The ABC of DEI: Going beyond bias in the age of AI, Backlash and Culture wars
Join us for an exclusive event for senior leaders
📅 Thursday 9 October 2025
⏰ Time: 9.30am – 1.30pm
📍 Roderic Hill Building at Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2BB
🍽️ Networking breakfast and lunch
🎓 Hosted in partnership with Imperial Executive Education, ranked the second university in the world (QS, 2026)
Inclusion is under pressure. Against a backdrop of AI disruption, public backlash, and polarised debate, the role of HR and L&D professionals in creating fair, equitable workplaces has never been more important—or more complex.
This event will provide space for open, honest discussion and offer practical strategies to ensure DEI remains relevant, impactful, and authentic in your organisation.
Keynote Session: Neil Payne, Associate at Imperial Executive Education
Neil will explore how DEI has reached a critical inflexion point. Drawing on global trends, personal case studies and real-world examples—from the 2024 riots and trans rights, to hollow DEI branding and inclusive hiring practices—Neil will ask: where is DEI now, what has gone wrong, and what still works?
He will then be joined by Sarah Wyer, PhD researcher in AI Bias at Durham University and Corndel Professional Development Expert, for a fireside conversation exploring how unregulated AI tools, accelerated change, and systemic bias are colliding—and what that means for DEI, HR and L&D.
Why attend?
- Reframe DEI heading into 2026: real-world insight, not rainbow-washing
- Explore the risks and opportunities of AI in workplace inclusion
- Hear what HR and L&D leaders can do to respond to backlash with confidence
- Connect with peers for practical takeaways and future-focused thinking
Associate, Imperial Executive Education
Neil Payne is an accomplished consultant, trainer and speaker with a lifelong passion for diversity and cross-cultural communication. Raised as a ‘third culture kid’ in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, Neil’s early exposure to different cultures laid the foundation for a career dedicated to bridging cultural divides.
In his 20s, Neil deepened his regional expertise by studying Arabic, Turkish, and Farsi while working across the Middle East. He later earned a Master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Following his studies, he founded a successful localisation and training company, which expanded globally over 12 years before being acquired.
Today, Neil focuses on education, diversity and intercultural communication. He works with organisations to enhance leadership, teamwork, customer experience, global marketing and DEI strategies. An Imperial Executive Education Associate and certified Experience Design practitioner, Neil brings a creative, human-focused approach to learning – designing impactful experiences that drive real change.
Neil will deliver a keynote, be part of a fireside chat with Corndel’s Sarah Wyer and facilitate roundtable discussion within the group.
PhD Researcher in AI Bias and Corndel Professional Development Expert
Sarah Wyer is a leading voice in ethical AI development, helping organisations navigate the complex intersection of artificial intelligence and workplace equity. As a PhD researcher specialising in bias in AI and Large Language Models, she brings both academic rigour and real-world experience to one of the most pressing challenges facing modern workplaces.
With a background as an Academic, Data Architect, and currently a Professional Development Expert at Corndel, Sarah bridges the gap between technical AI implementation and human impact. She educates the next generation of data and AI professionals whilst working directly with organisations to identify and mitigate bias in their AI systems.
Coming from a working-class background, Sarah brings a unique and essential perspective to understanding how AI systems can either perpetuate existing inequalities or become powerful tools for positive change. Her approach combines rigorous technical analysis with intersectional thinking, recognising that effective AI governance requires diverse voices and perspectives.
Sarah specialises in AI bias detection and mitigation strategies, with particular expertise in how algorithmic systems affect power, oppression, and discrimination. She is a keynote speaker on AI ethics and has consulted with organisations across sectors on building more equitable AI implementations.
Her driving philosophy is simple but powerful: technology should lift everyone up, not leave people behind.
Sarah will join Neil in a fireside chat dicussion about the effects of AI bias in the workplace.
Business Development Director, Corndel
Kamini’s 20+ year career has spanned a range of services that promote jobs, skills, careers, social and economic inclusion and social mobility. Including work with long term unemployed people, ex-offenders, and those facing homelessness. Throughout this she has partnered with a range of organisations from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors identifying and working towards aligned objectives to support service users.
She is Chair of a charity which provides community spaces and services which promote the social, economic and health wellbeing of children, families, young people and the elderly.
At Corndel Kamini leads on growth for commercial training programmes, partnering with global organisations to address the data, AI and leadership skills gaps affecting their strategy. She gains job satisfaction from seeing businesses invest in their people for career spanning learning and in turn demonstrating to them the return on their investment in the form of behaviour change and business impact.
Kamini will host the event and lead the fireside chat between Neil and Sarah.
The ABC of DEI: Going beyond bias in the age of AI, Backlash and Culture wars
Join Corndel and Imperial Executive Education for a vital conversation about the future of workplace inclusion, exploring how AI, cultural polarisation and global backlash are reshaping DEI strategies.
