Speakers

Milly is the Social Media Manager at the University of Westminster, where she’s focused on making higher education social media feel genuinely social.With a background in HE, she specialises in organic growth, storytelling and student collaboration. She leads a paid social media ambassador scheme and works closely with students to create content that is human in tone and strategic by design.Milly believes the best social strategies make room for creativity and a little bit of nonsense. Whether perfecting a lip sync or backing students’ ideas, she’s always exploring ways to make social content feel native.

Andrea leads on media relations and communications activities for one of the UK's largest universities. With over 25 years of communications experience spanning higher education, agencies and consultancy, she brings strategic insights that are helping to build and strengthen the University's reputation. Her work includes developing and maintaining relationships with media, internal and external stakeholders and managing complex institutional communications including crisis management. Most recently, Andrea has played a key role in unifying Northumbria's communications and marketing functions into a single professional service area – a significant initiative designed to strengthen cross-functional collaboration and institutional impact.

As Head of University Marketing, Andy is responsible for building the University of Manchester brand and enhancing Manchester’s reputation for excellence. Andy leads the University Marketing team with responsibility for content, creative and digital across the University’s corporate marketing channels, including the University website and the University Magazine. Alongside this, Andy oversees corporate and fundraising campaigns activity and monitoring the University’s reputation among key stakeholders. Andy played a key role in the University’s recent bicentenary celebrations, including leading on the Times Higher Education World Academic Summit held in Manchester in October 2024.

Catherine Frankpitt is the founder and director of Strike Communications, a strategic public relations agency specialising in communications strategy, reputation and purpose-led campaigns. With 25 years’ experience, Catherine has led complex and high profile communications programmes for charities and cultural organisations, the public sector and higher education institutions. She was previously director of communications at UWE Bristol. In 2025, she created and led the communications strategy for the announcement of the UK’s first ‘super-university’ – the proposed merger of the universities of Greenwich and Kent, working closely with the two small in-house teams, which she continues to oversee.

Chris Thundow is the press and PR manager at De Montfort University. Having worked as a reporter and feature writer for the Derby Telegraph, he switched to communications first with the NHS, then into higher education with the University of Wolverhampton, before joining DMU. In the last couple of years, he has developed a public affairs function within his team and while he knows that, realistically, nothing will beat the high of trying to secure national media coverage for A-level results day each year, he has certainly enjoyed working in a new area, helping brilliant academics engage with politicians on subjects like knife safety, cyber skills, prison education, and early years access to creative arts.

Senior Creative at Loughborough University, responsible for PR-linked news content and syndication, podcasts, and digital campaigns. Previously Notts County Football Club Website/Video Service Manager and Macesport Account Manager (mainly focused on Vauxhall's Home Nations' football sponsorship).

David Penney is Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at UCAS, where he has worked since 2019. He leads on all engagement with teachers and advisers, students and universities, including the UCAS Hub and UCAS events. His first role in higher education was in 2006 at Oxford Brookes University and he has also led communications and marketing teams at Nottingham Trent University, University of Sussex, and the University of Gloucestershire.

Deon-Nadine Butler is Director of Marketing and Communications at London Metropolitan University, where she leads brand, marketing recruitment and reputation-building to support the institution’s strategic priorities and growth. A member of the senior leadership team, she heads a high-performing, digital-first function responsible for compelling storytelling, internal engagement and agile, insight-led campaigns across diverse domestic and international audiences.

Hannah Berry is the Deputy Director of Communications and Campaigns at Universities UK. She heads up the media and campaigns & content teams. With 20 years’ experience delivering high-impact, insight-driven strategies across the public, health and voluntary sectors, Hannah specialises in shaping narratives that influence national policy

Harry Anderson is Deputy Director for Policy and Global Engagement at Universities UK International (UUKi), the body which represents the UK’s higher education sector and supports universities with their global engagement. As Deputy Director, Harry oversees UUKi’s work across a range of policy areas, including International Mobility, Global Research & Innovation, and Transnational Education (TNE). He regularly engages with officials, politicians, and other senior stakeholders from across the UK and abroad to help support UUK’s members, and to promote international collaboration and engagement. Prior to his current role, Harry led UUK’s policy work related to immigration as well as free speech and academic freedom and previously worked on education and skills policy for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

