Gatwick Timetable
There are many events happening during the day so we’ve pulled them all together here. If you have any questions about the day then please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Keynote Speaker
10.40am – 11.10am
Thursday 8th October 2026
Expertise and Knowledge, Inspiration and Motivation – The keynote speaker session is a core part of a successful business conference, offering fresh perspectives that challenge conventional thinking.
With a compelling story or message that can inspire and motivate, our keynote speaker is an important element in attracting a diverse audience, including professionals, industry leaders, and decision-makers to our business conference in Gatwick.
Our Keynote Speaker is Dee Mathieson, Dee qualified as Therapeutic Radiographer at Guys Hospital in 1981. After graduating with a second degree in Physics, she moved into industry where her passion to improve radiotherapy drove innovations in cancer treatment technology.
Her in-depth knowledge of clinical techniques, physics and applied technology supported her employer, Elekta, to grow their business and reputation in the field of radiation therapy.
In 2024 she was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement award at the Dynamic Awards in recognition of her career which serves as a legacy to inspire others and her dedication to paving the way for the female leaders of tomorrow.
She is Chair of the Gatwick Diamond Business and a Trustee for the Mary How Trust for Cancer Prevention.
Her talk is “The Power of Being Different” – an inspiring personal account of a woman crossing clinical and engineering boundaries, using optimism, resilience, humour and difference to earn credibility in male-dominated spaces, lead cancer technology innovation, and show how being different can become a powerful leadership advantage.
Seminars & Workshops
Attending our seminars can be highly beneficial for personal and professional growth. Our industry experts share valuable insights, trends, and best practices helping you stay up-to-date with the latest developments.
Workshops are tailored for people who want a more pro-active learning experience.
Morning Session
Gatwick – Thursday 8th October 2026
11:30am – 12:10pm
Faster than humans. Consistently professional.
Independent businesses lose opportunities every day.
Missed calls. Delayed replies. Website enquiries that sit unanswered while you are serving customers, on site, or simply trying to keep the business running.
Research consistently shows that customers value two things above all else: speed of response and clarity of communication. They expect immediate engagement, but they also expect professionalism and the option to speak to a human when it matters.
In this practical, no hype session, Gavin McWhirter from Digital Islands will demonstrate how AI employees meet those expectations, responding instantly while maintaining consistent professional standards.
You will see how AI employees can:
- Answer calls 24/7 without voicemail
- Engage website visitors the moment they arrive
- Qualify prospects properly
- Book appointments automatically
- Escalate seamlessly to a human when required
This is not about replacing people. It is about protecting your standards and matching modern customer expectations when you are busy being human.
You will learn:
- What AI employees actually are and how they differ from basic chatbots
- Where AI outperforms humans, and where human interaction remains essential
- How to introduce AI without losing your personality or trust
- Practical steps to ensure you never miss another enquiry
If your business depends on responsiveness, reputation and trust, this session will show you how to combine speed, standards and human reassurance without increasing headcount.
Speaker: Gavin McWhirter, Founder Digital Islands
Gavin McWhirter is the founder of Digital Islands, a business support and AI implementation specialist working with independent businesses across the South.
He has supported over 500 businesses across East Sussex, West Sussex and Hampshire to improve productivity, sales and sustainability through multiple programmes, including Big Ambitions, Ready to Grow and Ready… Set… Grow!
Gavin now specialises in practical AI adoption for independent business owners, supporting systems that reduce admin, dramatically improve responsiveness and ensure businesses never miss a lead.
https://agency.digitalislands.co.uk/home
12:30pm – 1.00pm
The One Strategy You Need to Win in Business Today
In today’s overcrowded global marketplace, attention is short, trust is hard-won, and competition is fierce.
So how do the most successful brands cut through the noise and build lasting business value?
They use a powerful, often-overlooked strategy: becoming the most award-winning brand in their sector.
In this eye-opening session, Donna O’Toole, globally recognised awards expert, will take you behind the scenes of the world’s leading businesses to uncover how they strategically use awards to build their brand, attract customers, increase their exit value, recruit top talent, and win the trust of investors and stakeholders.
You’ll walk away with practical strategies you can apply right now to elevate your business, position yourself as a market leader, and create a compelling and credible brand that can’t be ignored – no matter what size or stage your business is at.
Whether you’re a startup, scale-up, or established SME, this is the one session you can’t afford to miss
Speaker: Donna O’Toole, Founder, August Recognition and AwardsApp
Donna O’Toole is an award-winning entrepreneur, bestselling author of WIN! and founder of August Recognition, a top global awards agency within the Dent Global group.
Named one of the world’s Top 25 Customer Experience Influencers and an international awards judge, Donna has helped hundreds of businesses – from start-ups to FTSE 100s – to raise their profile through prestigious awards like The King’s Awards for Enterprise.
Now, with co-founder Daniel Priestley, she’s pioneering a new AI venture to revolutionise the way people find, enter, and win awards, making the process safer, simpler, and smarter than ever.
Discover how to start winning awards at www.augustawards.com
Afternoon Session
Gatwick – Thursday 8th October 2026
13:20pm – 14:00pm
Understanding Customer Value: Building a Data-Driven ROI Marketing Strategy
Discover how to make smarter marketing decisions by understanding your customer value and measuring what really drives growth.
This practical seminar will show you how to build an ROI-focused marketing strategy, calculate the true return on your marketing investment and use data to make confident business decisions.
By the end of the session, you’ll have a clear framework for creating profitable digital marketing campaigns and maximising your marketing budget.
Speaker: Michael Humphrey, founder and owner of DigiBubble
Michael Humphrey is the founder and owner of DigiBubble, a digital agency that has supported businesses with their online growth for more than 10 years. With over 25 years’ experience in digital marketing and advertising, Michael brings a practical, commercially focused approach to helping organisations make better marketing decisions.
He holds a degree in Advertising and Psychology, giving him a strong understanding of consumer behaviour, communication strategy and the science behind effective marketing. His work focuses on customer value, return on investment, data-driven decision-making and building marketing strategies that deliver sustainable growth.
Michael’s seminars are designed to remove the guesswork from digital marketing, giving business owners and marketing teams clear frameworks they can use to invest with greater confidence and improve performance.
