Michelin-starred Chef & Restauranteur

Andreas Antona is a Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur. Born into a family of Greek Cypriot restaurateurs in West London, he started in the industry early, training in leading restaurants in Switzerland and Germany before returning to London’s top hotel kitchens.

In 1993, he launched Simpsons in Kenilworth, which he led to a Michelin star in 1999. In 2013, he took over The Cross in Kenilworth and guided it to securing its own Michelin star — marking his second Michelin-starred establishment.

Andreas’ treatment for testicular and kidney cancer pushed him to pursue the link between nutrition and cancer. This inspired his friend Stelios Kiosses to develop a Culinary Psychology course, first taught at Harvard and introduced at Oxford in 2023.

He now owns Simpsons Restaurant, The Cross, and Soko Patisserie.

OLP Co-founder & Former Warden of Keble College

Sir Christopher Ball is a British runner and academic, who served as Warden of Keble College, Oxford, from 1980 to 1988, and as the first Chancellor of the University of Derby, from 1995 to 2003. After surviving a triple bypass surgery, he started running at the age of 67. At 72, he won a world long-distance running record for completing 10 marathons in 10 days and he is now preparing for his next big feat - to run the London Marathon at age 100.

Lifestyle Medicine Doctor & Obesity Expert

Dr Fallows is an obesity and lifestyle medicine expert working as an NHS GP where she has led group consultations to support remission of chronic diseases.

She is passionate about driving healthcare change and bringing medicine back to the root causes of ill health in the consulting room; to focus on real people’s lives and what matters to them. She is medical director of Liva's "NHS Paths to Remission Programme" which supports people to achieve medication free remission of Type-2 diabetes through weight loss and lifestyle changes. She is a Fellow of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (www.bslm.org.uk) where she was Vice-President and Trustee and set up their Learning Academy, writing the first foundation course. She teaches Lifestyle Medicine at Oxford University. As a thought-leader she has opinion pieces published in both the Lancet and BMJ on obesity. 

Founder & Executive Chairman, Songbird Health Sciences

Dr Simba Gill is Founder and Executive Chairman of Songbird Health Sciences, which is developing immunobiotics, a new class of products designed to reduce chronic inflammation and improve healthspan through the biology of the small intestinal axis. A scientist, entrepreneur, and investor with more than 40 years of experience, he has founded, led, and invested in pioneering biotechnology companies across directed evolution, antibodies, cell and gene therapy, diagnostics, and novel gut biology. Across his career, nine companies he founded or helped lead have gone public, and five were acquired through strategic trade sales. He has also led the development, launch, and scaling of pharmaceutical and diagnostic products globally, including therapies that generated more than $2 billion in annual revenue. He holds a PhD in Immunology and a BSc (Hons.) in Immunology from King's College London, and an MBA from INSEAD.

Senior Researcher at the University of Oxford and Heidelberg Institute of Global Health

Anant is a Researcher at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health in Germany and the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. He focuses on understanding how we can improve population health by addressing determinants of health.  The areas he is particularly interested in are: how to redesign food systems so that all people can easily eat delicious, healthier and more sustainable food; improving basic education systems to promote health; improving nature connection and stewardship; value-based healthcare. Anant has a PhD from Yale University and did his undergraduate training at Brandeis University.

Founder and CEO of WearOptimo, Biomedical Engineer

Mark Kendall is a health technology pioneer and entrepreneur focused on transforming how we understand hydration – and healthy ageing. He is developing next-generation microwearable sensors that continuously measure hydration and other physiological signals directly from the skin.

Over the past three decades – beginning as a Lecturer at the University of Oxford – Mark has created breakthrough technologies for global health: as an inventor, scientist, entrepreneur, author, award-winner and business-builder.

Companies licensing Mark’s patents/technologies have created a combined value of $2 billion for investors; and he is an inventor on more than 160 granted patents.

Recognition of Mark’s achievements includes a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer, and a Rolex Award for Enterprise. Mark is a passionate communicator; including his TEDGlobal talk, with > 1 million views.

