IPPC Conference 2023: Guest Speakers

Paul Mason
Keynote speaker

Paul Mason is a multi-award-winning author, academic, journalist, broadcaster and political activist. He has written for the Daily Express and Mail on Sunday newspapers, and worked as the Economics Editor for BBC Newsnight and Culture and Digital Editor at Channel 4 News. He is currently visiting professor at the University of Wolverhampton. In addition to his journalism and academic career, Paul is the bestselling author of seven books including Why Its Kicking off Everywhere: The New Global Revolutions (2012), PostCapitalism:  A Guide to Our Future (2015) and, most recently, How to Stop Fascism: History, Ideology and Resistance (2021).

Laura Wileman

Laura Wileman is Head of Communications at Sheffield City Council. She has an MA in Print Journalism from the University of Sheffield, and worked as a Multimedia Production Journalist at the Press Association before joining the Daily Mirror in London, where she became Assistant Chief Sub-Editor. Since then, Laura has worked in local government communications, leading the team as Head of News at Haringey Council in North London, before making the move to Sheffield City Council. Laura now runs the council’s team of media, campaigns, internal communications and design professionals, working alongside senior leaders and elected politicians to help drive forward both the organisation and this amazing city.

Dr Ruth Garland

Dr Ruth Garland is a lecturer at Goldsmiths University and international expert in public communication and trust in government. She spent more than 25 years in public sector PR, including 19 years at the BBC. She is also the author of the recent book Government Communications and the Crisis of Trust (2021), which combined the analysis of official documents, memoirs and biographies produced between 1979-2020, alongside in-depth interviews with media, political and government witnesses to better understand how the contemporary crisis in public communication emerged.

James Skeet

James Skeet is an experienced climate change activist and spokesperson for the campaigning and environmental activist group Just Stop Oil. The group uses tried-and-tested civil resistance and direct action techniques, alongside more traditional forms of political campaigning and lobbying, to ensure the government commits to ending all new licenses for the exploration and development of fossil fuels in the UK. James has extensive experience in planning and executing large scale disruptive direct action campaigns. He also has extensive experience of communicating with media and teaches non-violent direct action tactics.

Serge Polyakoff

Sergei Polyakoff is an academic and researcher at the University of Passau, Germany. His research focuses on political communication, propaganda and disinformation, with a focus on Eastern Europe and the Post-Soviet Region. He is currently working on an ERC-funded project on The Consequences of the Internet for Russia's Informational Influence Abroad (RUSINFORM) with Prof. Dr. Florian Töpfl at the University of Passau. Sergei’s lecture will discuss the phenomenon of “Troll Factories” and the Russian private military organisation Wagner. 

Ilya Ber

Ilya Ber is the founder and editor-in-chief for the fact-checking project Provereno.media. He is also a lecturer at the Institute of Social Sciences of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, where he teaches the course “Information and Verification in the Modern Media Environment”. Ilya Ber graduated from the Russian State University of Humanities. He worked for 15 years as a TV editor for Russian quiz shows, ten years as editor-in-chief for “How To Be A Millionaire”). At the same time, Ilya worked in journalism for the BBC Russian Service, RIA Novosti, and other media outlets. In 2020 he was an author and presenter in fact-checking once a week on Proven on the international RTVI TV channel.

Counter Terrorism Policing UK

Counter Terrorism Policing UK are at the forefront of work to confront the terror threat. They work around the clock to prevent, disrupt and investigate dangerous extremists - whatever their ideology. They join us to discuss one of their most innovative public communications campaigns to date. The #BeSafeBeSound campaign worked with the UK's largest live music venues and festivals to reach music fans and provide important safety advice

Broken Ties
Dir: Andrey Loshak

Broken Ties (2022) is a critically acclaimed documentary by the award-winning Russian journalist, filmmaker and activist Andrey Loshak. The film documents the human cost of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the ways in which disinformation and state propaganda are tearing Russian families apart. The film captures the determination in relations of seven Russian families as the physical and online war develops. Loshak’s previous work with includes InterNYET, a series covering the rise of Russia’s internet, and Let It All Burn, a documentary about Russian rock band IC3PEAK’s fight with local authorities for its right to perform.