Debra Charles 

Debra Charles is Founder and CEO of Novacroft, a 450 strong team of specialists in smart technology and customer care. An expert in integrating people, processes and technology to help transform organisations to be fit today to thrive tomorrow, Debra is passionate about harnessing technology to make a meaningful impact on society. Today, 32m people use Novacroft’s products and services.  

As a visionary, Debra sees both the global opportunities and perils that will evolve as we move toward and go beyond 2030. In 2018, Debra co-founded The Kindness Movement, which is dedicated to encouraging kindness in school children across the world.  Debra believes in leaving a legacy that promotes the softer skills that will be increasingly important differentiators between humans, robots and artificial intelligence systems of the fast-approaching Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Debra is a trustee of the Northamptonshire Community Foundation, a Cranfield University Entrepreneur Alumnus of the Year and a member of the University’s Advisory Board. In 2019, Debra was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Cranfield University for her work in shaping UK business.