HELLOFUTURE
HELLO FUTURE 2023
Welcome to Hello Future where you are in charge of your future!
The future is an exciting and scary place and there are so many opportunities out there for you. What careers are out there? What do they actually mean? What skills would I need to do them? How do I get there?
All of these are questions you can ask experts from the multiple industries represented to get a genuine sense of what it all means and how you can be a part of it!
Over the last two years we have been able to offer you an online experience, virtually meeting the real people who come from the world of work and to finding out what that means for them. This year Hello Future 2023 are delighted to be able to offer you an opportunity to have face to face conversations with employers about all your career queries and challenges and also question a panel of experts about how to get ahead. Everything takes place under one roof at the Brighton MET College, giving you the ideal platform to learn about the many and varied routes into work, and opportunities, however that may look.
This is a unique opportunity for you to meet people from many industries, doing many different jobs, all in one place.
We will also be recording the live streamed Skills Q&A panel sessions and sharing them here after the event for you to come back to whenever you think it would be helpful. Alongside the resources on this website, available for you to use at any time.
We hope that this year will help bust some of the myths of the ‘world of work’ and build your excitement for what is possible!
Timetable of events
| Time | Event | 9.30am–11am | Post 16 students from Brighton MET |
|---|---|
| 11:30am–1pm | Students from all Post 16 providers in the city |
| 2pm-3.30pm | Quiet time. An inclusive offer for all Post 16 students |
| 4pm–6pm | Event open to all students/parents/carers of all schools and colleges |
Live Streamed Skills Q&A sessions
The focus of the panel conversation will be skills, resilience, diversity. Students should leave the session with a sense of the possibilities, that it is ‘ok to ask’ and that they grow through experience, including making mistakes/not having it all ‘sussed out’!
See panellists bios below the table.
| Time | Panellists | Panel 1 // 9.45am-10.45am |
Lucy Fenwick Rose Read Jarrod Fry Angela Blair |
|---|---|
| Panel 2 // 11.45am-12.45pm |
Michaela B Jacobs Donna White Russell Wood Julie Kapsalis |
| Panel 3 // 4.15pm-5.15pm |
James J Houghton Joe O'Hara Matt Dorn Daisy Cresswell Hana A Lear |
Facilitator
Louis Button-Lynham
Vice President Global Partner Network Servicing, American Express
I started working at American Express nearly 15 years ago, as a Customer Care Professional, talking to customers on the phone, about a year after leaving Varndean School at 16.
Since then, I have held a variety of roles of growing seniority. In my current role I lead third party relationships with partners who support our global customer servicing teams. The global team is responsible for managing 15 partner relationships across 24 sites in 9 countries with just under 2,000 colleagues.
With two young boys, and three younger siblings who have recently left or are soon to be joining college I am passionate about the steps young adults take as they enter the workplace. I wish I knew more about what was ‘out there’ when I first took those steps and have enjoyed helping my siblings with that journey most recently.
Online Panel events
Lucy Fenwick
Vice President Customer Engagement Network Europe, American Express
Lucy’s career with American Express began in 2001 within the UK Customer Engagement Network (CEN). She went on to lead Disputes and Account Management across 13 countries before joining Global Business Travel where she headed up a team of 1000 employees. Currently she leads the CEN Europe Servicing organization across 9 countries, online and offline, 24/7/365. She drives key servicing strategies, partnering with global teams to deliver unparalleled service every day.
Lucy holds a Master of Business Administration from Open University Business School.
Donna White
Vice President Operational Excellence, American Express
Donna has been working in the Financial Services industry for over 30 years and is currently leading a team responsible for ensuring legal and regulatory compliance in the company’s Global Customer Services organisation. Donna started working straight after leaving school, choosing not to go onto Higher Education. As such, she’s keen to pass on her experience of building a career without attending Uni or gaining professional qualifications and is a firm believer in ‘if you open your mind to all possibilities, are prepared to learn from others and work hard, you can achieve anything you want’.
Donna lives with her partner, her two grown up sons and their 2-year-old chocolate Labrador who enjoys nothing more than long walks and eating everything in sight!
Michaela Jacobs
Director Business Continuity & Customer Crisis Response, American Express
I’ve been at American Express for 25 years, gaining extensive experience supporting global operations teams and I excel at driving performance and change management. I’ve held numerous different roles of increasing responsibility. In my current role I am responsible for ensuring that American Express is able to continue servicing our global Card Members during times of crisis. Previous roles included working in Florida with US Operations teams and managing various projects across our global markets.
I have visited every Amex office across the globe except for our new office in Madrid! I am Brighton born and bred; educated at Blatchington Mill in Hove and am excited to support initiatives helping young people. I wish that I’d had the opportunity to do something like this!
