Theme: The Future is Now

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

The Hog's Back Hotel & Spa
Seale
Farnham, Surrey, GU10 1EX
United Kingdom

Atbin Ebrahimpour

Technical Content Producer at IKINEMA Ltd

As a child, Atbin was inspired by the magical worlds he experienced in shows, movies and comics. He has spent his adult life trying to understand how to bridge the gap between the viewer and the world they are experiencing regardless of the format. Atbin is a graduate of the prestigious Animation school at the University of the Creative Arts in Farnham and during his studies he specialised on how the connection twee the viewers and the characters is truly made. Having graduated, Atbin went on to work at the world-leading animation software company IKINEMA where he is Technical Content Producer and works on bringing realistic real-time characters to projects and clients all around the world.

Austėja Neringa

Student

Austėja is 10 years old. She is a speaker and an aspiring professional actress and singer. She loves acting, cheerleading, reading and has been on the TV competition, Child Genius. Austėja has won a business award and three speaking awards. She is passionate about helping others through her model 'It ain't you, S.T.U.P.I.D - Stop Torturing Urself Please, It's Damaging' where she explains how we don't have to believe other people's perceptions of us.

Bret Freeman

Mindset Expert and High Performance Leadership Coach

Bret is a member of the British Neuroscience Association and his work includes a unique approach to leadership development through communication strategies that focus on the neurological effects that we have on one another. Bret's programmes have helped many large organisations through multiple levels of growth and through a variety of challenges including launching into new markets, opening new territories and market strategies for new products and services. In addition, Bret has been a part-time television personality, ring announcer, sports presenter, Burlesque compère and Come Dine With Me winner.

Hannah Power

In 2018 Hannah was on a very normal path for a well-educated Farnham girl: she had graduated in Law in 2014 and started a graduate job in Digital and Innovation Consulting at Accenture. However, she found herself totally unfulfilled and lost. In 2016, whilst on holiday with friends, she was kidnapped and raped. This catapulted her into a 3-year journey of healing and discovery culminating in a year living in Bali deeply studying success and the mind. In 2019 Hannah returned to Farnham, healed and ready to support others to find fulfilment and move into a mindset of success, starting with taking personal responsibility for their futures.

Jay Allen

Business Coach and Author

Jay studied sociology and psychology with a particular interest in communication and human behaviour. In 1993 Jay joined the British Army as a Frontline Advanced Trauma Medic serving on operational commitments all over the world. A series of incidents eventually saw him medically discharged, diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Rather than use this as an excuse to give up, Jay went on to either buy, acquire or set up four of his own businesses, (employing 22 staff). He won two global and one national 'Big Impact to Business' Awards for his work supporting others to achieve more than they ever thought themselves or their business capable of, and studied to MSc/PhD level in British Business Failures! Jay is the founder of My TrueNORTH, an ethical business coaching company through which they are on a mission to help 10,000 Business owners #ADDAZERO to their personal disposable income by applying significant and sustainable SCALE methodology.

Jon Thor Sigurleifsson

Corporate Punk & Creative Nerd

Growing up in Iceland, Jon Thor had a lot of questions about the world and always knew that he wanted to explore it but the more he learned, the more he realised he didn't just want to explore it, he wanted to change it. Jon Thor started working on creative ventures at an early age and by the time he was 25 he had played in several bands, published a book and written/directed several plays. However, even having achieved all that, as well as travelling, getting married and doing amazingly rewarding work with people with autism, he believed it was time for a new challenge. Jon Thor then moved from Iceland and has since lived in the UK, US and Spain, changing careers completely and working with tech companies on their sales and marketing strategies.

Penny Power

The Accidental Entrepreneur

Penny is a business woman, wife and mother of 3. In 1998 Penny founded the world's first online community for business, called Ecademy, reaching 52 countries and supporting over 650,000 entrepreneurs. For 21 years Penny has been encouraging business people to live a life that they are in control of and one that brings them a deep sense of happiness. In 2017, Penny experienced a shocking moment while delivering a workshop, later diagnosed as PTSD. This powerful experience encouraged Penny to re-examine how she was managing herself and to acknowledge her emotional vulnerabilities and lack of self care This resulted in a deep sense of self-awareness and, for the first time, a feeling of being in control of her life. In 2014 Penny was awarded an OBE for services to entrepreneurs and in 2018 published her book "Business is Personal". Penny believes that we should all take responsibility for our Mental Fitness and realise the importance of emotional health to achieve our financial dreams.

Rachel Morris

GB Paralympian

Rachel was born in Guildford, England, and, as a 15 year-old GB athlete she had Olympic hopes. However, after having multiple amputations whilst still a teenage Rachel was left a high bilateral above knee amputee. Not wishing to give up her Olympic dreams, Rachel turned that adversity into triumph by becoming a Paralympic Gold Medallist in both rowing and cycling. Rachel took a gold at the 2008 Summer Paralympics as a hand cyclist and then, in 2012, a bronze. At Rio 2016, Rachel won gold in the women's single sculls (rowing) and, in 2020, Rachel plans to compete in Kayaking in Tokyo. Amazingly, Rachel will then change from Summer to Winter Paralympics and aims to compete in Nordic skiing in 2022. When Rachel is not training or competing she uses her sporting skills, knowledge and expertise to help students, and their parents, cope with, and overcome, the challenges they experience through their Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Samantha Searle

Principle Research Analyst

Samantha is a principle research analyst, researching how emerging technology trends drive digital disruption and fuel technology innovation. Her passion for technology was ignited while studying for a PhD in Astrophysics at UCL. Today Sam is passionate about how technology is rapidly becoming embedded in our everyday lives. She has over a decade of experience in advising senior IT leaders on how to leverage technology in their business and how emerging technologies will shape our future world.

Tessa Tricks

Creative Partner, Head of Food, at Hubbub

Tessa leads the food programs at environmental behaviour change charity, Hubbub, and is focused on how we can use food to improve health, culture and environment. She has a Masters in the Anthropology of Food and has previously worked in food communications, journalism and as a cook in the award winning Ethicurean restaurant. Her campaigning and academic work have fostered a deep seated curiosity of the social dynamics of meat. She has made contributions on the issue to the Oxford Food Symposium, the Sustainable Food Trust and led research exploring the tensions between meat and masculinity. Tessa is also a trustee at Eat Club, a charity increasing access to food skills for youth in London and is a member of the Medinge group.