Join Legal News Wales at the Mastering Diversity Conference 2025, hosted by Bernie Davies – featuring keynote speakers, and a mix of game-changing Diversity Zones focusing on law, business, STEM, sport, health and more.
The highly anticipated Mastering Diversity Conference 2025 is free to attend and the host now announces the full reveal of its powerhouse Diversity Zones, each designed to interrogate, inspire, and influence the future of equity and inclusion in Wales and beyond.
Taking place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on September 11th, this year’s event promises to deliver more than conversation — it delivers action.
Legal News Wales is the proud host of the Gender Zone – led by Editor & Founder, Emma Waddingham.
The action packed Zone breakout sessions are scheduled from 10:15 and 13:15 (in between the morning and afternoon opening ceremonies and speeches) providing three solid hours of knowledge exchange.
Tickets for each zone can be booked alongside the free whole conference tickets, here.
The Diversity Zones
Headline Zone: Advocating for Equity – Led by Leigh Day
At the heart of the conference sits the Advocating for Equity Zone, powered by Headline Sponsor Leigh Day and led by Julia Reynolds, Clinical Negligence Partner at the law firm.
This dynamic space confronts:
- Health inequity
- Access to justice for migrants
- Disability rights at work and beyond
With powerful contributions from legal experts, lived experience speakers, and high-impact names such as Venestre Cyrill OBE (Pride of Britain Winner), Dr Carlton Brown (Black British Entrepreneurs’ Conference), and Scarlett Allen-Horton (Harper Fox Partners / Lord Sugar’s business partner) — this is a platform for courage, truth, and systemic change.
Business Zone: Practice, Progress, Partnership – Sponsored by NatWest Group & Hugh James
Led by NatWest and Hugh James, this zone delivers a compelling programme:
- Segment One: Practice, Progress, Partnership – spotlighting real strategies for inclusive enterprise
- Segment Two: Keynote Speaker – tackling collaboration, human and business cases for DEI
- Segment Three: Panel – Making It Real – stories of real change across sectors
This zone is a rallying point for private, public, and third sector leaders ready to embed lasting change.
Stem Zone: Powered by Ogi
The STEM Zone is where innovation meets inclusion. Hosted by Mike Scott, Marketing Director at Ogi, this space celebrates how science, technology, engineering, and maths are building new futures right here in Wales.
From educators to engineers, data scientists to digital creators — this zone connects talent, breaks barriers, and opens doors across communities. The focus: no talent left behind.
Youth & Education Zone: Led by the Mastering Diversity Youth Board
Driven by the voice of youth, this zone champions:
- Youth Inclusion
- Education & Development
- Digital Inclusion from Youth Perspectives
Young leaders. Bold vision. Real inclusion.
Health Zone: Led by Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST)
This space humanises health and champions people-first systems:
- The Patient Voice – lived experience front and centre
- From Volunteer to Valued Team Member – championing non-traditional entry paths
- Power in Connection – exploring WAST’s staff networks in action
This is inclusion in healthcare – from grassroots to leadership.
Sports Zone: Led by Commonwealth Games Team Wales
This zone bursts with activity:
- Team Wales Panel: Showcasing the LeadHERship programme
- Cymru Women’s Sport Panel: Tackling Intersectionality in Women’s Sport
- WCVA Panel: Hosted by Sumaya Khan and Rajma Begum, Celebrating Diversity in Sport
Athletes, advocates, and allies unite to challenge the culture of sport — and redefine who belongs on the pitch, track, and boardroom.
Gender Equality Zone: Led by Legal News Wales
This year’s Gender Equality Zone expands the conversation with powerful voices and essential programming. Scroll down for full profile information on the panelists, speakers and Zone hosts. The programme includes:
- SheWho Panel – SheWho Founders: Gemma Barnett (Blake Morgan), Ceri Maund (PureCyber), Lauren Thomas (Alacrity Foundation), Sophie Webber (Tramshed Tech) and Sarah James (FinTech Wales) share the story of the SheWho movement and offer exclusive announcements about what’s next for their growing women’s network. (1 hour, with a Q&A)
- Fireside Chat – With Eve Piffaretti, Head of Wales at Blake Morgan and winner of the Legal News Wales Leader of the Year Award 2025, this intimate discussion will explore leadership, legacy and lifting up future generations of women. (1 hour, with a Q&A)
- Leadership Skills for Women – with by Ria Burrage-Male, founder of KIBO and co-founder of The Captains Clubhouse, this session dives into the practical tools and mindset shifts women need to lead with confidence. (1 hour, with a Q&A)
This zone continues to ignite bold conversation about gender, representation and the urgent changes needed across law, media, finance, tech, and beyond. Led by Legal News Founder & Editor, Emma Waddingham
Representation Zone: Led by Browne Jacobson – covering Visibility, Voice, and Leadership in Professional Services
This zone explores the vital role professional services play in modelling diversity, equity and inclusion across industries. With an agenda driven by bold leadership, data-led insight, and sector-wide collaboration, this space asks: what does true representation look like — and who must lead it?
