Alexsis de Raadt St James is an investment professional and entrepreneur with diverse expertise in corporate finance, venture investing and technology. She has overseen multiple acquisitions, divestments and IPO’s globally. For the past twenty years she has focused on the emerging role of technology in consumer markets. She has held a leadership position in a global Fortune 500 company and startups she founded or funded. She is a serial entrepreneur who has years of experience as a founder and investor, serving on boards, funding university research with a special focus on female-led deep tech companies emerging from universities. Alexsis is currently Founder and Managing Partner of Merian Ventures, a venture firm focused on investing in women-founded and co-founded companies in the US and UK. She is a frequent speaker, author and thought leader on digital business, innovation, philanthropy, venture, and the raising role of women in technology. Her articles have appeared in The Financial Times, The Telegraph and The Guardian.

 In addition to her professional roles, she is the founder of The Althea Foundation which has funded 28 initiatives in the mental health, science and education sector and is the recipient of a Commendation from Scotland Yard for software design and social impact. Alexsis founded and provided the initial funding for WE Innovate tech accelerator at Imperial College, 2014-present. Was a US-UK Fulbright Commissioner, board member Oxford Foundry 2018-2022, and currently serves on the advisory board of The Oxford Internet Institute and Oxford AI Society.

Reya El-Salahi is an award-winning presenter, reporter and broadcast journalist. She has presented TV and radio programmes and made documentaries for the BBC, Times Radio, CGTN Europe, and This American Life among others.

Anneliese is the Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equaliities and Labour and Co-operative Candidate for Oxford East for the 2024 General Election.

Anneliese was first elected as the Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Oxford East in 2017. She currently serves as Party Chair and Chair of the National Policy Review. Prior to that, she served as the first woman Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Anneliese represented Oxford from 2014 to 2017 as our MEP. In that role, Anneliese served on the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, focusing especially on clamping down on tax avoidance by big companies. She was also responsible for tightening rules on financial services, to help prevent any repeat of the global financial crisis. Before becoming an MEP, Anneliese worked for many years as an academic. She also chaired a local debt and welfare advice centre.

Anneliese was first elected in June 2017, and was made Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury in July 2017. While in this role Anneliese developed Labour’s ‘Fair Tax Programme’, the Party’s tax avoidance proposals put forward at the 2019 general election.