Mobilise 2025: Transport Tech and Economic Growth

Pulin Baghela

Consulting Partner, Travel and Transport, Cognizant Global Growth Markets (EMEA)

Pulin leads the Transport sector for Cognizant Consulting across EMEA, focusing on providing strategic direction for sustainable growth and thought leadership.

 With over 20 years of experience advising clients across the transportation industry, he is a strategist with expertise in aligning technology to enterprise vision and customer needs. He enables clients to meet their strategic business objectives by defining, evaluating, architecting and subsequently implementing appropriate business or digital / technology transformation solutions based on deep industry expertise.

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Ryan Case

Public Affairs and Corporate Communications Manager (Europe) , Starship Technologies

With over seven years of experience in communication and digital roles, Ryan is a Public Affairs and Stakeholder Manager at Starship Technologies, a leading company in autonomous delivery services. 

In his current role, Ryan leads the public affairs and community engagement activities that have influenced local government policy and social acceptance for new emerging tech. He also delivers digital communication campaigns to influence customers' decision making and increase brand awareness. Additionally, he has experience in designing and delivering learning interventions to drive business performance and employee productivity, public speaking and speech writing, and using various digital tools and platforms.

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Sue Daley OBE

Director, Technology and Innovation, techUK

Sue leads techUK's Technology and Innovation work at techUK.

This includes work programmes on cloud, data protection, data analytics, AI, digital ethics, Digital Identity and Internet of Things as well as emerging and transformative technologies and innovation policy. She has been recognised as one of the most influential people in UK tech by Computer Weekly's UKtech50 Longlist and in 2021 was inducted into the Computer Weekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech Hall of Fame. A key influencer in driving forward the data agenda in the UK Sue is co-chair of the UK government's National Data Strategy Forum. As well as being recognised in the UK's Big Data 100 and the Global Top 100 Data Visionaries for 2020 Sue has also been shortlisted for the Milton Keynes Women Leaders Awards and was a judge for the Loebner Prize in AI. In addition to being a regular industry speaker on issues including AI ethics, data protection and cyber security, Sue was recently a judge for the UK Tech 50 and is a regular judge of the annual UK Cloud Awards.

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Jo Field

Founder and Chief Executive, JFG Communications

Jo Field, Chart.PR, FCIPR, FCIHT is Founder & Chief Executive of JFG Communications, a public affairs and stakeholder engagement consultancy that is helping the transport industry to decarbonise and diversify its workforce.

 

Named among the 100 most influential women in Westminster, Jo has over 20 years of experience helping companies engage their stakeholders, build advocacy for their plans, and inform and influence public policy. 

 

Before founding JFG Communications, Jo spent almost a decade at Transport for London where she built and led the company’s award-winning stakeholder engagement team, building stakeholder support and advocacy for London’s transport infrastructure and the funding to deliver it.

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Sherin Francis

Associate Director (Transport Planning and Mobility Solutions), Jacobs

Sherin Francis is a Chartered Engineer and Transport Planner with experience in multi-modal infrastructure advisory and transport planning. She has significant experience in the development of Business Cases for regional transport schemes, including economic analysis and evaluation. Her expertise spans project management, strategic planning, and she has a deep understanding of local, regional, and national government transport and strategy development. Sherin has managed placemaking, active travel and multi-modal projects with key public sector transport authorities such as Transport for the North, National Highways, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and several other local authority bodies in the UK. Sherin is also a thought leader in inclusive transport having published and presented award-winning research at national and international conferences and has participated in National and EU Commission studies. She is currently undertaking industry impact research on public transport accessibility with the University of Oxford.

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Simon Goodman

Chief Information Officer, Network Rail

No bio provided

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Jamie Hodsdon

Global Regulatory & Public Affairs Lead, Oxa

Jamie is Global Regulatory & Public Affairs Lead at Oxa. He leads work in Oxa to engage regulators and governments around the world, communicating the importance of safe autonomy delivering social good. Jamie also chairs techUK’s Self-Driving Vehicle Working Group, which seeks to promote the ADS developer industry and ensure autonomy achieves something for everyone. He previously worked in the UK Department for Transport's Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles where he led the team developing future legislation and regulation, including the Law Commission project and the Automated Vehicles Act.

: jamie-hodsdon-27294169

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Mike Hyde

Chief Technology Officer, Trainline

Mike joined Trainline in September 2021, bringing over 20 years’ experience of leading data teams and organisations, combining data analytics, engineering and business strategy roles. Mike spent the previous four years at Facebook as the overall Head of Data Science and Engineering for Workplace by Facebook. Prior to that he led the data and insights capability at Microsoft for the Skype consumer product and Skype for Business. He has previously held data analytics roles in AlixPartners and other consulting companies, using data to build business strategy across a range of industries. Mike also holds an M.A. in Engineering, Physics and Computing and a Master of Engineering in Information Sciences from the University of Cambridge.

