An international, cross-industry career that has moved from corporate management to extensive research, advisory and capability development services to public, private and third sector organisations. Tim has lived and worked in the UK, France (3 years) and United States (20 years), building an impressive research and entrepreneurial record, with demonstrated commitment to delivering social benefit.

As Founder and President, World Commerce & Contracting (formerly International Association for Contract & Commercial Management), Tim has built a 72,000 member worldwide non-profit association which increasingly influences commercial policies and contracting practices in major corporations and governments. In September 2019, he was presented with the Financial Times ‘Market Shaper of the Year’ Award.

Tim was until recently Professor and Chair, International Commercial & Contract Management, University of Leeds, School of Law, where he taught and led development of inter-disciplinary commercial programs.

Prior to founding World Commerce & Contracting, Tim was on the Chairman’s staff at IBM Corporation and led the development of worldwide commercial processes and skills. His early career included management roles in banking, automotive and aerospace industries, where he led negotiations up to $1.5 billion in value. He has served in advisory roles for government departments in various countries, including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan.

Craig is the lead partner for Legal Operate and has been working in contracting, contract management and tech enablement for over 20 years. Craig’s team focuses on legal managed services, providing solutions that are focused on delivering better business outcomes, lowering the cost of contracting and increasing speed and efficiency, while recognising that contracts are at the heart of an organisation.

Craig has unique expertise in creating contracting Centers of Excellence hubs and deploying contract enablement technologies, having assisted with the selection, implementation and management of dozens of platforms for many clients globally.

Prior to joining Deloitte Legal, Craig was first a practicing lawyer in New York with a focus on outsourcing and IT transactional law. He has previously held roles as head lawyer for Capgemini’s BPO practice, building global capabilities for legal, commercial and customer support; and Elevate where he built the organisation’s contract consulting capabilities. Craig is on the Board of Directors for World Commerce & Contracting and regularly speaks on industry innovations in contract and commercial management.

Cheri McMahon is a leadership communication coach and speaker with over 20 years’ experience in commercial contracting across healthcare, defence, and rail. With a background in law and mediation, she understands how high stakes decisions are shaped in complex environments. Through keynotes and training, Cheri works with leaders and teams to strengthen how they handle the conversations that sit underneath contracts; particularly where alignment, risk, and differing perspectives are involved. Her work focuses on how small shifts in thinking and communication can influence decisions and outcomes far beyond the written agreement.

Sangeeta Khorana is a Professor in International Trade Policy in the Department of Entrepreneurship, Finance and Economics at Aston Business School. Currently, she holds the prestigious endowed Chair of International Trade Policy awarded by the Institute of Export and International Trade, a UK based registered charity that aims to support and promote international trade as a force for social and economic good.

Sangeeta joined Aston Business School in July 2023 from Bournemouth University, having previously worked at the Universities of Keele, Aberystwyth, St Gallen and ETF-Zurich. She is a former Indian civil services officer, having worked with the government of India. She holds a PhD in International Trade and Development from the University of St Gallen in Switzerland.

Sangeeta works at the intersection of WTO trade policy and bilateral agreements, focussing on free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations. She has established an international reputation for her research on FTA negotiations through economic modelling and impact assessment expertise. She has provided evidence to the UK, EU and Scottish Parliaments as well as the Welsh Assembly. In addition, she has been associated with projects that aim to build capacity of trade officials on trade negotiations, examples being Vietnam, Canada, Bhutan, Thailand, UAE, among others. Currently, her research agenda is focused on exploring ‘inclusive’ trade and ‘sustainable’ supply as well as procurement liberalisation through FTAs and policy reform in the Caribbean region.

Her policy expertise and commitment to inclusiveness in the area of international trade has resulted in working with the WTO Gender Hub, international organisations, corporates, business associations, and parliamentary bodies on trade policy matters. Sangeeta was on secondment to HMG Department for Business and Trade to support with trade negotiations.

I specialize in conflict management, dispute resolution, and the transformation of complex commercial environments. I’ve built solutions in this space for government, the military, banks, and other businesses of all shapes and sizes. I love what I do, and I’m passionate about great outcomes. 

Today, I'm leading business transformation on a global scale as the CEO of Resolutiion, an end-to-end AI platform that transforms the way businesses handle risk-based challenges in live delivery relationships. 

Background. Served as Head of Legal across Europe for household brands such as ManpowerGroup and Enterprise Mobility. Joined the UK Cabinet Office. Led EU Exit commercial assurance for BEIS and DEFRA, one of a small team of authors to the U.K. Government Outsourcing Playbook on procurement best practice. Went on to build the first Commercial Dispute Resolution Practice for the UK Government, supporting all central government departments with the efficient resolution of complex supplier disputes. 

Appointed to lead the commercial transformation for the Royal Air Force, with responsibility for a £6bn defence portfolio. Established the Disputes Centre of Excellence for Lloyds Banking Group’s Commercial Banking Division. 

Won several awards for my contributions to business. Most recently, the techUK President's Award for Economy. Featured in the Times, Forbes, and The Sunday Times, and was recognised in the top 5 of Management Today's top 35 Women in UK Business in partnership with Accenture, Cranfield School of Management's 'Women to Watch', and won the Women of the Future Professions Award in partnership with Aviva. An official UN Women Delegate for several years

Ananya Premnath is the Head of Student Connect at World Commerce and Contracting, with 9 years of experience in strategy, entrepreneurship, and international relations. She has always been passionate about building things from the ground up, having previously run her own business, Open Frame, and now leading her NGO, Brahma. With a strong background in strategy and engagement, she loves bringing people together and creating opportunities for growth. Her work has been recognised with two national awards at a young age, and she continues to drive impact through her projects and initiatives.