Leading tech industry bodies launch London Tech Manifesto for Mayoral elections

On 20 April 2021, some of the UK’s leading tech industry bodies  launched the London Tech Manifesto, calling on the new Mayor of London to champion the city’s tech companies. techUK, alongside other leading industry voices, helped shape the recommendations and outline a roadmap to continue the growth of London’s tech companies and ensure the city is fully embracing the opportunities of tech. You can read the full Manifesto and recommendations here.

COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact across our communities and local economies. It has also shown the power of technology in keeping communities connected, enabling public services to continue and businesses to run and adapt in this new normal. London’s technology sector has shown its remarkable resilience during the pandemic, attracting a record £8.6bn in investment last year – more than any single country in Europe. We are facing a digital future.  

The Manifesto sets out how the next Mayor of London can build on London’s digital strengths and position itself as a truly global tech leader. Recommendations include supporting tech companies in the city’s post-pandemic economic recovery, increase investment in digital skills, diversity and digital infrastructure. There is a strong focus on the importance of talent and diversity in tech – an industry with the potential to address London’s growing unemployment crisis as demand for tech jobs continues to outstrip supply. That is why we are calling for a Diversity Tsar to be implemented alongside London’s Chief Digital Officer. Beyond London, it encourages the new Mayor to stimulate cross-city collaboration across the UK by working closely with the country’s city mayors. 

Since the last Mayoral elections, several recommendations from the 2016 Manifesto have be implemented by Sadiq Khan’s administration. Most notably the appointment of London’s first ever Chief Digital Officer, alongside the creation of the London Office for Technology and Innovation and the championing of collaboration across the govtech ecosystem with the launch of the Civic Innovation Challenge.  

The next Mayor can unlock the full potential of data for London, optimising the value of data for London, ethically and responsibly. The London Datastore is a great success story, and one the Mayor can build on by setting out a clear data vision for London, creating solutions that improve outcomes of all Londoners and stimulate growth. 

Commenting on the London Tech Manifesto, techUK’s Deputy CEO Antony Walker: 

“The COVID-19 pandemic is a historic challenge, not just to our health and economy, but to build a fairer and more inclusive London in the aftermath. Technology can play a vital role in this by helping redesign the way we approach work, train our workforce and deliver our public services.  Since the last Mayoral election, the creation of London’s first Chief Digital Officer, the launch of the Civic Innovation Challenge and creation of the London Office of Technology and Innovation, have played a key role in cementing London’s position as a true global leader in tech. The 2021 election promises an even greater reward, with the ideas presented in the manifesto providing a pathway to utilise technology and innovation to position London as the most attractive and liveable capital in the world.” 

Read the full Manifesto and recommendations here.

Antony Walker

Deputy CEO, techUK

Antony Walker is deputy CEO of techUK,  which he played a lead role in launching in November 2013.

Antony is a member of the senior leadership team and has overall responsibility for techUK’s policy work. Prior to his appointment in July 2012 Antony was chief executive of the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG), the UK’s independent advisory group on broadband policy. Antony was closely involved in the development of broadband policy development in the UK since the BSG was established in 2001 and authored several major reports to government. He also led the development of the UK’s world leading Open Internet Code of Practice that addresses the issue of net neutrality in the UK. Prior to setting up the BSG, Antony spent six years working in Brussels for the American Chamber of Commerce following and writing about telecoms issues and as a consultant working on EU social affairs and environmental issues. Antony is a graduate of Aberdeen University and KU Leuven and is also a Policy Fellow Alumni of the Centre for Science and Policy at Cambridge University.

Email:

[email protected]

Phone:

07780603065

Twitter:

@techUKdepCEO

Website:

www.techuk.org/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonywalker/

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Margherita Certo

Head of Press and Media, techUK

Margherita is the Head of Press and Media at techUK, working across all communications and marketing activities and acting as the point of contact for media enquiries.

Margherita works closely with the staff at techUK to communicate the issues that matter most to our members with the media.

Prior to joining techUK, Margherita worked in public relations across technology, public affairs, and charity, designing evidence-based strategic campaigns and building meaningful ties with key stakeholders.

Email:

[email protected]

Phone:

07462 107214

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Georgina Maratheftis

Associate Director, Local Public Services, techUK

Georgina is techUK’s Associate Director for Local Public Services

Georgina works with suppliers that are active or looking to break into the market as well as with local public services to create the conditions for meaningful transformation. techUK regularly bring together local public services and supplier community to horizon scan and explore how the technologies of today and tomorrow can help solve some of the most pressing problems our communities face and improve outcomes for our people and places.

Prior to techUK, Georgina worked for a public policy events company where she managed the policy briefing division and was responsible for generating new ideas for events that would add value to the public sector. Georgina worked across a number of portfolios from education, criminal justice, and health but had a particular interest in public sector transformation and technology. Georgina also led on developing relationships across central and local government.

If you’d like to learn more about techUK, or want to get involved, get in touch.

Email:

[email protected]

Phone:

020 7331 2029

Twitter:

@GeorginaMarath

Website:

www.techuk.org/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgina-maratheftis-0a002a102/

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Neil Ross

Associate Director, Policy, techUK

As Associate Director for Policy Neil leads on techUK's public policy work in the UK. In this role he regularly engages with UK and Devolved Government Ministers, senior civil servants and members of the UK’s Parliaments aiming to make the UK the best place to start, scale and develop a tech business.

Neil joined techUK in 2019 to lead on techUK’s input into the UK-EU Brexit trade deal negotiations and economic policy. Alongside his role leading techUK's public policy work Neil also acts as a spokesperson for techUK often appearing in the media and providing evidence to a range of Parliamentary committees.

In 2023 Neil was listed by the Politico newspaper as one of the '20 people who matter in UK tech' and has regularly been cited as a key industry figure shaping UK tech policy. 

Email:

[email protected]

Twitter:

@neil13r

Website:

www.techuk.org/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilross13/

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