PT, Author & Speaker

Lavina Mehta MBE is a 47-year-old personal trainer, wellness coach, TED speaker, bestselling author of The Feel Good Fix, and mum of three. Awarded an MBE for services to health and fitness during Covid-19, Lavina’s mission is to help people of all ages feel good physically and mentally while reducing the risk of chronic disease. She is best known for her concept of “Exercise Snacking” and her free YouTube workouts, frequently featured on TV and radio, including weekly sessions with her 78-year-old mother-in-law. Lavina delivers engaging workplace wellness talks and events, and is a Patron of the Menopause Mandate and Ambassador for Diabetes UK, Wellbeing of Women, Age UK and Alzheimer’s Society. She has over 180k followers at @feelgoodwithlavina.

Oxford MP & Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee

Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee and Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon since 2017, Layla Moran previously worked as a maths and physics teacher. She has held senior Liberal Democrat portfolios including education and foreign affairs, and now leads parliamentary scrutiny of health and social care policy.

Contributing Editor at Financial Times

Rebecca Newman is a Contributing Editor to the Financial Times HTSI magazine (formerly How To Spend It), whose expertise is ‘investigative wellness’. Her writing explores how we might function best, in body and soul, in brain and microbiome. As well as the more esoteric tools of biohacking and longevity, she also examines the more straightforward benefits of joy and friendship. Rebecca also writes freelance for publications including The Sunday Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph, appears on radio and television, and has written a book, The Bluffer’s Guide to Sex (Bluffer’s).

Metabolic Health Physician–Scientist & Educator

Dr Nick Norwitz is a rising leader in metabolic health and education. A personal battle with inflammatory bowel disease sparked a deep passion for metabolic health and a drive to empower others through science and storytelling. He now serves as co-founder and Chief Science Officer at NeuroVitals, senior science advisor and co-owner of Hundred Health, and has built a cross-platform following devoted to public education on metabolic health that reaches millions, including a best-selling newsletter at StayCuriousMetabolism.com. Nick earned his DPhil in Ketone Metabolism and Neurodegenerative Diseases from the University of Oxford (Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics), completed his MD at Harvard Medical School, and graduated valedictorian from Dartmouth College.

Chief Executive Officer, AstronauTx

Jane Rhodes is CEO of AstronauTx, a biotechnology company developing therapies that harness the restorative power of slow-wave sleep to prevent and slow neurodegenerative disease.

She previously served as President and Chief Business Officer at Verge Genomics, an AI-driven drug discovery company, where she led major pharmaceutical partnerships and helped raise over $140M in funding. Prior to this, she held senior leadership roles at Forma Therapeutics and spent 18 years at Biogen across R&D, corporate development, and digital innovation.

A neuroscientist by training, she has worked on therapies for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, and MS. She currently serves on multiple boards including the US Pharmacopeia.

Prof Stein trained in clinical neurology and spent over 40 years teaching systems physiology and neuroscience. His research focuses on how nutrition, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, affects brain function, behaviour and learning, with ongoing work exploring links between diet, cognition and developmental outcomes.

Co-founder MACROVegan, Human Ecology Project

Bill Tara has been an active advocate for natural health care and reform of the food system since the mid 60’s. He was the Vice President of Erewhon Trading Company, one of America’s first distributors of natural organic foods, and co-founder of Sunwheel Natural Foods in London, England.

In 1975, he founded the Community Health Foundation in London, England, a Charitable Trust focused on prevention and nutrition. He served as Executive Director of the Kushi Institute in England and America. He has been invited to 27 countries to present seminars on Macrobiotic Nutrition and Human Ecology.

He has authored several books on Oriental Medicine, including How to Eat Right and Save the Planet. He and his wife, Marlene Watson-Tara, have lived and taught their workshops in seven countries on health, healing and ageing. Their newest book, Macrobiome: How the human microbiome reflects our health and relationship with nature, was launched at the Oxford Literary Festival.

