Fighting Fire with Fire: Strategies to boost your business growth

​Harman Singh is a security professional with more than 10 years of consulting experience across private and public sector organisations. His day job involves serving his consulting business customers at Cyphere to reduce their security concerns. Cyphere’s primary expertise lies in technical risk assessments across traditional networks and cloud computing threat landscapes. Besides delivering pen testing, he has also delivered talks and trainings at Black Hat and regional conferences. His favourite security topics are Active Directory, Azure & Networks.

Hemant is the founder and CEO of Anumana, a digital transformation and bespoke AI solutions business. He has built high performing technology teams and platforms for fast growth organisations, such as Arrow Global and Azzurro Associates. Hemant founded Anumana to help other fast growth organisations convert their data into an asset, leading businesses to become more data driven in their decision making. Alongside the commercial endeavours of the business, Hemant has developed a social mobility programme – the Anumana Code Academy, delivering free python training programmes to disadvantaged children across Greater Manchester.

Claire Bennett is the Director of Sales and Partnerships at IN4 Group, an award-winning skills, innovation and business growth services provider that drives prosperity throughout the UK through educational enrichment and economic empowerment, headquartered at MediaCity, Salford. She holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism and spent several years working in the media, including LadBible Group, before transitioning into business development. Claire has crafted her sales career over the past 17 years, having previously worked for Sony to launch their first 3D TV. She further honed her business development skills in the property and construction sector for five successful years before joining IN4 Group in 2020. Claire leads the sales organisation at IN4 Group, supporting a team of five with their verticals across the business – Skills City, HOST and Programmes.

As COO, Nicola runs the business on a day to day basis, looks after the team and plays a key role in the creation of commercial strategy alongside Sam Booth.   Nicola & Sam run the organisation together as equal partners with shared responsibility.  She’s a strong believer that their differing skillsets and experiences complement each other’s strengths and perspectives, thus building a culture of creativity and innovation.

Nicola is passionate about the development of the organisation, helping evolve marketing, sponsorship, product development and customer service.

Nicola oversees the delivery of pro-manchester’s extensive events and conference programme.  This includes over 150 events per year from business lunches and breakfasts to the Trailblazing Tech conference and Made in Manchester Awards.

Nicola has worked in the events industry for  over 20 years.  She joined pro-manchester with a wealth of knowledge in 2010 as Events & Conference Manager and was made a Director in 2017.

Prior to working for pro-manchester, Nicola was the International Event Manager for Travel Counsellors. Before this, she worked her way up from Events Assistant to Head of Events at Manchester agency, Gilds Events, with regular clients including N Brown Group, Bupa and Siemens to name but a few.