Broadcaster

Ayesha Hazarika MBE is a broadcaster, writer and award-winning comedian. She is a much sought after political pundit with great wit and insight, appearing regularly across shows on the BBC, Sky, ITN and Dave as well as writing for national newspapers and print including the FT, Guardian, Grazia, The Scotsman and New Statesman. Ayesha is a guest presenter on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Review, leading the weeks discussion on all things cultural and was previously a lead panel presenter on CNN Talk (CNN international) and a regular presenter on LBC.

In 2019 Ayesha Hazarika took over as Editor of The Londoner, the Evening Standard’s Daily Diary section, where she distils the latest news and insights from across the capital. Ayesha continues with her hugely popular column for the Evening Standard every Wednesday. Ayesha is a much sought-after political expert and broadcaster after serving as Chief of Staff to Harriet Harman, Labour Deputy Leader and twice Acting Leader of the Labour Party.

Founder, Cobra Beer

Karan Bilimoria is the founder of Cobra Beer, Chairman of the Cobra Beer Partnership Limited, a Joint Venture with Molson Coors.

Lord Bilimoria is the Founding Chairman of the UK India Business Council, a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London, a former Chancellor of Thames Valley University (now the University of West London); he was the youngest University Chancellor in the UK when appointed.

Karan was a former Senior Non-Executive Director of the Booker Group now TESCO PLC (2007-2016); he is one of the first two visiting entrepreneurs at the University of Cambridge; he is a founding member of the Prime Minister of India’s Global Advisory Council. In 2006, Karan Bilimoria was appointed the Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, making him the first ever Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in the House of Lords. In 2008 he was awarded the Pravasi Bharti Samman by the President of India.

In July 2014, he was installed as the seventh Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, making him the first Indian-born Chancellor of a Russell Group University in Great Britain.

Karan is also President of The UK Council on International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and Co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Students. Joined Policy Exchange & the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) as a Board Member in 2022.

Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade

Nick Thomas-Symonds was first elected as the Labour MP for his home constituency of Torfaen in May 2015, and was re-elected in June 2017 and again in December 2019.

He has served in a number of frontbench roles for the Labour Party: Shadow Pensions Minister; Shadow Employment Minister; Shadow Solicitor-General; and Shadow Security Minister. He is currently the Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade and, in 2021, he was appointed a Privy Councillor.