Speakers
Julian David OBE
Sofía Trénor Michelena
Pascal Kerneis
Antony Walker
Sabina Ciofu
Theo Maiziere
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Julian David is the CEO of techUK, the leading technology trade association that aims to realise the positive outcomes that digital technology can achieve for People, Society, the Economy and the Planet.
He leads techUK’s 100+ strong team representing 1,100+ British based tech companies, comprising global and national champions and more than 600 SMEs and ScaleUP companies. techUK is the voice of the tech industry in the UK with 21 member led programmes covering all of tech from ‘Chips to Clicks’ and addressing 11 market sectors from Defence and Central Government, through to Health, Consumer Electronics and Financial Services.
In 2021 techUK launched TechSkills, the employer-led accreditation organisation that aims to improve the flow of talent into the digital workforce and open up access for all to high value tech jobs.
Julian represents techUK on a number of external bodies including the Digital Economy Council, the National Cyber Security Advisory Council and the Department of Business and Trade’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group. He is member of the NTA Advisory Board of DIGITALEUROPE and is a member of the Board of the Health Innovation Network the South London Academic Health Science Network.
Julian has over thirty years of experience in the technology industry. Prior to joining techUK, he had a series of leadership roles at IBM including Vice President for Small and Medium Business and Public Sector. After leaving IBM he worked as a consultant helping tech SMEs establish successful operations in the U.K. His personal interests include Football (West Ham, Balham FC and Real Madrid) and Art.
Welcome and opening remarks Thursday @ 9:30 AM
Sofía Trénor Michelena is VP of EU Affairs at Nscale, one of Europe's fastest-growing AI infrastructure companies. In this role, she leads government affairs across the EU, shaping the company's position on AI and cloud computing policy. She brings over 20 years of experience working at the heart of the tech industry. Before Nscale, she spent eight years at Amazon Web Services directing EU public policy, driving cloud regulation, content moderation and trade. Prior to AWS, Sofía held senior legal and business affairs roles at media companies, including Sony Pictures, Discovery Communications and Warner Music. She is a qualified lawyer and holds a Master's degree in Intellectual Property and New Technologies.
Panel one: Tech and digital policy - from friction to interoperability Thursday @ 10:35 AM
Mr Kerneis is an expert in international trade in services. He was appointed Managing Director of ESF (European Services Forum) in 1999. He achieved his Ph.D. in European Law in 1990 in France. He was Legal Expert in the European Commission in Brussels from 1988 to 1990, and then worked for the European Banking Federation, as International Affairs Adviser.
ESF is the voice of the European services industry in the international trade and investment negotiations, representing €3 Trillion of trade in 2025. ESF provides input to negotiators on the business priorities in multilateral, plurilateral and bilateral trade negotiations.
Pascal Kerneis is a regular speaker on trade in services and investment conferences and author of articles on trade in services and investment, and on digital trade related issues in various publications. He is active member of the Commission DG Trade Contact Group and of many EU FTAs Domestic Advisory Groups.Panel two: Trade and the wider economic and security partnership Thursday @ 11:55 AM
Antony Walker is deputy CEO of techUK, which he played a lead role in launching in November 2013.
Antony is a member of the senior leadership team and has overall responsibility for techUK’s policy work. Prior to his appointment in July 2012 Antony was chief executive of the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG), the UK’s independent advisory group on broadband policy. Antony was closely involved in the development of broadband policy development in the UK since the BSG was established in 2001 and authored several major reports to government. He also led the development of the UK’s world leading Open Internet Code of Practice that addresses the issue of net neutrality in the UK. Prior to setting up the BSG, Antony spent six years working in Brussels for the American Chamber of Commerce following and writing about telecoms issues and as a consultant working on EU social affairs and environmental issues. Antony is a graduate of Aberdeen University and KU Leuven and is also a Policy Fellow Alumni of the Centre for Science and Policy at Cambridge University.
Closing remarks Thursday @ 1:15 PM
Sabina leads techUK's international policy and engagement. Based in Brussels, she manages our EU policy priorities as well as our international trade agenda.
Sabina leads techUK’s engagement with the European Union institutions, as well as the EU Member States. Outside of the EU, her work is focused on key trade partners, such as the USA and Japan, as well as key international organisations, such as the WTO and the OECD. Previously, she worked as Policy Advisor in the European Parliament for almost a decade, where she specialised in tech regulation, international trade and EU-US relations.
Sabina is the founder of the Gentlewomen’s Club, co-organiser of the Young Professionals in Digital Policy and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, where she has led several youth civic engagement and gender equality projects.
She holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge.
Theo joined techUK in 2024 as EU Policy Manager. Based in Brussels, he works on our EU policy and engagement.
Theo is an experienced policy adviser who has helped connect EU and non-EU decision makers.
Prior to techUK, Theo worked at the EU delegation to Australia, the Israeli trade mission to the EU, and the City of London Corporation’s Brussels office. In his role, Theo ensures that techUK members are well-informed about EU policy, its origins, and its implications, while also facilitating valuable input to Brussels-based decision-makers.
Theo holds and LLM in International and European law, and an MA in European Studies, both from the University of Amsterdam.