What is the “Assemble”?
Chester Cathedral is many things to many people, and we want to be a place where people gather to discuss the BIG topics. Assemble is an invitation to come and hear engaging speakers on relevant topics in our modern world.
This Assemble aims to create a novel experience that fosters the intersection of human intellect with artificial intelligence through dynamic idea exchange. Our event introduces three unique AI bots—The Three Wise Bots: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh—each crafted with distinct personalities and styles. They are poised to actively engage with expert speakers and the audience in real-time throughout the debate.
Audiences at this assemble not only encounter renowned human experts sharing their insights but also have AI companions standing by to offer their unique perspectives and interact directly. This multi-dimensional setup transforms the debate into a personalized and dynamic experience, inviting everyone to engage with the AI bots, pose questions, and explore diverse viewpoints.
Key Info:
Date: 4 July 2024
Location: Café 1092, Chester Cathedral, St Werbergh Street, Chester, CH1 2DY
The team:
Presenter: Dr. David Acquaye
Dr. David Acquaye is currently the Associate Professor & Head of Division-Business, Management, Accounting & Finance at the University of Chester. His leadership has made his division one of the most vibrant and visible within the University community.
David believes in the transformative power of education and is dedicated to fostering a learning environment that encourages critical thinking, innovation, and lifelong learning.In past few years, he has lead the team to design programmes which addresses contemporary skills needs within Banking, Accounting, Finance and Analytics. His ADAMS (Attendance Data and Achievement Management System) initiative has made significant impact on the Accounting and Finance programme. Specifically, in 2022- 2023, the programme improved 29 places in national rankings (from 75th to 46th CUG) after the implementation of ADAMS’ initiative. It is an integrative system which provides a visual presentation of the correlations between attendance and achievement variables. ADAMS has enhanced the quality of decision making such as pairings in peer teaching observations to disseminate good practice. Again, in the mentoring of new or early career teaching colleagues, ADAMS has been key. The ability to trace sources of students’ satisfaction which correlates with NSS variables was key in 2022-23. This attention to detail ensures that none of the quality assurance variables is left unattended. Colleagues have also benefited from the quality discussions from the Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) process as result of ADAMS.
In the 2022-23 academic year, Dr. Acquaye spearheaded two impactful projects within the Accounting and Finance Department. The first project, “Graduation and Beyond,” was a conference that brought together employers, alumni, students, and academics to discuss the key skills sought by employers. This initiative also introduced students to essential networking skills. The second project, “Project 10,” targeted the digital skills gap among international students. It involved ten key data analysis projects using software like MS Excel, SPSS, and AMOS, guided by employer-highlighted learning outcomes from the conference. These initiatives led to increased student placements and positive engagement.
His outstanding work has been recognised by all the institutions where he has been an employee. In 2018, he was honored as the Professional Mentor of the Year, recognizing his exceptional support and guidance to both students and colleagues. Two years earlier, in 2016, he received the Excellence in Teaching Award, a testament to his innovative and effective teaching methods that have significantly enhanced the learning experience. Additionally, during the 2012/2013 academic year, Dr. Acquaye was celebrated with the Outstanding Teacher Award, highlighting his commitment to educational excellence and his impactful approach to teaching. These awards underscore his significant contributions to academia and his enduring influence on his students and peers.
Dr. Acquaye’s research interests include financial management, corporate governance, and educational methodologies in accounting, and he has been involved in various funded projects that enhance the educational experience for students. His dedication to education and professional development has also been acknowledged through his participation in numerous academic conferences and mentorship programs.
Speaker 1: Dr. Alex Fenton
Dr. Alex Fenton is currently Associate Professor of Digital Transformation at the University of Chester and Associate Dean for International in the Faculty of Science, Business and Enterprise. Alex graduated from the University of Bradford with a BSc in Electronic Imaging and Media Communications in 1997 and has worked in various web development, digital business and teaching/academic roles ever since.
Alex became Head of the Centre for Professional and Economic Development (CPED) at Chester University Business School in 2021, Associate Professor in 2022 and Associate Dean in 2023 . Prior to joining University of Chester in 2021, Alex was a Digital business academic at Salford Business School, Head of the Disruptive Technologies Research Cluster and has been Associate Development lead for the Sports Industry Zone at Salford University. He also ran a commercial digital media and web development company called EDinteractive and delivered CPD courses in digital business and digital marketing for various individuals and organisations at MediaCityUK and beyond.
Since 1997, Alex has been teaching and developing web and multimedia and writing award winning web applications. This included a content management system that has been used over 150 times for small and large projects for the likes of the University of Salford, The NHS, various Universities and the British Council.
Alex has been finalist and won a wide range of team and individual awards including, A European Search Award for his digital development work on the Passport to Trade 2.0 project, three Vice Chancellors Teaching awards, Postgraduate supervisor of the Year (2015) and Innovative lecturer of the year (2016) and a Big Chip Award in the Tech for Good Category (2018). He receives excellent student feedback for his teaching and has played a major role in excellent NSS results at the University of Salford.
His PhD is in social media, social capital and football was completed in 2018. He still works with English Premier League football clubs and top division rugby clubs on research and digital projects including Fan Fit. He has won and delivered various internal and external funded projects including UKSPF, HEIF, KTP and the prestigious Nesta Healthier Lives Data Fund with the Scottish Government. He has also published his work in the national press, top ranked international journals (including ABS3*), white papers and popular books (full list of publications). He is a journal reviewer for journals as well as a regular reviewer of book proposals from Routledge and other quality publishers.