Co-founder MACROVegan, Human Ecology Project

Marlene Watson-Tarais a highly profiled and dedicated health counsellor and teacher with 45 years of experience in transforming lives.Her dietary advice draws from the fields of Macrobiotic Nutrition, her studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine and her certification in plant-based nutrition, author of Macrobiotics for all Seasons, Weight Loss Nature’s Way, Go Vegan and Macrobiome/Microbiome.

A long-time vegan, lover of animals, nature and life and passionate about human ecology. Together with her husband, Bill Tara, they created The Human Ecology Project. Their non-profit produces workbooks, educational videos and material for schools, colleges and universities as well as the general public.
Marlene has designed various successful programmes and concepts – The Natural Woman, Four Weeks to Vegan and Weight Loss Nature’s Way are just a few of her home-grown workshops. She also teaches and presents at the Oxford Literary Festival each year, where she designs and trains the chefs in her vegan menus for the gala dinners. She also trains chefs for royal families, world business leaders, and clients from the world of movies and arts.

Founder of LiNK BREATHING, Breathing Habits Optimiser, Speaker & Educator

Jane Tarrant, Founder of LiNK BREATHING is a leading breathing habits optimiser & educator. She is bringing crucial breathing habits education to the world, in a simple, accessible and fun way. Jane highlights breathing subtleties & aspects of body awareness that have been overlooked, not only in longevity, but professional sports & healthcare as well. Showing us what is beyond breathwork, Jane shines a light on the impact of deteriorated breathing habits on overall health, performance and recovery. Jane is well respected in the world of optimisation as a TEDx speaker, Author of ‘Rose Loses Her Nose’, and her role at Paris 2024 Olympics to educate Olympians.

Professor of Precision Medicine at the University of Oxford; Co-Director of the Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory; Diabetes Expert

John Andrew Todd FRS, FMedSci, FRCP Hon, PhD (Cambridge) is Professor of Precision Medicine at the University of Oxford in the Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine. He is Co-Director of the Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory and the Oxford–GSK Institute for Molecular and Computational Medicine, and an Emeritus Senior Investigator of the National Institute for Health Research. His research focuses on the genetic and immunological mechanisms of type 1 diabetes, with the aim of delivering effective clinical interventions. He is currently focused on testing the efficacy of low doses of interleukin-2 in children with T1D to preserve the remaining pancreatic islet beta-cell insulin production, and also investigating the role of the microbiome in T1D. He has received major international awards, including the EASD Minkowski Prize and the EASD/Novo Nordisk Foundation Diabetes Prize for Excellence, is a Fellow of the Royal Society, and has supervised over 40 PhD and MSc students. He has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers, with over 61,000 citations (h-index 115).

Doctor, BBC presenter, and NY Times bestselling author of Ultra-Processed People

One of the UK’s leading science communicators, Dr Chris van Tulleken is an NHS infectious diseases doctor at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London and an Associate Professor in the Division of Infection and Immunity at University College London. He trained in medicine at the University of Oxford, specialising in infectious and tropical diseases, and holds a PhD in molecular virology, with award-winning HIV research. Alongside his clinical and academic work, he collaborates with UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, with research focusing on how corporations affect human health, particularly child nutrition. Chris is a prominent BBC broadcaster, presenting flagship programmes including Trust Me, I’m a Doctor, Horizon, and the double BAFTA-winning Operation Ouch, which he co-hosts with his twin brother Xand. He is also the author of Ultra-Processed People (2023), an international and New York Times bestselling book examining the impact of ultra-processed food on health.

Founder of Reclaim Movement

Oxford-based natural movement coach and movement inspirer, Wendy Welpton @reclaimmovment.co.uk, helps people see movement differently - reconnecting with how their bodies are designed to move each day, rebuilding lost variety and reclaiming the foundations for confident, capable movement for life. Wendy coaches natural movement online through the Reclaim Movement membership, courses and workshops. She educates through talks and offers private coaching online and in-person in Oxford. She also hosts the 5-star rated ‘Make Movement Matter’ podcast.