Ather Abbas

Director of Strategy and Transformation, E-ACT

Ather Abbas is Director of Strategy and Transformation at E-ACT, one of England's largest school trusts. He works alongside executive colleagues, school leaders and trustees to develop and realise Thrive, the trust's strategy and transformation programme, with a particular focus on data-informed decision making and the effective adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence across all core functions. Since joining in December 2025, he has launched the three-year strategy and works with cross-functional teams across the trust to deliver the transformation programmes within it, strengthening the use of data, digital technology and AI in schools and central services. Before E-ACT, Ather spent eight years at the King Edward VI Foundation in Birmingham, where he served on the foundation's executive committee and led its major transformation programmes, including the unification of the foundation's digital platforms and working practices.

Hall 10b

1 Breakout sessions: Series one

The Human × AI operating model: Rethinking trust design

This strategic, research-informed session asks how we might design trusts differently for an increasingly AI-enabled world. Using the Human × AI Operating Model Framework, we will explore what should remain human-led, where AI can augment professional capability, what could be AI-led with human oversight, what can be automated – and what trusts might stop doing altogether. Trust leaders will bring practical perspectives on these choices, alongside emerging research and structured discussion. You will gain the tools to support executive and board-level conversations about workforce, culture, governance, and risk. Additional session speakers to be confirmed.