and from 2014-2016 served as president of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. In 2015, he presided over the Diplomatic Conference of the Convention of Nuclear Safety, securing unanimous approval for the Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety, a milestone in international efforts following the 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident.

From 2010-2013, he served as IAEA Assistant DG for Policy and Chief of Cabinet, having previously held senior positions in the Argentinian Foreign Service, incl as Political Affairs DG from 2007-2009.

Mr Grossi was Chief of Cabinet at OPCW in The Hague from 2002 to 2007. Prior, he served in the Argentinian Foreign Ministry, incl as Head of Embassy in Belgium and Luxemburg from 1998-2002, and as Argentine Representative to NATO from 1998-2001. He joined Argentinian Foreign Ministry in 1985.

Mr Grossi is an Int'l Gender Champion, promoting gender balance in nuclear.

He holds a PhD in International Relations, international History and Politics from University of Geneva, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, from which he also received his Master’s degree. He began his academic journey at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina and at the Diplomatic Academy of Argentina.

He has received several awards including Brazil’s Order of Naval Merit; National Medal on the occasion of 30th Anniversary of Independence of Kazakhstan; Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria, the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and Gran Cruz de la Orden de San Carlos of Colombia.

His honorary degrees and academic distinctions include the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina’s International Chair for Sustainable Development, Common Good and Peace; an honorary doctorate in law from the University of Buenos Aires; an honorary degree in Nuclear Engineering from Polytechnic University of Milan; and an honorary doctorate in Global Studies from Busan University of Foreign Studies.

Rav Chunilal is the Head of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence at Sellafield Ltd, the UK’s most complex nuclear site. With a career rooted in innovation and collaboration, Rav is leading the charge in transforming how the nuclear industry approaches decommissioning - one robot at a time.

At the heart of his mission is a bold vision: to make nuclear decommissioning safer, smarter, and more sustainable through cutting-edge robotics, autonomous systems, and AI. Under his leadership, Sellafield and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) are investing in technologies that not only clean up the past but also shape the future of the industry.

Rav’s impact goes far beyond machines. He brings together engineers, scientists, government bodies, expert businesses and academic partners across the UK to collaborate. Sellafield's robotics forums are legendary, think less boardroom, more innovation hub where ideas spark, new partnerships form, and progress accelerates.

Sellafield and the NDA group is now a global front-runner in applying robotics and AI to nuclear challenges from inspecting hazardous environments to handling radioactive waste with precision and care.

Rav’s real passion lies in inspiring and coaching people, especially the next generation of engineers and innovators to believe in themselves and the power of technology to solve the world’s toughest problems. 

Sarah has over 33 years experience in the nuclear industry. An experienced senior leader with a passion for excellence who believes in helping people to be their best. Sarah is a chartered accountant who thrives on change and new challenges, uniting people around a common goal or purpose.