Panel 4: Inclusion That Is Genuinely Felt

Adelle Barker is a multi-award-winning trans advocate, speaker, and professional over-sharer who uses humour, honesty, and the occasional identity crisis to help people better understand trans experiences. Through her #IDontKnowHowToBeTrans series, Adelle shares the realities of navigating life as a trans woman in today's world, tackling everything from visibility and inclusion to public debates she never asked to be part of.

Alongside her advocacy work, Adelle is a Team Leader at Sky, a passionate champion for inclusion, part of the LGBTQ+ Network, a co-parent to two incredible children, and a firm believer that most of us are just making it up as we go along. Known for her warmth, wit, and ability to turn difficult conversations into human ones, Adelle brings authenticity, vulnerability, and a healthy dose of chaos wherever she speaks.

Because if there's one thing Adelle has learned, it's that nobody really knows how to be trans... and most people don't know how to be human either.

A nationally recognised culture and organisational performance leader with 15+ years championing equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging across public, private and voluntary sectors.

Annisha designs enterprise-wide strategies that turn inclusion into measurable performance. She has led organisation defining shifts, including achieving gender parity in senior leadership at the BBC, delivering record workforce data engagement and transparency at Ofcom, and setting new cross-industry standards for accessibility, representation and accountability.

A trusted adviser to boards and regulators, Annisha embeds equity into policy, leadership and regulation, aligning culture with strategy, risk and outcomes. Her work spans governance frameworks, inclusive leadership capability, data-led decision-making and supplier standards, consistently improving trust, talent pipelines and audience impact.

An Honorary Fellow at the Institute for Equity, BRIT School Trustee and sought-after keynote speaker, Annisha is shaping the future of inclusive leadership, building an enduring legacy through people, policy and purpose.

Ian Tomney-Bell (ITB) has become the undisputed linchpin of giffgaff’s inclusion journey. Never one to stay silent when change is needed, ITB has been at the forefront of every major initiative this year, proving that DEI doesn’t just need a leader—it demands a disruptor. By establishing Affinity Groups, he has turned passive listening into active change, addressing wellbeing struggles to build true psychological safety and drive tangible business results. Leading from the front, ITB has become the face of inclusive branding at giffgaff, expanding its reach and making a real-world difference to the lives of his colleagues and community.

Angela is Director of Public Policy and Research at Business Disability Forum (BDF), which she joined in 2013. She leads BDF’s Government policy and research strategy and chairs policy engagement forums, including the Disability Data Monitoring Working Group, the Lived Experience Forum, and the Work and Health Policy Forum. A frequent media contributor, Angela has appeared on BBC News, BBC Radio, and business podcasts to discuss the disability employment gap, care ethics, and employment rights. She regularly provides expert evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees and is a frequent conference speaker. Previously, Angela managed diversity and equalities in the public and education sectors, specialising in workplace adjustments, equality impact analyses, and pay gap reporting. Her background also includes NHS occupational therapy and dementia care services. Currently, she is helping employers navigate upcoming mandatory reporting requirements, the Employment Rights Act, and Access to Work changes. She holds qualifications in law, gender and religion, and theology.