Featuring
Sophie Hackford
Technologist, Adviser and Futurist
As a technologist, Sophie researches novel technologies and their impact on our lives. From quantum computing to robots in orbit, she takes audiences on a rollercoaster ride through the explosive innovations underpinning our future.
Sophie is Strategic Advisor to John Deere & Co on the future of food, climate and agriculture - looking at how to grow more, with less (land, inputs, workers). She has featured on CNBC's Squawk Box, across the BBC - including BBC News, World Service, BBC Tech Tent - and has been interviewed and quoted across mainstream media from the Financial Times to Vogue.
She previously co-founded an AI company from Oxford University's Astrophysics Department, labelling data to train algorithms. She has taught on Singularity University Executive Program's Space track, and the University of Oxford Physics Department's entrepreneurship course.
Sophie previously worked at WIRED Magazine, at Singularity University on the NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley, and the Oxford Martin School at Oxford University, where she raised $120m for frontier-bending research.
Paul Johnson
Economist and Provost of The Queen’s College, Oxford
Paul is one of the UK's leading economists and economics commentators. Having worked in economic research, in consultancy and in government he became director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies in 2011, serving for nearly 15 years. In that role he helped cement the IFS's place as the UK's go-to organisation for high quality independent analysis in economics and public policy.
Having moved to be Provost of The Queen's College Oxford in summer 2025 Paul continues to work, write and speak on economics and public policy. He is a columnist for The Times, a regular contributor to other broadcast and print media and author of the bestselling book Follow the Money: How Much Does Britain Cost?
Paul's expertise spans the UK economy and public finances, tax, pensions, education, health, climate change, and other areas of economics and policy. Paul was, for a decade, a member of the Climate Change Committee. He has served on the council of the Royal Economic Society and of the Economic and Social Research Council, as well as on numerous commissions for government and others, covering issues such as auto enrolment, inflation, devolution, tax, inequality, health, education and crime.
Paul Niven
F&C Fund Manager and head of Asset Allocation (EMEA) at Columbia Threadneedle Investments
The F&C Investment Trust has only had three fund managers over the past four decades. Paul Niven was appointed in 2014 after 18 years with the firm. Paul sets the Trust's investment policy, asset allocation and is supported by a team of investment professionals. Paul is also the Head of Asset Allocation (EMEA) for Columbia Threadneedle Investments and is Chair of the Investment Policy Group. Paul graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Economics, obtained an MPhil in Finance, and is a member of the UK CFA Institute.