Launch event: Local Digital Index 2023

Professor Kerensa Jennings

Director, Data Platforms, BT Group

Kerensa Jennings is BT Group Director of Digital Impact. She leads a large portfolio of social impact programmes and initiatives. Previously she was CEO of the Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award (iDEA), an international programme aiming to help address the digital skills gap.

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Matthew Evans

Director for Markets and COO, techUK

Matthew Evans leads techUK’s Market Programme teams and is a member of the senior leadership team.

The Market Programme teams help techUK members apply innovative technology solutions across a range of sectors, including the Public Sector, Financial Services and Cyber. 

Prior to his appointment in early 2019, Matt led techUK’s Smart Infrastructure and IoT work, as well as being CEO of the Broadband Stakeholder Group. During this time he led the telecoms industry’s approach to lowering the cost of network deployment, played a key role in coordinating it’s response to Brexit and was closely involved in the development of the Government’s Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review. He also assisted in the development of the UK’s first secure by design Code of Practice aimed at consumer IoT, oversaw the publication of a paper outlining the tech sector’s view of future mobility services and drove engagement around the use of digital twins.

Matt sits on the Steering Board of the Electric Vehicle Energy Taskforce, Digital Framework Task Group,  andthe advisory board for the Prospering from the Energy Revolution industrial challenge fund.

Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked in Arqiva's public policy team, across the broadcast and telecoms markets. Before that he was a researcher for an MP at Westminster.

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Paul Scully MP

Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Paul Scully was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy) at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 7 February 2023. He is also Minister for London, having been appointed on 13 February 2020.

He was previously:

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport from 27 October 2022 to 7 February 2023
Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities between 7 July 2022 and 27 October 2022
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from 13 February 2020 to July 2022.
He was elected the Conservative MP for Sutton and Cheam on 7 May 2015

: @scullyp

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Nick King

Managing Director, Henham Strategy

Nick King is the Founder and Managing Director of Henham Strategy, a policy and public affairs consultancy with a particular specialism in economic development, local growth and levelling up. Nick is a former Chief of Staff to Sajid Javid and spent almost six years in Government (from 2012 to 2018) working in the Departments for Culture, Business and, from 2016 to 2018, Communities and Local Government.

Henham Strategy work with both private sector and public sector organisations on some of their most acute policy and political challenges. They have received policy commissions from central Government Departments, routinely partner with think tanks and work regularly with upper tier local authorities, pan-regional partnerships and Local Enterprise Partnerships. They worked with techUK to produce the inaugural index of Local Digital Capital in 2021 and this second version in 2022.

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Richelle Schuster

Head of Innovation Programmes at Leeds City Council and Regional Development Lead, West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Richelle’s career in business transformation and innovation has focused on tackling the toughest commercial challenges for businesses at all stages - start-ups, scale-ups and the reinvention of established businesses. She has designed and delivered national business programmes, led a scale up consultancy practice for a global professional services firm and now as Head of Innovation at Leeds City Council, advises the region on place based investment priorities to support innovation. Richelle is driven by challenge, breaking down barriers and creating impact-led strategies which can deliver both economic and societal gain - a central and motivating purpose that continues to shape her career.

: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richelle-schuster/

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Matthew Evans

Director for Markets and COO, techUK

Matthew Evans leads techUK’s Market Programme teams and is a member of the senior leadership team.

The Market Programme teams help techUK members apply innovative technology solutions across a range of sectors, including the Public Sector, Financial Services and Cyber. 

Prior to his appointment in early 2019, Matt led techUK’s Smart Infrastructure and IoT work, as well as being CEO of the Broadband Stakeholder Group. During this time he led the telecoms industry’s approach to lowering the cost of network deployment, played a key role in coordinating it’s response to Brexit and was closely involved in the development of the Government’s Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review. He also assisted in the development of the UK’s first secure by design Code of Practice aimed at consumer IoT, oversaw the publication of a paper outlining the tech sector’s view of future mobility services and drove engagement around the use of digital twins.

Matt sits on the Steering Board of the Electric Vehicle Energy Taskforce, Digital Framework Task Group,  andthe advisory board for the Prospering from the Energy Revolution industrial challenge fund.

Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked in Arqiva's public policy team, across the broadcast and telecoms markets. Before that he was a researcher for an MP at Westminster.

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Marie Hamilton

Regional Client Director, Microsoft

Marie joined Microsoft in June 2022 to lead their work across the Greater Manchester region. Greater Manchester is one of the largest devolved regions in the UK, with a strong mayoral presence and ambitious plans for the future.