Alex undertakes research and teaching in the areas of digital marketing, digital transformation, web and digital journalism including presenting papers at conferences and influencing government policy. Alex loves to travel and is a writer and photographer for magazines and loves festivals and technology. He also works on digital transformation research and practical projects, releasing a book Digital Transformation, A Results Driven Approach.
He has a strong national and international network, having been visiting professor at Coppead in Brazil and completed joint research projects in Canada, India and America.
Speaker 2: Professor Phil Harris
Is Professor Emeritus in Marketing & Public Affairs at the University of Chester and Woxsen University, Hyderabad, India. He also holds the position of Professor Extraordinarius at the University of South Africa (UNISA), Pretoria, RSA. He is a Visiting Professor at Jiangsu University, China, and an Adjunct Professor at the School of Business, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Phil’s international influence is further underscored by his role as a Fellow of the Good Governance Institute, London. He held the prestigious Westminster (Grosvenor) Marketing and Public Affairs Chair from 2009 to 2020 and has served as the Chairman of the Marketing Council (UK) PLC. Phil’s academic career includes being a former Board member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Professor of Marketing at the University of Otago, New Zealand, and Founding Director of the Centre for Corporate and Public Affairs at Manchester Metropolitan University. Before his academic tenure, Phil held critical positions in the international chemical and foods industries with ICI and RHM. He has chaired or been a board member of the American Marketing Association, the Academy of Marketing, and the Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy.
Phil is the founding editor of the Journal of Public Affairs and is a member of many international editorial and advisory boards and has authored over 200 articles, 400 academic papers and 20 books. He has worked in the chemical, food, and media industries and has taught and advised businesses and governments in Asia, Europe, and North America. He has held visiting professorships in Australia, China, Germany, New Zealand, and the United States, as well as senior academic positions at Otago and Manchester Metropolitan Universities. He chairs the Awards Committee and is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Marketors. Phil is an adviser to the Medical Mission Sisters, who provide health support to women and children in some of the world’s poorest areas.
Phil’s current focus is on China, the enablement of the vulnerable, entrepreneurship, family business, international trade, Public Affairs, and most notably, doctoral student development. His unwavering dedication to this area is underscored by his supervision or examination of over 40 doctoral students to completion during his academic career. Phil’s influence extends beyond the classroom and research lab; he has taught and researched extensively across Asia, Europe, and North America, and has advised numerous business and governmental organizations. His advisory roles include Age Concern, Bank of America, Good Governance Institute, Granada TV, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Medical Mission Sisters, New Zealand Water Authority, Syngenta, Unilever, and various Australian, New Zealand, and UK Government Departments. Phil’s commitment to fostering intellectual discourse is evident in his founding of the annual think tank, the Chester Forum, with its focus on Economic and Regional Affairs in 2010. He also served as the organizing chairman for a decade of the High Sheriff of Cheshire Enterprise Awards, which supported over 800 companies and third-sector organizations across the region.
He has advised governments on Medium-Sized and Small Businesses and helped found the UK Educate North Awards in 2015 and the University Entrepreneur Grant initiative in 2016. It focuses on developing high-quality entrepreneurs regionally and internationally in the not-for-profit, private and public sectors. He has campaigned on the rights of the disadvantaged and their empowerment since 1968 and was awarded the prestigious Educate North Awards and Lifetime Achievement Award at the Manchester Hilton in April 2024.
He was appointed to the prestigious Order of St. Agatha and became a Cavaliere of the Republic of San Marino in London on June 18, 2024, in recognition of his services to International Education, Public Affairs, and Charity. He is married to Irene and lives in Chester, UK.
Bots Creators: Dr Anna Sung and Professor Kelvin Leong
Dr. Anna Sung is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at the University of Chester, where she leads the MSc FinTech and Business Analytics programme. With a diverse background spanning biology, finance, and business administration, Anna has pioneered FinTech education in the UK, having led the country’s first undergraduate degree in the field. Her research interests include Artificial Intelligence, Financial Technology, Innovation Management, Data Analytics and Educational Technology. She had also served as an academic link for partners in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Brunei. Beyond her academic roles, she serves as a Chapter Member of Chester Cathedral.
Professor Kelvin Leong holds the position of Professor of Financial Technology and Data Analytics at the University of Chester. He earned his PhD in Computer Science. Kelvin’s expertise spans across Artificial Intelligence, Financial Technology, Data Analytics, Crime Analysis, and Educational Technology. He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant in the UK and a Certified Public Accountant in Hong Kong. Additionally, Prof. Leong is a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute. He has held various external roles, including Chair of the External Evaluation Committee for the MSc in Financial Technology at Neapolis University Paphos in Cyprus, and External Examiner for programs at Scotland, Wales India and Ukraine.
Project Helper: Temitope Bello
Temitope Bello (Temi) is a PhD student at the University of Chester. She holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Health Service Management. Prior to this, she completed a Master of Science (MSc) in Medical Imaging with Distinction from the University of Dundee. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physics with Electronics, graduating with First Class honors from Fountain University. Ms Bello has developed extensive research knowledge from her projects and studies. She has led independent research in various fields, including the biological effects of non-ionizing radiation, reasons for late cancer patient presentations, and management practices in oncology and hematology. Additionally, she has strong project management skills, honed through managing academic projects and research work. Her background in physics and computational studies has provided her with a deep understanding of quantum, nuclear, and computational physics.