Business & Entrepreneurship, Cambridge Careers Masterclass

Dr. Alex Smeets is the founder of Cambridge Innovation Solutions and Cambridge Funding Solutions, offering consultancy services to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and universities. He is an Associate of Cambridge Enterprise, where he contributes to its International Outreach Programme, helping global institutions learn from the Cambridge Phenomenon.

Alex is also affiliated with St John’s Innovation Centre, supporting early-stage knowledge-based businesses, and is a registered Growth Coach for the UK GrowthAccelerator service. With a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Cambridge, he has a background in R&D before transitioning to innovation, entrepreneurship, and knowledge commercialisation.

Having had a successful career as an investment banker & trader, Mark Anderson has built a global reputation as a consultant and ‘trouble-shooter’ for businesses, particularly those with Anti- Money Laundering, Financial Crime & HR-related issues. Mark has worked with Governments and quasi-Governmental institutions worldwide as well as some of the world’s leading financial institutions. His recent projects have included setting up HR divisions, working on offshoring projects and successfully training thousands of staff globally to spot and eradicate money laundering & financial crime.

Ashlee Stetser has academically achieved an Oxford Masters in Diplomatic Studies, a Master’s in International Relations, a graduate law degree and membership of the bar in the United States. Her practical experience includes working for USAID-funded grant on environmental impact assessment laws in Cambodia, China, and Myanmar and managing freedom of expression issues in the Middle East.
Ashlee teaches at Professional Development Programmes and conducts admissions interviews at Homerton College, University of Cambridge.

Dr Scott Annett is a Fellow of Robinson College and a Bye-Fellow of Homerton College, University of Cambridge. He is the Senior Tutor at Robinson College, where he oversees students’ academic progress, mentoring, and admissions at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
As an Associate Professor of English, Dr Annett has extensive experience in teaching and academic leadership at Cambridge.

He is a CELTA-qualified English language teacher and has recently completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
At Homerton College, Dr Annett is the Education Director for the Homerton International Programme. In this role, he leads both international programmes for students and Professional Development Programmes (PDP) for executives and professionals, bringing together Cambridge’s academic traditions with modern educational practice.