Alison Vickers, Managing Partner of regional chartered accountants, tax advisors, Bevan Buckland LLP. Alison’s journey began as the first Trainee Chartered Accountant on 1st September 1986 at Bevan Buckland LLP. After completing her A Levels and deciding not to follow the University route, Alison completed an Accounting Foundation Course. Shortly after, she was offered a training contract with Bevan Buckland to undertake the, highly respected ICAEW ACA professional qualification. Alison qualified with first time passes in July 1989 at the age of 22. Financial Training Limited informed her that she was their youngest student in the UK that year to qualify as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant. In 1996, Alison became the first female partner at Bevan Buckland in their 100-year history. In 2015, Alison was presented with the opportunity to take over from the Managing Partner at the time, Cuan O’Shea, who had been such an important person in Alison’s career development. Alison was honoured to accept and become Bevan Buckland’s first Female Managing Partner. Alison looks after a broad range of SME clients, from smaller lifestyle businesses to £100million turnover trading groups. One of her specialities includes the not-for-profit sector and she regularly provides training courses and professional guidance for charities on risk management and governance. Alison’s audit and forensic accounting expertise have allowed her to demonstrate great success in both these areas including, uncovering corporate fraud of £1.5 million and building a Housing Association client base which is the highest representation in Wales. Anyone who knows Alison will know that she is very passionate about all of her clients. Alison’s main goal is to treat every client as if it was her own business, to be able to fully understand their business, act as a sounding board, help them to set long term strategies and achieve their financial goals. Outside of her “Day Job” Alison lives in Penclawdd with her partner Robert and their 17-year-old son, Matthew along with her stepdaughter Laura. One of Alison’s big passions is football, she is a season ticket holder with Swansea City A.F.C and has been for more than 35 years. When not spending time with her clients, Alison is the treasurer of the Swansea Bay Business Club and is on the Audit Committee of Swansea University.

Alun is an experienced senior banker specialising in structuring larger and more complex loans, equity and mezzanine investments. Based at our Llanelli office, Alun works with businesses throughout Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea. He has a broad range of experience in corporate finance, structured finance, government lending, invoice discounting and factoring in addition to turnaround funding or management. A former director of business support at Barclays, Alun joined the Development Bank of Wales in 2013. Alun has over 30 years’ experience of lending, structuring and managing loans for small to medium-sized enterprises. His career also includes stints at ABN AMRO, Lloyds TSB and RBS.

Professor Medwin Hughes DL, DPhil, DPS, FRSA, FLSW Professor Medwin Hughes is the longest serving Vice-Chancellor in Wales and over the last 20 years has played a significant role in the reconfiguration of Higher Education in Wales. Professor Medwin Hughes, DL, is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), a university created under Wales’s oldest university Royal Charter established in 1828. He is also the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales established by Royal Charter in 1893 as a national institution at the heart of Welsh education and cultural life. A graduate of Aberystwyth University and of Jesus College, Oxford, his primary area of scholarly interests lies in the study of education and inter-cultural dialogue. He has served as the Deputy Chair of the Welsh Language Board and on numerous advisory committees of the Welsh Government and the Council of Europe with regard to educational and cultural policy initiatives. The UWTSD Group is a confederation of several institutions including the University of Wales, as well as constituent colleges, Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion. Professor Hughes is leading a number of major projects across the University’s campuses, including the redevelopment of the former docklands area in Swansea to create a neighbourhood where the University will co-locate and co-create with industry. The £500 million project will also provide economic and commercial benefits to the Swansea Bay City Region by attracting new companies, partnerships and investment. He was appointed as a Welsh Supernumerary Fellow of Jesus College Oxford and is also an Honorary Fellow of Harris Manchester College, Oxford University. He served as Her Majesty’s High Sheriff of Dyfed for 2016-17. He also serves as Her Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Dyfed, and is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and of the Royal Society of Arts.

A wonderful inspirational speaker whose enthusiasm for business, entrepreneurship and success is infectious. Rachael’s business journey started at only 18 years old with £20 worth of black and white flyers and a mop. 15 years on, Mrs Buckét employs over 250 staff across the South West and Wales and continues to grow rapidly. Rachael, her business and her team have been recognised continuously over the years. They have won prestigious awards such as Business of the Year 51+ Employees with The Business Leader Awards, Business Leader of the Year with Inspire Wales Award and Young Entrepreneur Award with Welsh Women mean Business. Additionally, Rachael has been invited to both Downing Street and to a NATO summit in recognition of her outstanding service. Alongside Mrs Buckét, Rachael has made it her mission to support, guide and mentor other budding entrepreneurs to reach their business goals and get to that next level of success. Rachael’s vibrant, go-getter attitude shines brightly, she is an inspiration to all that meet her. She is a true leader.

Rob Stewart has lived in Swansea all his life and was educated at Morriston Comprehensive School before going on to study at Tycoch College and Swansea University. Rob Stewart is currently a Labour Councillor representing Morriston Ward, a Ward he has represented since 2003. Following the local elections in 2012, Rob was appointed as Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources in the new Labour administration, before becoming Leader of the Council in September 2014. In 2017 Rob was re-elected as Leader and holds the Cabinet portfolio for Economy and Strategy. Rob is the Deputy Leader of the WLGA and WLGA spokesperson for Economic Development, Europe (Brexit) and Energy. Rob led the team to secure the Swansea Bay City Deal and has been elected as Chair of Swansea Bay City Region Joint Committee to deliver Swansea Bay City Deal. Rob is at present overseeing the delivery of the multi-million pound digital Arena scheme. Rob has significant experience working in national and regional Government, primarily as a Programme and Project Manager for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency where he led the delivery of the online Driver Licence Service and redesign of the new UK ID documents including the UK Driving Licence and National identity card for foreign nationals. Rob is also Director of Swansea Business Improvement District and has previously held the position as Director of Swansea Stadium Management Company and Swansea Bay Futures. A member of the Swansea Bay City Region where he has led on the regeneration of Swansea City Centre as well as the City Deal, Industrial Common Ownership Financial Fund (ICOFF) Decision Making Panel, Joint Council of Wales (South Wales Provisional Council), WLGA (Council & Co-Ordinating Committee) and Swansea Economic Regeneration Partnership.

Sion Barry is business editor of the Western Mail and Businesslive Wales. He reports on all facets of Welsh business and the economy from FTSE 100 Admiral to high-growth potential starts-ups.