The Sharestock September 5 speakers are now confirmed, and with just 12 of the 100 places still unbooked at Tom Winnifrith’s event by the River Dee, between Chester and Wrexham, the window to secure a seat is closing fast.
In previous years, one of the two investors dubbed Britain’s Buffett typically headlined. This year both Jim Mellon and Nigel Wray are on the bill, with Mellon speaking before lunch and Wray just after.
The Sharestock September 5 Speakers and What They Bring
Mark Slater joins the line-up as a new addition. Winnifrith describes him as ‘the most gifted small cap fund manager in Britain.’ He co-founded Slater Investments in 1994 with Ralph Baber and serves as Chairman and Chief Investment Officer, chairing its Investment Committee. According to his Morningstar profile, he previously worked as a financial journalist and in 1992 helped research and edit ‘The Zulu Principle’ for his father, Jim Slater.
His flagship vehicle, the Slater Growth Fund, had a fund size of £330.8m as of 31 May 2026. The fund’s objective, per the Slater Investments funds page, is long-term capital growth through UK companies the manager believes are undervalued with the potential for a significant re-rating. Over the five years to 8 June 2026, however, the fund returned -16.4%, ranking 183rd out of 189 funds in the IA UK All Companies sector, according to Trustnet. For ISA or SIPP holders who already hold the fund, or are considering it, that backdrop will give Slater’s session some edge.
Bitcoin Debate, AI Session and Company Bosses on the Lawn
There is also a bitcoin debate among the confirmed Sharestock September 5 speakers, with Winnifrith taking the bear side against Andrew Webley of The Smarter Web Company. Webley founded the business in 2009 and previously served as Head of Online at Hargreaves Lansdown before becoming involved with Bitcoin from 2017, according to his DigiAssets speaker profile.
The Smarter Web Company has since moved to the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, where it positions itself as Britain’s largest publicly listed bitcoin holder, according to CryptoRank. Webley has described the move as ‘the next stage in building a long-term British public company aligned with Bitcoin.’ The company has also formalised an ongoing treasury policy of acquiring Bitcoin under what it calls ‘The 10 Year Plan,’ with the board treating Bitcoin as an appropriate store of value for its reserves, as set out in its February 2026 purchase announcement.
A separate session will see Barry Downes and Brian Kinane examine whether AI constitutes a bubble, which listed companies face disruption, and how it may reshape working lives.
Peter Brailey will grill two company bosses: Chris Gilbert of Eco Buildings and Cathal Friel, non-executive Chairman of European Green Transition. Friel is a serial entrepreneur who has listed five companies on the London Stock Exchange. Among them was Amryt Pharma, which was sold to Chiesi Farmaceutici for $1.48bn in April 2023.
Regular speakers Lucian Miers and Evil Banksta also return, and Winnifrith himself will be on the programme. The evening before brings a pizza bash, with chef Vijay’s lunch and a cold salmon supper rounding out the day. Those with questions about camping by the river or other logistics are invited to contact Winnifrith directly by email.
Timing for individual Sharestock September 5 speakers will be confirmed in the coming days. With 12 seats left from 100, the Slater session on a fund sitting in the fourth quartile of its peer group over five years may prove the most combative conversation of the afternoon.