Marie works with a cross sector team to support these plans, aligning with the regional priorities, helping to transform public services, and improve outcomes for the citizens of Greater Manchester.

Marie is passionate about social mobility and improving outcomes for all people no matter what their background. In her spare time, she supports a charity which is focused on encouraging girls to consider careers in cyber.

Marie has been working with public sector organisations for almost 25 years supporting them with their digital transformation journeys. Prior to Microsoft she spent 10 years working for Avaya UK leading their Central Government Strategy and before that 15 years working with the education sector.

Marie lives in Stockport with her husband and two young children.

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Alex Davies-Jones

Shadow Minister for Tech and Digital Economy,

Alex Davies-Jones is the Shadow Minister for Tech and Digital Economy and the Labour Member of Parliament for Pontypridd in South Wales, and was first elected in 2019. Since 2021, she has held the Tech and Digital Economy brief for Labour and has led key legislation, including the Online Safety Bill and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill through Parliament. Alex is currently developing the Labour Party’s tech offering and as a Welsh Member of Parliament, she is passionate about ensuring that all tech policy has regional equality at its heart.

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Dan Sutch

Founder, CAST

Dan Sutch is Founder of CAST (www.wearecast.org.uk), a charity that supports civic and social organisations to respond to the changes in people's behaviours and needs through digital technology. CAST works with nonprofits, charities and funders to embed digital and design across their services, strategy and governance and works with sector leaders, funders and government to make this happen. Dan is also co-founder of Catalyst (thecatalyst.org.uk/) an ambitious network of people and organisations helping UK charities become more resilient and responsive through digital, data and design. In the past year, Catalyst has grown to be a network of 500+ digital agencies and experts, supporting thousands of charities, including designing and delivering a £5m programme of support in response to COVID.

Prior to co-founding CAST, Dan led the strategy at Nominet Trust, investing c£20m in ventures focused on using technology to address social challenges. Before that Dan was Head of Development and Principle Researcher at edtech innovator Futurelab.

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Professor Kerensa Jennings

Director, Data Platforms, BT Group

Kerensa Jennings is BT Group Director of Digital Impact. She leads a large portfolio of social impact programmes and initiatives. Previously she was CEO of the Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award (iDEA), an international programme aiming to help address the digital skills gap.

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Juliet Leach

Transformation Director, TechSkills

Juliet is a strategic lead for TechSkills. Working across the organisation, she identifies opportunities for growth, efficiencies and collaboration. Working with learning providers, employers and learners, she will focus on the value and potential for all; positioning the Tech Industry Gold accreditation as the gold standard for tech and digital courses, delivering the right skilled talent into the workforce.

Juliet moved across from techUK where she was the Interim Associate Director Communications, Marketing and Membership, leading the teams to grow membership, value and brand awareness.

Juliet is a strategist at heart, seeing the bigger picture, identifying connections, value and collaborations for the benefit of the organisation, it’s stakeholders and audiences. She is a global brand, communications, marketing and stakeholder expert having worked in the membership sector for almost twenty years and for significant brand and marketing agencies prior to that. She has experience building and growing brands and products across international territories, growing memberships, and advancing the profile of flagship events and activity to gain national and international partnerships, media coverage and engagement.

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Sam Crowley

Digital Capability and Future Skills Lead , University of the West of England

Sam Crowley is the Digital Capability and Future Skills Lead at the University of the West of England

Sam is part of the UWE Digital Learning Service, the purpose of which is to support the UWE 2030 Teaching and Learning strategy to ensure that ‘UWE supports its staff and students with the skills, knowledge and behaviours that support them to become active and enterprising digital producers and citizens’. Sam is currently working on multiple projects including UWE becoming an Adobe Creative Campus and the creation of a Digital ‘Maker Space’ for students.

Prior to her current role Sam was a training consultant for over 13 years starting in a corporate setting and moving to higher education. Specialising in design and delivery of digital skills training. She is most passionate about ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to feel confident in their digital skills and be able to fully participate in the digital community.

Email:

[email protected]

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-crowley/

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Mike Morgan

Operational Director, Hays

Mike is an Operational Director for the Midlands Technology business at Hays Specialist Recruitment. He has worked in Hays Birmingham for 21 years and runs a large team of recruiters facing the Midlands‘ technology sector. Mike is also the Global Chair of the Hays LGBTQIA+ network covering 33 countries and is a Co-founder of the Alliance Network, Birmingham largest professional network for LGBTQIA+ professionals.

