General Sir Richard Barrons served as Commander Joint Forces Command, one of the six ‘Chiefs of Staff’ leading the UK Armed Forces, from 2013-2016. His military career began as an artillery officer and included the last decade of the Cold War, leadership from Captain to General on military operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, and serving as the Director of all UK military operations as Lieutenant General.

Now as Co-Chairman of Universal Defence & Security Solutions, he advises on senior leadership, defence and national security matters - especially Digital Age transformation for 21st Century warfare - and is a regular media commentator. He was one of the leaders of the UK Prime Minister’s 2025 Strategic Defence Review and is a Senior Consulting Fellow at Chatham House. His latest book, ‘War and Peace, the Life and Times of General Sir Richard Barrons’, was published in 2024.

Barnaby is Chief Executive Officer at Guernsey. He sits on the board and acts as representative of the company to external stakeholders across Government, finance industry organisations and associations, and regulation.

Barnaby’s professional background is in marketing, with 20 years international experience across financial services and gaming, specialising in digital marketing strategy and complex campaign integration. Alongside his role at Guernsey Finance, he sits on the IoD Guernsey Branch Committee and holds a number of non-executive directorships and roles across marketing, technology, education and the third sector. 

Barnaby holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and politics from Bristol UWE and has a sustainable finance certificate with the University of Cambridge. He is a Chartered Marketer and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, holds the diploma in company direction and is a member of the Institute of Directors. 

Nicola Watkinson leads TheCityUK’s International team, which provides unique insight and deep expertise into the markets and trade relationships underpinning the UK’s success as a leading global financial centre.

Prior to joining TheCityUK, Nicola was General Manager, The Americas, for the Australian Trade and Investment Commission and Deputy Consul General in New York, where she led a 90-strong team based across North and South America and managed five consulates.

She has previously held senior positions across Asia, Europe and Australia leading international business development for the Australian Government. This includes her roles as Minister Commercial and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, South Asia, in New Delhi, Consul General and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, Western Europe, in Frankfurt and Global Manager, Investment, in Melbourne. Nicola was the Global Champion for Diversity & Inclusion and sponsored the organisation’s Capability Development. She is a regular presenter on trade and investment policy at academic institutions.

Paul is responsible for Aon Insurance Managers in Guernsey – Europe’s largest (re)insurance management company – which also includes the White Rock PCC and ICC companies. He has been instrumental in the development of Guernsey’s insurance industry spanning captive solutions, Insurance Linked Securities and Guernsey’s emerging reinsurance sector. He originally trained with Royal Insurance (RSA), before setting up Aon’s operations in Malta and Gibraltar. Paul has chaired most of the insurance trade association and professional bodies in Guernsey and is the immediate past Chairman of the Guernsey International Business Association (GIBA). He holds a master’s degree in Corporate Governance, is a Chartered Insurer and a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute. Most recently he also became a Chartered Director with the Institute of Directors.