Andrew Mcdougall
Head of Geopolitical Risk at BarclaysAndrew McDougall is Head of Geopolitical Risk for Barclays. He joined Barclays from the UK Foreign Office, where he gained extensive experience working on some of the most important global issues over the past two decades. His particular expertise is Europe, Russia, and China, but he has also worked closely on Iran and South Asia (India/Pakistan/Afghanistan) earlier in his career.
Andrew’s final posting was in Brussels (Political Counsellor in the UK Mission to the EU and NATO) but he has also served in Switzerland, India, and the Middle East. As Lt Colonel in the British Army officer he served in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, and Iraq before joining the Foreign Office.
Neil Newman
Head of Strategy at Astris AdvisoryNeil is an expert commentator and seasoned strategist on Japanese and pan-Asia equities markets.
With a long career tenure focusing on equity and derivative markets for a cumulative 40 years– 22 years in Tokyo, 12 years in Hong Kong, and 6 years split between London and New York, his macro thematic and macroeconomic investment strategies draw on first-hand experiences starting from the boom of the 1980s at the debut of his career.
Neil is highly regarded in the industry and his insights are regularly sought by international media organizations as well as major international investors globally.
Heather Prosser
Managing Director of FGS GlobalHeather has over 20 years of impactful experience in the Asia-Pacific region in business development and sustainability across sectors and geographies. Having worked in Tokyo and Hong Kong, she has a strong track record of significant contributions to greenfield projects, business development, advisory, strategy, communications and investor relations.
Heather joined FGS Global’s Japan office after playing a crucial role in launching and growing the two sustainability consulting services businesses for Sodali Japan and notably the Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) team at EY Japan. She excels in navigating Japanese companies towards risk mitigation, driving sustainable initiatives, and harmonizing environmental responsibility with corporate growth.
Originally from the United States, Heather embarked on her career in venture capital in Silicon Valley, before moving to Japan in 2001. As a committed community leader, her contributions include board member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), leading the ACCJ Sustainability Committee, and is currently an Executive Committee member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ).
Her philanthropic efforts include board membership for Shine On! Kids, a charity supporting children with long-term illnesses in Japan. Heather's dynamic career spans the media industry, including as a regular guest presenter on NHK's 'Cool Japan' program since 2007.