I'm a native New Yorker living it up in Northern England. I am the Founder of the Thinking Digital Conference in Newcastle, as well as TEDxManchester, TEDxNewcastle & TEDxDurham.

In 2024, TEDxManchester achieved TEDx Legacy status, a special invite-only classification granted to the ‘Champions League’ of the top 20 TEDx events around the world. In 2025, the TEDxManchester team produced the No 1 TED Tallk of the year.

My passion is in discovering fascinating people doing remarkable work or with incredible stories and then working with them to deliver the talk of their lives. My coaching practice has a particular emphasis on presentation content.

In 2025 I was awarded an Honorary MBE by His Majesty, the King for my services to the technology industry in Northern England. In 2019 I was recognised as among the Top 100 Asians in UK Tech. In 2014 Buzzfeed included me in their list of lesser-known ‘Geordie Heroes’. In 2011 I was included in the WIRED Magazine UK Top 100 and in 2010 as part of the Guardian Newspaper's Top 100 media people of the year.

I am also a former Visiting Professor of Innovation & Enterprise at Newcastle University Business School and Trustee for the Glasshouse International Centre for Music. By chance, I also helped create the Bulletproof Coffee brand on a flight to San Francisco.

I'm a proud Dad to a daughter in her early adult years.