The Institute of Directors (IoD) Scotland has announced a trio of speakers for its global online conference – including former Skyscanner chief operating officer Mark Logan.
He will be joined by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals, Vanessa Nakate, for the event.
“Connecting the World: tackling global challenges together” is the conference’s main theme, which will take place 2 and 3 September 2021 ahead of November’s Cop26 summit in Glasgow.
Mark Logan, Scottish technology ecosystem transformation lead, will join the panel session with Dr Rachel Sibande, who has been previously announced.
Along with other members, they will discuss how you move from “talking the talk” to “walking the walk” when considering collaborative action for change.
Ms Sturgeon will speak at the conference’s Friday afternoon session, exploring the themes of leadership, governance and collaboration for innovation.
Vanessa Nakate, the founder of the Africa-based Rise Up Movement, will take to the stage for a spotlight interview during the conference’s ‘accelerating to net zero’ session.
As one of BBC’s 100 Women of the Year and 100 most influential young Africans, she will share the lessons that leaders can learn from youth activists, including the importance of diversity and inclusion, and speak about her role as a UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals.
IoD said its virtual conference will bring together business leaders from across the UK and beyond.
Stellar line-up of speakers
Jonathan Geldart, director general of the IoD said: “I am delighted that we have been able to secure such a stellar line-up for our global conference.
“It demonstrates how timely and important the issues of climate change and the path to net zero are.
“It is incumbent on us all to look at how we reduce our carbon footprint, and this conference will provide valuable insight, practical solutions and meaningful discussions ahead of November’s COP26 summit in Glasgow.”
Aidan O’Carroll, chair of IoD Scotland, said: “Welcoming the First Minister, Vanessa Nakate and Mark Logan to our already impressive line-up of speakers will make this conference a key event in the pre-Cop26 calendar.
“The path to net zero and beyond is being built, and we all have a part to play in accelerating it. Our global conference will allow delegates to hear from leading speakers, debate key topics and receive actionable insights for meeting our collective climate crisis goals. It’s not one to be missed.”
Previously announced speakers include former foreign secretary David Miliband, now president & chief executive of the International Rescue Committee, Douglas Lamont, chief executive of Innocent Drinks and Dr Ifeyinwa Kanu, founder and chief executive of IntelliDigest.