Esther Akpovi is an award-winning entrepreneur with over five years of experience working in media and policy. She was part of One Nottingham and represented the UK as a delegate developing an international communique for the G20 at G(irls)20. She pivoted into technology and venture capital, investing in high-growth European software at Frog Capital. She also held roles in Ada Ventures, Landscape VC (Open Scout), and Stonks and is currently working at DCMS.

Holly Friend is a cultural strategist, futurist, and writer with a decade of experience forecasting cultural trends. She is currently the research director of MTM and was previously a research strategist at SPACE10 and a deputy foresight editor at The Future Laboratory.

Desmond Vincent is a writer, researcher, and consultant living in Lagos, Nigeria. Currently working as a freelance writer with a focus on culture and identity, he regularly contributes to titles like Vogue, Billboard, Reuters, Elle, GQ, Dazed, Vice, Allure, and more. Desmond is also the co-founder and editorial director of Kenga Media, an Afro Gen Z mediatech company. He has consulted for companies and agencies including Vice Media, SourSop, Look Inc, AMV BBDO, Guinness, and Nike. His work has garnered him multiple awards and accolades including a TIERs Award in 2019 and a Future Africa Award nomination in 2020.