Festival Agenda

Satish Kumar

Activist & Speaker

Satish Kumar is an activist and internationally renowned speaker on ecological issues.

Hilary Cuddy

Director of Services • Design West

Hilary Cuddy is Director of Services at Design West overseeing the organisation's design consultancy services. Hilary has over 15 years’ leadership experience in the built environment, spanning planning practice to communication design and academic consultancy. Hilary is driven by a belief that good design is central to a more sustainable, regenerative future.

James Hirst

Managing Director • Bristol Creative Industries

James Hirst is Managing Director of Bristol Creative Industries, a not-for-profit membership organisation that supports and champions the creative industries in Bristol and the wider South West region. James regularly contributes to industry discussions on emerging tech, hosts & moderates event panel sessions on AI adaptation and creative strategy and advises independent agencies on growth. Combining practical commercial experience with a genuine interest in regional collaboration, he is focused on unlocking new potential for Bristol’s creative community, helping them scale and thrive through changing industry landscapes.

Kierra Box

Campaigner • Friends of the Earth

Kierra Box is a campaigner at Friends of the Earth. She currently works on a range of themes including defending and improving UK environmental law, strengthening environmental justice here and around the world, and cutting the impact of trade on communities, climate and nature.

Louise Whitaker

Circular Economy Lead • Virgin Media O2

Louise Whitaker is Circular Economy Lead at Virgin Media O2, where she leads work to embed circularity across the business and develop solutions that keep technology and materials in use for longer. Her work spans device reuse, refurbishment and recycling, digital inclusion, material flows, customer engagement and circular economy strategy. She leads collaborative initiatives including the Tech Rehome Network fund, which supports organisations to recover, refurbish and redistribute technology to people who need it.

Mayra Rodriguez

Research Fellow on AI & Data Science • University of Exeter

May is a Research Fellow specialising in AI and data science for environmental & health applications. She has a multidisciplinary background in water systems, spanning hydrological modelling, water quality assessment, marine applications and climate resilience.

Michael Cowdy

Co-Founder and Director • MOOWD

Michael Cowdy is Co-Founder and Director of MOOWD, bringing over 20 years of international experience in urban design, landscape architecture, and regenerative placemaking across the UK, Australia, China and the Middle East. He leads the studio’s design direction, combining systems thinking, spatial clarity and a deep understanding of place to shape resilient, regenerative environments.

Rory Murphy

Postdoctoral Research Associate • University of Exeter

Rory is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Exeter and a Knowledge Exchange and Impact Fellow in the ACCESS research network. He’s interested in what it means to be human in the 21st century, and study’s the ethical impacts of being connected to and surrounded by widespread digital technologies like AI.

Steve Bluff

Chief Operating Officer • Bristol BID

Steve Bluff is Chief Operating Officer of Bristol BID, overseeing the BID’s work across four themes. Steve has over 20 years of experience across retail and city centre management and has seen Bristol grow, change and adapt over this time. Steve is leading the BID’s role as a key strategic city partner in the delivery of high-quality public space.

Tom Swithinbank

Senior Project Manager • Bristol BID

Tom Swithinbank is Senior Project Manager for at Bristol BID leading the BID’s Sustainable and Green theme. Tom’s work ranges from the Climate Action Programme, managing our Urban Gardener and engagement on strategic citywide issues and consultations.