Speakers

Speaker profile

Yvette Hopkins is the first elected Chair of Court at Glasgow Caledonian University – the University for the Common Good – and Chair of Craft Prospect, a pioneering space engineering practice. She is also a Board Director for Quick Block, a sustainable construction company, an active investor, and an advisor to companies and organisations across the space, defence, arts, and charity sectors across the globe. A former U.S. Army Colonel and decorated veteran, Yvette served not only on the battlefield and in the boardroom, but also at the forefront of innovation and technology. She commanded a brigade, served as the Senior Intelligence Officer for U.S. Special Operations Command–Africa, and joined the global “Space Race,” focused on the creation of a Scottish vertical launch spaceport and shaping the UK’s space economy. Yvette is also a proud Global Scot and keynote public speaker on the topics of Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Space, and Defence. Yvette is a passionate advocate for women in space and in leadership. In 2023, she completed a nine-month global expedition on Women and Leadership with the Rockefeller Foundation, inspiring and supporting women in, and into, leadership. Yvette is living her best life and now splits her time between Shetland and Glasgow.