Speakers

Mike McKinlay grew up between Kenya and the UK. That upbringing shaped a career defined by resilience, innovation' and an unwavering passion for business growth. At just 16, he found himself homeless. He built his way up, starting in hospitality before moving into finance and advertising. Mike then founded Creare. Under his leadership, it grew into one of the UK's largest web and SEO companies, culminating in a multi-million-pound sale to private equity. Mike is now Managing Director of Pod Digital. There, he's spent years helping SMEs achieve measurable growth through data-driven digital marketing. He also founded AdVelocity, having recognised early on the transformational impact AI would have on business. AdVelocity brings together AI Attribution, Telephone AI, intelligent automation and business intelligence to sharpen the performance of every marketing campaign. Mike combines proven digital marketing expertise with cutting-edge AI. The result: better ROAS, stronger customer experience and smarter commercial decisions for his clients. His practical, results-focused approach is helping SMEs embrace AI with confidence and stay ahead in a competitive digital world.

Raised between Kenya and the UK, Mike McKinlay's journey has been shaped by resilience, innovation and a relentless drive to challenge convention. Homeless at just 16, he began his career in hospitality before moving into finance and advertising. He later founded Creare, building it into one of the UK's largest web and SEO companies. It was later sold to private equity in a successful multi-million-pound deal. Today, Mike is the Founder and Managing Director of AdVelocity. It's an AI business transformation company helping SMEs gain a competitive edge through next-generation artificial intelligence. Long before AI became mainstream, Mike recognised its potential to revolutionise business performance. AdVelocity combines AI Attribution, Telephone AI, BusinessGPT and intelligent automation. Together, these eliminate wasted marketing spend, uncover hidden opportunities and deliver measurable improvements in ROAS, sales and operational efficiency. Mike and his team don't just adopt AI - they're redefining how businesses use it. This gives clients the tools, insights and competitive advantage to stay ahead in an AI-first economy