Highlights include:
- Panel: DEI in Professional Services – representatives discuss the evolving face of leadership, hiring, and equity in legal and professional settings
- Keynote by Laura Hughes – Browne Jacobson Partner, Hot 100 Lawyer 2025 & National Law Firm Leader of the Year, Women in Diversity Awards “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.” Laura explores our collective obligation to reflect the change we want to see, even when it feels uncomfortable
- Panel: Representative Bodies Leading Change – a conversation with national industry bodies on their role in progress
- Joint Keynote: CBI & University of South Wales – unveiling groundbreaking research on women in leadership in Wales, born from the CBI Women in Leadership group and now an active development programme co-led by USW and CBI
This zone brings together law, business, education and policy to drive visibility, develop talent, and commit to doing things differently.
Book your FREE ticket now
Tickets are FREE for the conference and Diversity Zones but access to the two Main Ceremonies (Opening & Afternoon) is capped at 350 attendees.
Early booking is essential.
Book now, click here!
Gender Zone Speaker Profiles:
Gemma Barnett, Business Development Manager, Blake Morgan
Gemma is the Business Development Manager for Blake Morgan’s Wales region, leading the development and delivery of BD and marketing strategies, campaigns, and senior stakeholder engagement. With 25 years’ experience in professional services, spanning operations management, client and contract management, business development, and marketing, she has a proven track record of driving strategic growth, strengthening partnerships, and optimising performance.
Gemma is a passionate advocate for workplace equality, leading the firm’s Women in Leadership forum, co-founding She Who, and contributing to Blake Morgan’s Gender Strategy Group and Disability & Neurodiversity Workstreams. She also plays an active role in the arts sector as a trustee, mentor, and business advisor. Click here for her full profile.
Ceri Maund, Chief Marketing Officer, PureCyber
Ceri is the Chief Marketing Officer at PureCyber, where she leads brand, growth, and go-to-market strategy for one of the UK’s fastest-rising cybersecurity firms. She’s passionate about purposeful marketing, inclusive leadership, and building brands that connect.
With a focus on trust, transparency and business impact, she brings energy, empathy, and authenticity to cybersecurity, business and personal growth. As a co- founder of SheWho, a growing community and movement dedicated to empowering women, Ceri is passionate about bringing good people and organisations together, building valuable connections and creating inclusive opportunities for everyone to have equal opportunity to thrive.
Sarah Jones, CMO, FinTech Wales
Sarah Jones is the Chief Marketing Officer at FinTech Wales, bringing over 25 years of award-winning marketing experience across a range of sectors. Known for her strategic vision and collaborative approach, Sarah is passionate about championing innovation and growth within Wales’ fintech and financial services ecosystem.
In addition to her role at FinTech Wales, Sarah contributes her expertise to several boards and advisory groups. She sits on the advisory panel for Mastering Diversity, is a co-founder for SheWho, has served as Chair of the National Training Federation for Wales Marketing Group, and was a board member for Cardiff and Vale Young Enterprise, where she supported youth entrepreneurship and skills development. A strong advocate for connection, community, and inclusive growth, Sarah is committed to creating opportunities that empower people and businesses to thrive.
Sophie Webber, Head of Ventures, Tramshed Tech
Sophie leads the ventures team at Tramshed Tech, championing innovation and growth within the tech startup ecosystem and supporting Welsh founders.
Passionate about empowering underrepresented founders, Sophie led Wales’ inaugural Female Founder Investor Readiness Programme, helping female entrepreneurs secure vital funding and accelerate their businesses. She is a dedicated advocate for inclusive innovation and sustainable growth in the tech community.
Lauren Thomas, Head of Social, Events & Recruitment, Alacrity Foundation
Lauren Thomas is the Marketing and Recruitment Lead at Alacrity Foundation UK, where she helps connect aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools, mentorship, and opportunities they need to succeed.
Alongside her work at Alacrity, Lauren is an active member of She Who, a community dedicated to empowering women and inspiring the next generation, creating a catalyst for positive change. Passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation, she is committed to building opportunities that empower people to grow, lead, and make a lasting impact.
Eve Piffaretti, Head of Office in Wales & Partner, Blake Morgan LLP
Eve Head of Office in Wales and a Partner in the Blake Morgan Commercial and Charities team. She acts for public, private and third sector organisations across the UK advising on public law and regulatory issues. Eve is experienced in advising on existing and emerging Welsh legislation and policy. Eve specialises in statutory interpretation, freedom of information, equality & human rights, safeguarding adults & children, mental health and mental capacity law.
Eve is the co-author of Sweet and Maxwell’s Mental Capacity Act Manual and edits the Encyclopedia of Social Service and Child Care law ( Mental Capacity section).
She is a member of Law Council for Wales and The Law Society’s National Board for Wales. She is also a member of the LexisNexis Panel of Experts for Wales (Public Law), the Society of Authors and the Wales Observatory on the Rights of the Child. Eve holds an ISEB Certificate in Freedom of Information law and is a Guest Lecturer on the Nursing (Adult) and Nursing ( Mental Health) BSc degree course at Aberystwyth University delivering Healthcare law content to Year 2 students. Eve is Welsh, and proud of her Swiss heritage. For her full profile, click here.
The Mastering Diversity Conference 2025 is hosted by:
