| We’re just days away from announcing the agenda for ITSM26, and it’s shaping up to be an exceptional event. In the meantime, we’re delighted to reveal details of our keynote speakers and PSMA26 awards special guest. |
FELICITY ASHLEY (opening keynote)
Felicity Ashley isn’t just an inspiring speaker – she’s a business-critical voice for today’s corporate leaders. What makes her truly unique is not only the fact that she rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic while unknowingly battling cancer, but also her rare combination of real-world leadership experience and personal resilience.
With over 20 years of leading marketing for major global brands, Felicity brings first-hand insights on high-performance leadership, managing change, and navigating uncertainty.
She has worked with top-tier clients such as Barclays, Salesforce, Aston Martin, Centrica, National Grid, Santander and Publicis, helping leaders transform their teams and thrive in times of change.
In May 2025, she marked three years since her cancer diagnosis by completing the world’s highest marathon at Everest Base Camp, and in June 2026, she will row 2,800 miles across the mid-Pacific becoming one of fewer than 10 women to have rowed two oceans.
LAURA ELLIS (day 2 keynote)
Laura Ellis is a technologist, journalist and keynote speaker on AI, with a focus on emerging technology, machine learning, disinformation, and data.
Laura has worked on news teams in radio, TV, and online and led two regional news and current affairs teams through significant technology change, establishing the BBC’s first end-to-end digital newsroom.
In her current role she focuses on ensuring the BBC is best placed to take advantage of emerging technology and takes a particular interest in ethics, personalised and automated journalism, machine learning, generative AI and media provenance.
Laura is a popular speaker on how to onboard AI as a society and in industry and on managing technological change and leadership.
MAISIE ADAM (awards special guest)
Maisie Adam is a comedian, writer and broadcaster from Yorkshire, widely regarded as one of the brightest rising stars in British comedy. With her sharp observational style, quick wit and warm, self-effacing delivery, she has built a reputation as a standout performer both on stage and on screen, as a solo performer and as a regular on panel shows and podcasts.
An award-winner early in her standup career, Maisie has become a familiar presence on television. She has appeared on shows including Live at the Apollo, A League of Their Own, Mock the Week, and Have I Got News for You, and she was the champion of series 20 of Taskmaster.
Maisie also co-hosts the award-winning podcast Big Kick Energy with friend and fellow comedian Suzi Ruffell. Celebrating women’s football through humour and accessible analysis, the show was named Sports Podcast of the Year at the Sports Broadcast Awards just five months after launching.
For more information about ITSM26, or to book your place at our Early BIrd rate, visit www.itsmf.co.uk/itsm26
itSMF UK
itSMF UK is the country’s leading membership association for service management professionals – with members ranging from individual service management practitioners to large multi-national organisations.
We have spent the last three decades helping ITSM professionals both to be better and to do better. As the first of an international network of itSMF chapters, we continue to enrich the working lives of our members through our conference and events, professional guidance, focused content, annual awards, competency management, leadership council, member groups, and new communities of practice.
View our membership video or visit us at www.itsmf.co.uk