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Brandon Jones

Head of External Relations, First Bus

With over 25 years of experience in the bus sector, Brandon Jones is the Head of External Relations for First Bus across the UK. He joined First Bus in 1997, holding senior roles across various commercial functions.

Brandon holds a BA (Hons) in Business Studies and a diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. His career has focused on communications, customer service, and public affairs, with a strong track record in stakeholder management and strategic communications.

A skilled communicator and advocate for professional development, Brandon has board-level experience and is passionate about coaching and mentoring. He continues to play a key role in shaping First Bus’s relationships and reputation across the UK.

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Shelley Langan-Newton

CEO, SQR

Starting her career in education as a lecturer of Performing Arts, Shelley pivoted into the corporate world where she has experience working in the space, tech, and telecoms industries in both B2B and B2C markets - founding, launching, scaling, and managing several businesses in multiple jurisdictions. Shelley currently serves as SQR CEO and Chair of the Digital Forum for the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce. Shelley was the co-founder of the Isle of Man’s first, Internet Exchange.

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Yatin Mahandru

VP, Head of Public Sector and Health, Cognizant UK & Ireland, Cognizant

Yatin is a thought leader and advisor with 40 years of experience in the public and private sectors supporting the delivery of complex, large-scale transformational programmes in the UK and globally. A member of the UK leadership team, in his role, Yatin sets and executes the growth strategy with a focus on how and where advances in technology can be beneficial to citizen services while delivering through empowered teams. He is certified coach, mediator and board-level advisor with an interest in developing future leaders and supporting boards in developing inclusive growth strategies.

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Sangeeth Ramachandran

Chief Solutions Architect, Cognizant Global Growth Markets (EMEA and APJ)

Sangeeth is a seasoned IT transformation leader with extensive experience working alongside global clients across diverse industry verticals. His expertise lies in developing innovative solutions and managing complex programs that drive meaningful outcomes. Currently, he serves as the Chief Solutions Architect in Cognizant's EMEA team, specialising in Cloud, Data/AI, and Application solutions

In his role, Sangeeth architects end-to-end IT solutions that seamlessly align with clients' business and IT strategies, encompassing the full enterprise stack, including User Experience, Applications, Data/AI, Cloud, and Infrastructure.

Beyond his professional expertise, Sangeeth has a keen interest in emerging technologies and their transformative potential. His passions include exploring Agentic AI, AI Engineering, Autonomous Vehicles, Cybersecurity, and the evolution of Data Centres.

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Matt Robinson

Head of Nations and Regions, techUK

Matt is techUK’s Head of Nations and Regions.

Matt is leading techUK’s work with members and stakeholders across the UK to increase the Local Digital Capital across the UK’s nation and regions, build communities and to ensure that digital technology plays a key part the post-COVID-19 levelling-up recovery.

Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked for several national education charities and membership bodies to develop their regional partnerships with schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and other stakeholders. He’s also worked with local authority leaders and other stakeholders to engage communities, work with elected members and improve public services.

He holds a BA in Politics from the University of York and an MA in International Relations from the University of Leeds. Away from work he’s a keen football fan and golfer.

If you’d like to find out more about our work in the nations and regions please get in touch with Matt:

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Sukhi Sandhu

Head of Rail Telecoms Policy, Department for Transport

No bio provided

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Max Sugarman

Chief Executive, Intelligent Transport Systems UK

Max Sugarman is Chief Executive of Intelligent Transport Systems UK, the national voice of the transport technology industry. He manages the strategy and direction of the organisation, representing the sector to government and stakeholders and making the case for the value of intelligent transport.

He has around a decade of experience working in transport, innovation and communications. He has previously worked at the Catapult Network, where he supported the nine Catapult innovation centres on cross-cutting policy issues and political engagement, and as Public Affairs & PR Director at the Railway Industry Association (RIA), the leading UK trade body for rail suppliers, where he led an award-winning communications function.

 

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Josh Turpin

Telecoms and Net Zero Programme Manager, techUK

Josh joined techUK as a Programme Manager for Telecoms and Net Zero in August 2024.

In this role, working jointly across the techUK Telecoms and Climate Programmes, Josh is responsible for leading on telecoms infrastructure deployment and uptake and supporting innovation opportunities, as well as looking at how the tech sector can be further utilised in the UK’s decarbonisation efforts.  

Prior to joining techUK, Josh’s background was in public affairs and communications, working for organisations across a diverse portfolio of sectors including defence, telecoms and infrastructure; aiding clients through stakeholder engagement, crisis communications, media outreach as well as secretariat duties.

Outside of work, Josh has a keen interest in music, painting and sailing.

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