Isha Rai is a Marketing Communications postgraduate student based in London with a strong focus on digital marketing, brand storytelling, and audience engagement. Alongside her academic work, she has built a growing digital presence of over 70,000 followers, where she experiments with content strategy, influencer marketing, and platform growth. Isha has collaborated with several fashion and lifestyle brands, gaining hands-on experience in translating brand messages into engaging digital content. She is particularly interested in how data, creativity, and emerging technologies are reshaping modern marketing, and is passionate about bridging academic insights with real-world digital brand building.

Jane Hamilton is the UK’s leading careers and employment journalist and a social mobility expert. Working across both the Times and The Sun, she has a unique perspective on the work of work and covers careers from ‘shopfloor to C-suite’ with a strong interest in the future of work. As editor of The Sun’s award-winning Sunemployment campaign, she has helped over a half a million Sun readers into new jobs, apprenticeships and university courses. As a first-generation Cambridge University graduate, Jane is a founding member of the Social Mobility Leaders Forum and campaigns for widening access to higher education.

Nick is Director of Comms at Imperial College London, supporting its mission, brand, and strategic objectives. He joined from NHS England, where he was responsible for the largest communications team in the public sector. Prior to this, Nick was a leading health and science journalist at the nation’s two best-selling newspapers.

Sabina Frediani is the Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the University of Liverpool, leading a team focused on reputation promotion and engagement with internal and external stakeholders. She oversees staff and student communications, media relations and social media management, research communications, corporate events and political and civic engagement. Prior to joining UoL, Sabina directed award winning public and media campaigns at the human rights organisation, Liberty. She is published and has spoken on a wide range of human rights and social justice issues and was an associate lecturer at the University of Lancashire. She is a current Trustee of the Foundation for Peace, a victim-founded charity addressing conflict in society.

Seb has a long background working in communications roles in the public sector and regulated industries, including the London Fire Brigade and the Local Government Association. He joined Universities UK after spending a decade in senior communications roles in the rail industry. This included as Director of Communications for the Great British Railways Transition Team, where he influenced the policy of successive governments towards the biggest reforms to rail in a generation. Before this, he worked in a membership organisation acting as the voice of the railway on a range of operational and policy issues ranging from rail fares to train punctuality and reform of the sector.
Seb has acted as a spokesperson in national broadcast media, led the industry-wide introduction of a life-saving partnership between the railway and Women’s Aid, and managed the production of various research and policy reports. He was also part of the team that devised a first-of-its kind strategy to reposition the reputation of the rail sector.

Shaun Wooller is health editor of the Daily Mail, where he covers health policy and medical research. He previously reported on health and science at The Sun.
 

Tania Rhodes-Taylor is Executive Director of Communications & External Affairs at King’s College London and Chair of the World 100 Reputation Network. With extensive experience across global higher education, she leads institutional strategy on reputation, engagement and external relations. Tania has worked with universities around the world to navigate complex communications challenges, strengthen visibility and build long-term trust with stakeholders. Her work spans reputation strategy, issues management, government relations and sector-wide collaboration. Known for her thoughtful, pragmatic approach, she brings deep insight into how universities can thrive in an unpredictable geopolitical and media landscape. She is a regular speaker at international forums.

Zeenat Fayaz founded The Brand Education because good intentions aren't enough. Real change takes bold thinking, honest conversations, and a healthy disregard for how it's always been done. Her career began in defence publishing before stints at QS and Times Higher Education, where she watched talented marketing teams sit isolated from the academic heart of their institutions. That pattern drove her to build something different. Today she works alongside senior leaders and over 5,000 researchers globally, and hosts The Brand Education podcast, where polished answers give way to honest conversations about what actually needs to change.

Alex has been Vice President of Higher Education at the National Union of Students since July 2024. His main role is to represent students in Higher Education and to advocate and campaign for their best interests. Prior to NUS, he spent a year as the Education Officer at Exeter Students’ Guild.