James Houghton
Vice President Procurement, American Express
James leads the team that negotiates the contracts for all the things that colleagues at American Express use from stationery and computers to advertising on the internet and everything in between. James started his Amex career 18 years ago on a 3-week contract on the procurement helpdesk and has since had several different roles in the team.
In his spare time James loves playing Ultimate Frisbee and spending time at his allotment.
Hana Lear
Vice President Business Development, American Express
Hana has been working at American Express for 18 years and is currently Head of Corporate in the UK, leading a team of 50 colleagues.
Hana is passionate about inspiring and helping others to achieve more than they think possible and empowering people to be their authentic self both in and outside of work. Striving to make a positive difference to the Inclusion and Diversity agenda, levelling the playing field for future generations.
In person workshops
Charlotte Nellist
Vice President Procurement, American Express
Charlotte’s career with American Express spans over 19 years, starting as a Customer Care Professional in the UK Call Centre. She then joined procurement as an Analyst and progressed through the team she now leads, responsible for saving the company money when purchasing goods or services via an external Supplier across the globe. Charlotte also leads the team responsible for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Supplier Diversity.
Charlotte is passionate about building collaborative, inclusive and diverse teams with a focus on continuous improvement and finding simpler ways of working. Charlotte has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Studies and Law.
Casper Firth
Director, Global Data & Privacy Solutions, American Express
After 20 years underwater as a diving instructor, Caspar joined American Express twelve years ago as a Customer Care Professional (in the call centre), in the German Credit Team.
Caspar now leads teams across Amex, doing General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other Privacy and Privacy Rights related work.
Diana Heffelfinger
Vice President Issue Management, American Express
Diana leads a team of 60+ project managers at American Express. This team is responsible for helping our company fix issues when something goes wrong, from process design, system breakdowns to training and communications.
Diana’s career with American Express spans over 16 years, starting as a phone representative. She has worked in three Amex locations, Mexico, New York and now in Brighton. Diana has a B.A. in International Relations.
Craig Barclay
Vice President & General Manager Europe Operations, American Express
Craig joined the American Express in 2006 as Director of Compensation and Benefits, Europe. Since then, Craig has held a number of senior positions in Business Planning and Customer Experience. In his current role, Craig leads over 1,500 colleagues across 11 European countries, and is responsible for delivering the best possible experience for Card Members through his team of Travel and Lifestyle consultants.
Outside of work, Craig enjoys spending time with his family, whether it’s cooking together, camping or walking their family dog across the Sussex downs.
Live Stream Q&A Sessions
Angela Blair
Food Policy Coordinator, Brighton and Hove City Council
Angela is a public health nutritionist with a range of experience of food policy and project development. After working in the West Midlands (UK) for the last two decades Angela has recently started as Food Policy Coordinator, within the economic development team at Brighton and Hove City Council.
Daisy Cresswell
Founder and Strategy Director, Make (Good) Trouble
Daisy has over 20 years experience in Branding and Digital Media Production (TV, Radio, and blue chip brands) and is co-founder of Liberty842, a social media content company.
Daisy set up youth-led social enterprise Make (Good) Trouble CIC in 2018 after struggling to find appropriate and timely support for her child who was struggling with mental health issues at the time. A keynote speaker at the Brighton Summit in 2017, Daisy fielded the idea for radical new ways to help improve young people’s emotional well-being, using technology for good purpose - and Make (Good) Trouble was born.
Make (Good) Trouble is a collector of stories, a social change maker and a skills-based employer of young people. Every project undertaken is co-created with young people. Digital media production is the lens through which young co-creators express their opinions and direct their truths. Trust is built through regular contact with communities and always delivering on our promise.
Russell Wood
Head of Commercial for BHAFC
Russell Wood is Head of Commercial for BHAFC. His role oversees all revenue generation at the club including Partners, Sponsors, Corporate sales and catering & events. From 18 years old Russ worked for the top 10 accountancy firm Mazars where he spent 4 years undertaking his accountancy exams. Russ moved to BHAFC 3 months after The Amex opened and has now been with the club 11 years, 5 years of which were spent in finance ending as financial controller and the most recent 6 years in commercial, delivering record commercial revenues for the club. Russ led negotiations from the clubs side for the extended partnerships with American Express and Nike, as well as all other commercial negotiations. Russ also sits as a non-exec director of Tony Bloom’s Belgian club Union Saint Gilloise who compete in the Belgian pro league and are in the last 16 of the Europa League. As well as being a lifelong BHAFC fan, Russ loves his golf and spends most weekends on the course.
A huge thank you to the many business supporters who want to help give you the answers to all your career questions.
