Gordon Corera, Former BBC Security Correspondent, and The Rest is Classified
A leading journalist, writer and commentator on intelligence, national security, cybersecurity and risk, Gordon Corera has spent over two decades uncovering and explaining the complex worlds of geopolitics, espionage and terrorism. As the BBC's Security Correspondent for 20 years, he has reported on intelligence, security and conflict from across the US, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, covering pivotal events from 9/11 to the invasion of Ukraine.
Gordon’s reporting extends beyond current events to deep explorations of the institutions and technologies that shape global security. His work often examines the intersection of technology and security, exploring how developments in AI, quantum computing, and cyber-espionage are reshaping national and international priorities and relationships. An acclaimed author, Gordon has published books revealing the fascinating, sometimes shocking stories of the intelligence world. His works include MI6: Life and Death in the British Secret Service, Russians Among Us, and Intercept: The Secret History of Computers and Spies, which explores the huge implications of cyber-espionage for states, businesses, and individuals. He now co-hosts The Rest is Classified podcast, which explores both the historic and contemporary impact of spies, secrets, and security agencies.
Klaus Hommels, Founder & Chairman, Lakestar, and Chair of the Board, NATO Innovation Fund
Klaus Hommels is one of Europe’s leading business angels and venture capitalists. He is also a prominent voice for the European Tech Ecosystem with the aim of strengthening Europe’s sovereignty in times of digital transformation. Klaus has repeatedly been recognised as one of Europe’s top Venture Capital investors, having invested in many major players in the tech sector. He was an early investor in companies such as Skype, King, Facebook, Spotify, Airbnb, Revolut, Klarna, Sumup, Zoom, Coinbase, Isar Aerospace, Helsing and Neko Health. He founded Lakestar in 2012 after running his own Venture Capital fund, HommelsHolding.
As a passionate advocate of the European Tech Ecosystem, as well as the digital and technical sovereignty of our continent, Klaus frequently interacts with politicians, regulators and corporates to bring European technology and capital flows on the global agenda. He chairs the board of directors of the NATO Innovation Fund and is a founding member of think-tank initiatives such as the Internet Economy Foundation and the European Center for Digital Competitiveness in Berlin. Klaus is part of Henkel’s digital board and the innovation board of the Munich Security Conference. He is a former member of the UK Capital Markets Industry Taskforce that consults the Chancellor of the Exchequer under LSEG leadership. Klaus was also the Chair of Invest Europe, the world’s largest association of private capital, from July 2022 to June 2023. He is involved with Ashoka to support those entrepreneurs that seek innovations for the good of society.
Steve Rigby, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Rigby Group
Steve is Co-Chief Executive of Rigby Group. With over 30 years’ experience contributing to the growth of the Group, today he is responsible for leading strategy, finance and investments for the family in both the private and public markets. Steve sits on the boards of SCC, Rigby Technology Investments, Regional & City Airports, Rigby Real Estate, the Group’s hotel division, Nuvias Unified Communications, CloudClevr, Infinigate and Rigby Group.
Outside of Rigby Group, Steve is: Chair of Family Business UK (FBUK); Chair of the UK's Private Business Commission; a patron of the Entrepreneurs Network; a judge for the Private Business Awards; EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year and the World Superyacht Awards; a member of Natwest’s Mid-Market Growth Council; a member of the Wall Street Journal CEO Council; Chair of the Rigby Foundation; and a long term supporter of Place2Be, most recently as Chair of the charity’s development board.
Charlotte Forder, Lawyer, Anthos
Charlotte Forder runs the Anthos Family Office in London, an old European single family office now serving its seventh generation of family members. Anthos provides wealth management and professional advisory services to the family across a number of jurisdictions. Charlotte is also Head of Sustainability at Anthos globally. In this role, Charlotte is looking to convene like-minded family offices and establish a platform for learning and sharing best practices for advisors to high net worth families. Charlotte trained at Allen & Overy and has practised law for over 20 years. She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments, and Resolution having qualified as an All-Issues mediator.
Michel Meerkerk, CFO & Board Member, VP Capital
Michel Meerkerk is CFO and Board Member at VP Capital, the single family office of the Van Puijenbroek family, now in its sixth generation. He oversees financial operations, governance, and decision-making processes that support long-term alignment with the family’s values and ambitions. With roots in textiles, media, and agriculture, the family continues its entrepreneurial legacy through an impact-first investment approach. Michel helps ensure that governance and control frameworks support this mission, and contributes to onboarding and engaging the next generation.
Michel previously worked at Deloitte Netherlands (until 2018) in financial advisory and audit, and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a background in finance and economics.
Kerem Kamisli, Member of the Board, Esas
Kerem Kamisli started his career as a strategy consultant at Ernst & Young Parthenon (EYP) in London. After three years at EYP he moved to Istanbul and joined Ayakkabi Dunyasi, a subsidiary of Esas Holding and the second largest multibrand shoe retailer in Turkey, as marketing and e-commerce director. Kerem moved back to London in 2022, and established his personal family office that he runs today. He is a board member at Esas Holding since 2020.
Kerem co-founded the Yenibirlider Foundation in 2012, an NGO focused on developing the next generation business leaders of Turkey. He is also the co-vice chair and an executive committee member at the American Turkish Society since 2020. Kerem is also a board member at the Turkish American Business Council since 2024, the leading NGO that shapes business and trade policy between Turkey and the US. Kerem is also a member of the International Advisory Board of Boston University.
Mark Sainsbury, Founder, Mark Leonard Trust
Mark enjoyed a 25-year career in hospitality, developing and running some of London’s most successful restaurants and hotels including Moro Restaurant, Zetter Hotel and the Grain Store in Kings Cross. Alongside every other member of his family, he dedicates much of his time to philanthropy focusing his giving and impact investing on the areas of climate change, sustainable food systems and regenerative agriculture. For the last 15 years, his foundation has worked to better align its endowment investments with its mission, to support and encourage others to do the same and to help change regulatory and legal frameworks in pursuit of that mission.
In 2015, alongside his siblings Mark founded Europeans for Divest-Invest which saw success in convincing universities, faith groups and charities to move their endowments away from fossil fuels and towards climate solutions. He initiated the legal case that led to the landmark Butler-Sloss judgement on charity investment duties. Mark chairs the Impact Investment Committee at the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts and is Chair of the Linbury Trust, which recently marked 50 years of grant-making to the arts and beyond. As well as running the award wining English sparkling wine business Candover Brook, Mark farms 5000 acres in Hampshire regeneratively in partnership with his siblings.
