Events

About this event

KNIT is a future-focussed network for diversity, equity and inclusion professionals looking to fast track great connections to complex topics, new thinking, different perspectives and practical answers.

KNIT is a cross-sector DEI community that helps participants get ahead in our rapidly evolving context by learning and working together, with opportunities to engage around the DEI lens on what’s happening in other key business areas in our organisations. We’re about Knowledge, Networking, Innovation and Transformation!

As DEI practitioners operating in rapidly evolving workplaces, our jobs continue to involve bringing people from different parts of our organisations together to collaborate and rethink how we do things to drive more inclusive outcomes. In this Q3 KNIT event, we will be joined by Andy Reid, founder of The Genius Box and facilitator/strategist extraordinaire. Andy will challenge conventional thinking around creativity, innovation and leadership, and share practical tools, stories and techniques for how we can generate better ideas, unlock insight and approach business challenges differently. Expect an energetic and thought-provoking perspective on how to create the conditions for more imaginative thinking, stronger collaboration and breakthrough moments with your colleagues!

More speakers to be announced. Look forward to seeing you there!

Note: this event is targeted to in-house DEI professionals.

Agenda

08:00 – 08:30: Registration and Breakfast Networking

08:30 – 08:35: Introduction to ICG

Biral Joshi, Culture, Inclusion & Engagement Director, ICG Plc

08:35 – 08:40: Welcome to KNIT

Birgit Neu, Senior DEI Advisor and Co-Chair, KNIT

08:40 – 8:55: More speakers TBC!

Sally Spicer, Founder, Talent Included

08:55 – 9:55: This is NOT the Way: Facilitating Strategy, Innovation and Creativity

Andy Reid, Founder, The Genius Box

09:55 – 10:00: Closing Remarks

Birgit Neu, Senior DEI Advisor and Co-Chair, KNIT

10:00: Event Close

Speaker Bios

Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE

Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE is one of the UK’s most well-connected women and a leading champion for diversity. She has delivered keynotes for over 600 companies, inspiring more than 50,000 people globally. A sought-after consultant, Vanessa advises both government bodies and corporations on strategies to attract, develop, and retain diverse talent. In June 2018, she was awarded an OBE for her contributions to women and the economy, and in 2024, she received an honorary DSc from Warwick University.

In 2008, Vanessa launched the award-winning WeAreTheCity, a platform designed to support women’s career development. Its sister organisation, WeAreTechWomen, together with WeAreTheCity, has grown to a membership of over 80,000, offering resources, conferences, awards, and job opportunities to women worldwide. In 2024, she launched the first-ever national Women in Tech Week, which offered more than 50 free events across the UK to women in the tech sector. Vanessa is also the founder of several prestigious awards programs, including Rising Stars, TechWomen100, Trailblazer50, Pioneer20 and Themis20, collectively raising the profile of over 2,500 extraordinary women and men. She is the author of the acclaimed book “Heels of Steel: Surviving and Thriving in the Corporate World” and the forthcoming title “404: Women Not Found – How Women Can Survive, Thrive and Shape the Future of Tech” due for publication in October 2026.

Vanessa has earned countless accolades, including Women in Banking & Finance’s Champion for Women, Financial News’ Top 100 Rising Stars, The International Alliance for Women’s Top 100 Women, Brummell’s Top 30 London Entrepreneurs, Computer Weekly’s Hall of Fame as an icon for women in tech, GQ UK’s Top 100 Connected Women and the Evening Standard’s 1000 Most Influential Londoners. A regular media contributor, she has appeared on Sky News, BBC, Talk London, and Radio 4.

Birgit Neu

Birgit Neu is an independent Senior DEI Advisor focussing on the crossroads of DEI, AI and the future of work. She supports organisations including multinational corporates, think tanks, non-profits, and UK sports with strategy design and implementation, change management, research and communications practices. Previously Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at HSBC, Birgit has had a broad career spanning multiple sectors including digital, retail, publishing and financial services. She was named to the Top 20 Diversity Professionals in Industry 2020 by Global Diversity List and was Head of Diversity of the Year at the 2019 European Diversity Awards. Birgit is a Visiting Lecturer on Inclusive AI for Warwick Business School and a frequent contributor to thought leadership and advisory groups for leading organisations worldwide, including Coqual’s Global Better Work Futures Lab. She is an advisor to Nexus LGBTQ+, the UK network for LGBTQ+ employee network leaders. As one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices and a regular speaker, panellist and facilitator, she is an influencer with a wide international reach in her field.

Biral Joshi

Biral Joshi is Culture, Inclusion and Engagement Director at ICG PLC, a FTSE 100 alternative asset management firm. Biral leads strategic inclusion and engagement initiatives to embed a values‑led culture alongside a strong performance ethos. Prior to this, she was Global Head of Inclusion Delivery at HSBC where she led a number of firm‑wide initiatives, including global diversity data capture, disability confidence, the development of a global workplace adjustments framework across more than 60 markets, and work to advance socio‑economic diversity. She brings deep expertise in portfolio, programme and change management, enabling her to lead complex agendas with clarity, discipline and pace. Her work focuses on practical implementation, ensuring strategies translate into measurable outcomes within demanding, high‑performance environments. Biral has a particular interest in positive psychology and its application to organisational wellbeing, inclusive leadership and long‑term performance.

Andy Reid

Andy Reid is founder of The Genius Box, inspiring people to think outside the box. He has spent more than 20 years working with leadership teams across sectors as varied as Pharma, Banking, FMCG, Aviation, Construction and more recently, Technology and Transformation. Current work includes partnering with Heathrow and British Airways as Terminal 5 continues its optimisation journey alongside the wider expansion programme.

Despite the very different industries, the same patterns tend to show up: pressure, complexity, competing priorities and the constant challenge of keeping people aligned once real work begins. After 250+ projects, Andy has developed a sharp eye for the behaviours, conversations and conditions that help teams move with clarity, make better decisions and maintain momentum when things get messy. Some of these ideas take moments to explain. The real value comes in practising them properly. So expect useful tension, practical thinking, a few laughs and a session that gets hands-on quickly.

Sally Spicer

Sally Spicer is a qualified recruiter and career coach who helps DEI leaders and practitioners take control of their careers, position themselves for impact, and thrive in a competitive and evolving job market. She works with professionals to articulate their value, stand out in competitive markets, and align career strategy with their goals.

Alongside her coaching work, Sally is Co-Founder of Talent Included, a talent advisory firm that helps organisations build high-performing, sustainable workforces. With over two decades at the intersection of talent, culture, and inclusion, she has led global EDI, ESG, and workforce transformation strategies, specialising in embedding equity and inclusion across the employee lifecycle, from workforce planning to high-performing teams and robust leadership pipelines, while guiding organisations through the challenges of AI, automation, and shifting workforce expectations.

Note: Please bring photograhic ID for entry.

INVITATION ONLY EVENT

Join us online for a chill night of real talks, growth vibes, and connecting with amazing women!

Women’s Reset Evening: Connection, Growth & Real Conversations (Zoom)

Join us on September 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM (BST) for a relaxed online hangout designed just for women. It’s all about connecting, growing, and having those real conversations that matter.

This is for the girlies who are living their life to become HER. For the girls on a journey to balance being a boss while maintaining a soft life. You don’t have to do it alone.

Whether you want to meet new friends or just reset your vibe, this Zoom event is your space to chill and share. Grab your favorite drink and let’s make it an evening to remember!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE