Julie Baker is Head of Enterprise and Community Finance at NatWest with a 30+ year career in the world of banking covering leadership roles and was ‘Highly Commended’ at last year’s Women in Finance awards for the program she oversees at NatWest supporting female entrepreneurs.

Julie is responsible for leading the ongoing delivery of new and better ways to support enterprise within the NatWest SME customer base across the UK. She acts as an Enterprise ambassador, enhancing the profile of NatWest as the “go to” Bank for diverse business segments through high visibility across external influencing forums, the media and Government. Julie is an external influencer and has chaired the BBA Diversity & Inclusion Council and the Access to Finance Group at the APPG for Women in Enterprise. She acts as an Enterprise Ambassador and is an inspirational role model who is passionate about helping others succeed.

Nicky’s best-known achievement is undoubtedly in her role as the CEO of the multi award-winning Piece Hall in Halifax which re-opened following a major transformation nearly two years ago. Within 18 months the Trust achieved record visitor numbers with an amazing 2.5 million people visiting the Piece Hall which has recently climbed to a staggering 5 million. However, her accolades don’t end there, she is the former Mayoress of Calderdale, the Yorkshire Choice Businesswoman of the Year 2019, was added to the much coveted Northern Power Women’s Power List in 2018 and more recently learned that she has been shortlisted for the Forward Ladies regional Leadership awards.
Previously from the South, Nicky has over 21 years’ award-winning experience in marketing, advertising & media with an amazing list of clients which includes Tesco, BT, Pedigree/Mars, then a move into the public sector which saw her supporting HS2, delivering major regeneration projects and Highways England on their change and delivery programme.
Now a passionate ambassador for the North, Nicky is keen to ensure the North gets both the funding and recognition it richly deserves.

As well as being Senior Buying Manager for the World Foods Category at Morrisons, Noor is also involved in community and school mentoring which includes being a Mentor and Vice Chair for The Princes’ Trust initiative, Mosaic Yorkshire. As part of her passion for mentoring others, Noor has set up Noor’s Den: an initiative which supports the development of Prisoners.
From the origins of running a family run, modern ethnic supermarket in Bradford in the 1990’s, Noor’s career quickly moved into head office roles within Asda and subsequently Morrisons when the family business was sold.
Noor pioneered the growth of the World Food’s category within Asda, taking the category from very little to 5,000 lines, and other supermarkets quickly followed suit. At this point she was recruited by Morrisons and quickly partnered with 85 suppliers to grow the category from just 500 lines to over 1350 and increased year-on-year sales by 146%.
Noor is an ambassador for inclusion and diversity, and has ensured that Morrisons have excellent ranges which supports the communities around them, and the religious festivals they may be celebrating.

With over 15 awards & 11 years hosting Capital FM’s breakfast show, Stephanie is one of the UKs biggest radio stars. In 2014 she took a break from broadcasting, but was eventually lured back after 18 months to the BBC where she now hosts The ARIA Award winning ‘Stephanie Hirst Show’ weekday mornings 9-12pm on BBC Radio Leeds and her unique ‘Vinyl Revival’ show every Saturday night on BBC Radio Manchester.
Expanding into TV, she has presented for ITV’s Lorraine, BBC Breakfast, BBC Inside Out and written for The Guardian & The Independent.
Starting her career aged 12 at Radio Aire in Leeds, securing a slot on the overnight show at 16, this took her on an unbelievable journey hosting some of the biggest commercial radio shows in the UK, including the national Sunday top 40 show ‘Hit40Uk’ for 3 years, along with interviewing some of the world’s biggest stars.
With a passion for public speaking, Stephanie is also a fellow & trustee of the Radio Academy, chair of the Student Radio Awards, and an honorary degree recipient from Leeds Beckett University.

Jill is the Founder and Managing Director of Twinkles Nursery Group in Yorkshire, England.
She qualified at York St John’s in 1996 as a primary school teacher which she continued for five years, before leaving in 2001 after having her first child to set up her first nursery in Leeds. Jill was unable to find suitable childcare for her daughter, so decided to create her own.
Now with six large private day nurseries and three out of school clubs, Twinkles Nursery Group, all have been awarded outstanding and good certificates from Ofsted. Jill has continually developed her professional skills completing various qualifications and courses including Early Years Professional status (EYP) with the NDNA and the Leadership and Management course “Be Brilliant” by Michael Heppell.
Jill has worked closely with her local authority and has achieved gold status for the quality assurance in Leeds.
Jill and Twinkles have won numerous awards including NMT top 5 business index award 2017, NMT power 20 2015 and Yorkshire women of enterprise awards for business 2013 and 2014.
Jill has worked as an early years consultant for many companies in the UK and overseas in Dubai, China and South Africa, carrying out projects ranging from designing suitable buildings, to delivering training and carrying out quality inspections.
Jill has devised the training programme for All Stars UK to enable British early years online training to be carried out around the world with ease. The British system overseas is becoming a rapidly growing business particularly in China, the Middle East, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa.
Jill’s two children have always been and remain her inspiration.

Lynette is Chief of Staff at Channel 4 where, as well as supporting key priorities of the CEO and Executive team, she has responsibility for strategic planning, communications and a number of other corporate projects including the channel’s regional investment and partnerships strategy.

Prior to joining Channel 4, Lynette was the Director of Government & Regulatory Affairs at Ofcom and has held a variety of roles in business and political affairs in both public and private sectors, at UK and EU level. She started out at the UK Home Office, with stints at the European Commission and UNHCR in Brussels and in political consultancy in Washington. She recently completed an Executive MBA focused on the creative industries.