Kristina Altoft, Head of Assessment Services, Pearson

Kristina Altoft is Head of Assessment Services at Pearson, leading innovation in digital assessment and service delivery. With over a decade of experience, she has driven initiatives such as the Pearson Remote Invigilation Service and Pearson Mocks Service, expanding access to international and vocational markets.

A collaborative and customer-focused leader, Kristina is passionate about designing accessible, technology-driven solutions that enhance learning and assessment worldwide.

Dan Bray, Director of Assessment Innovation and Transformation at Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Dan Bray is Director of Assessment Innovation and Transformation at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, leading innovative methodologies for international qualifications used by over 10,000 schools worldwide.

With extensive experience across educational levels, Dan has delivered large-scale reform projects with governments, schools, and NGOs. He previously worked as a senior assessment advisor for IGCSE, A Level, O Level, and Checkpoint qualifications, and has experience in publishing and teaching.

Dr Linda Amrane-Cooper, Director of Academic Practice in Online and Distance Education, University of London and Director, Centre for Online and Distance Education

Dr Linda Amrane-Cooper is Director of Academic Practice in Online and Distance Education at the University of London and Director of the Centre for Online and Distance Education. Her career spans higher education, teaching, and museum education. A member of the University’s Senior Management Group, she supports innovation, policy, and practice in academic development, working with partners in the UK and internationally to advance high-quality, inclusive, and accessible online, blended, and transnational education.

Kemi Donovan, Director of Global Operations, English & Exams, British Council

Kemi Donovan is Director of Global Operations for English & Exams at the British Council, leading operational excellence across more than 100 countries. With over 20 years’ experience in education and assessment, she has delivered major programmes in digital transformation and service design, including the global rollout of onscreen marking.

A collaborative, data-driven leader, Kemi holds an MSc in Management Science and a Senior Leader MBA and is passionate about inclusive, scalable, and digitally enabled assessment solutions.

Dr Adam Edmett, Head Ed Tech Innovation, British Council

Adam Edmett is Head of EdTech Innovation at the British Council, based in Doha, Qatar. He oversees the development of EdTech solutions to support high-quality English language teacher (ELT) development worldwide. With 27 years’ experience in ELT and digital learning across fourteen countries, he holds a Doctorate from the University of Bath and an MA from the Open University, both in Online Education. His research focuses on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in ELT, with an emphasis on responsible and secure use.

Dr Mariano Felice, Senior Researcher and Data Scientist for Language Assessment & Learning, British Council

Mariano leads the AI strategy for language learning and assessment at the British Council, focusing on NLP applications, AI solution development, and promoting responsible AI use. With over a decade of experience, he has worked on error correction, cloze test generation, and item difficulty prediction, and has published widely in leading NLP conferences. He is also a visiting scholar at the Universities of Reading and Cambridge and a regular international speaker.

Al Kingsley MBE, Bestselling author, Multi Academy Trust Chair, RSC Board & CEO of NetSupport, Digital innovator Top Tech Influencer 24, ISC Edruptor

Al Kingsley MBE is CEO of NetSupport and a leading voice in education and technology. With over 30 years in EdTech, he chairs a Multi-Academy Trust and the BESA EdTech Group and sits on several national education boards.

A bestselling author and international speaker, Al was awarded an MBE in 2025 for services to education and named a 2025 ISC Research “Edruptor

Fiona Mitchell, Global Head of Exams Business Assurance, British Council

Fiona Mitchell is British Council’s Global Head of Exams Business Assurance, and leads a team of specialists in exams investigations, audit, quality assurance and risk. With a long career in educational leadership, she is especially interested in the challenges and rewards of safeguarding integrity and fairness in assessments and examinations in constantly evolving environments. To this end she always welcomes the opportunity to share her work, exchange ideas and engage in discussion with other industry experts.

Aimée Hobby Rhodes, Head, Exam Management & Measurement, CFA Institute

As Head of Exam Management & Measurement at CFA Institute, Ms. Rhodes oversees the secure, equitable, and high-quality delivery of the organisation’s global exam portfolio.

With over 20 years’ experience in credentialing, she leads teams managing test taker support, scholarships, accessibility, psychometrics, security, grading, and test centre operations. She also led the CFA Program’s transition to computer-based testing and a new learning management system.

Richard Spiby, Head of Assessment Research, British Council

Richard works on the development and validation of British Council tests, including test analysis and assessment components for new and existing exams. He also advises on assessment development, training, and reform worldwide.

With over 25 years’ experience in language assessment and teaching, his expertise includes test development and validation, equality, diversity and inclusion, language assessment literacy, and test analysis.

Mark Walker, Director English and Examinations, British Council 

Mark was appointed to his role in September 2022, having previously served as Director of Transformation, leading major organisational change to deliver the British Council’s mission and strategy. He also led the East Asia region for five years and has served as Director Examinations, overseeing global delivery of UK qualifications and English language assessments.

Mark began his British Council career as an English teacher in Slovakia and has held roles across India, Egypt, and Europe.

Cathering Whitaker, Global Director Online Learning, British Council

Catherine Whitaker is Global Director Online Learning at the British Council, leading English Online and the global digital strategy for English learning. Since 2020, the platform has reached over 360,000 learners from more than 100 countries.

Catherine has extensive experience in EdTech and innovative learning, having previously led EtonX and contributed to the development of the Macmillan English Campus, alongside senior roles at HarperCollins and Knowledge Transmission.

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Damon Young, EDI specialist, British Council

Damon is an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) specialist with extensive experience leading accessibility and inclusion initiatives across international education contexts. He is currently completing his doctorate, which examines policy frameworks and the lived experiences of EDI practitioners in higher education. Damon’s research and practice focus on embedding accessibility into assessment design, classroom practice, and institutional policy, ensuring equity is not just an aspiration but a practical reality. Alongside his doctoral work, he has led global projects on inclusive policy, accessibility compliance, and frameworks that connect research to practice.

Dr Huahui Zhao, Associate Professor in Language Education and Deputy Director of Research and Innovation, School of Education, University of Leeds

Dr Huahui Zhao is Associate Professor in Language Education and Deputy Director of Research and Innovation at the University of Leeds, where she leads the development of the Hub for Research Innovation, Culture and Education (RICE). Her research focuses on assessment and testing in both traditional and technology-enhanced settings.

Her current work examines how generative AI is transforming learning, teaching, and assessment in higher education, with an emphasis on refining assessment design and fostering critical AI literacy among learners.