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Heather Black

Strategic Partnerships Manager, Business in the Community

Heather Black is a Strategic Partnerships Manager working for Business in the Community (BITC), a membership organisation convening a powerful network of purposeful business leaders to share insight, expertise and deliver impact. Heather leads on a Place Programme in Coventry, which focuses on convening key stakeholders from business, the local authority and community organisations to act on long-term goals to reset economic ambitions and deliver long-term, transformative change for communities in the city.

Since joining BITC in 2021, Heather has worked closely with business and community leaders, building trust and helping to develop impactful business-led community interventions.

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Derek Allison

VP, UK Public Sector Aerospace And Defence, DXC Technology

Derek currently leads the UK Public Sector, Aerospace and Defence Portfolio delivering mission critical systems to strategic clients including the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice, NHS SCCL, DEFRA, AWE, Metropolitan Police Service, Home Office, BAE, RR, Leonardo and multiple local authorities.

An Ex Military Officer with operational experience, Derek has been with DXC for over 15 years. He has a background in large account management including key clients: MOD, DWP, Aviva and Deutsche Bank, has managed ITO operations at an EMEA level and demonstrates a track record of delivering strategy and execution across large scale programmes and accounts.

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Rosie Larsson

Senior Director, Government Engagement & Regulatory Policy, VISA

Rosie has been a member of the UK&I Government Engagement Team at Visa since in June 2022. She fulfils a broad leadership role in the team, touching on all areas including policy, government and regulator engagement , and spends a huge amount of time focussing on ensuring the team maintains its best in class status.

Rosie joined Visa in 2019 with the acquisition of an international payments business called Earthport, now called Visa Payments Limited, within which Rosie had a 10+ year career as a senior leader in compliance and international payments. Prior to Earthport, Rosie spent a  number of years working for a regulator in the legal sector focussing on education monitoring and enhancement.

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Mark Elliott

Programme Director, CivTech

Mark has a long, successful track record working in both the creative and the business sides of the digital and creative industries. While CEO of the highly successful DigitalCity in NE England he helped hundreds of companies grow as fast and effectively as possible, and was a key player in The Difference Engine - Europe’s first tech accelerator. Moving north in 2013 he ran the UP Accelerator, Edinburgh and then joined the fun at CivTech, first as its Head of Accelerator until taking over as Programme Director in summer, 2019.

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Nikola McNicol-Kenney

VP Small Segment UKI, Sage

Nikola McNicol-Kenney - Responsible for the commercial performance of our Small Business solutions, Nikola joined Sage in 2016 having worked for British Airways for a number of years. Today Nikola holds the role of VP Small Segment UKI, looking after the commercial relationship of Sage with over 250k SMB customers of the Accounting and Payroll firm, and Accountants and over 30k firms. Nikola is based at Sage's head office in Newcastle, and lives with her family in Northumberland. 

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Tracy Sherratt

West Midlands Senior Manager, British Business Bank

Tracy is a Senior Manager for the UK Network covering the West Midlands. The UK Network seeks to enhance business finance ecosystems across the UK so smaller businesses, wherever they are, can grow and prosper. It also helps the Bank develop a deeper understanding of small business finance markets in all parts of the UK so that, ultimately, the Bank can improve its support to smaller businesses everywhere.

Tracy joined the British Business Bank from BCRS Business Loans, where she focused on supporting SME’s providing funding solutions as a business development manager as well as engaging with local authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and other Key Business Introducers.

Prior to that, Tracy built her career in Personal and Business banking spending 10 years with Barclays covering the West Midlands area.

: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-sherratt-bb-cert

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Tania Rahman

Investment Manager, Praetura Ventures

Tania is an Investment Manager at Praetura Ventures, an award-winning tech and life sciences focused VC, born-and-bred in the North of England. Praised for its early backing of northern success stories such as Peak, Reacta, XR Games and Culture Shift, the NW-based VC has now become known for its  ‘more than money’ approach to supporting early-stage founders post investment. As the largest partner on the British Business Investment’s Regional Angels Programme, Praetura’s team are focused on backing regional-based businesses with global potential.

Tania has mentored ambitious start-up founders throughout her career, which includes almost a decade spent running her own award-winning London restaurant chain Chit Chaat Chai. Outside of her work at Praetura, Tania continues to champion underrepresented entrepreneurs, having previously spearheaded initiatives aimed at making the VC landscape more inclusive. Tania was also previously VP of ESG & Community at the Alliance Manchester Business School

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Jason Loh

Founder, Piece Future

Jason Loh is the Founder of Piece Future, a private Intellectual Property investment bank with 4 locations across Asia and Europe. Previously, Jason served as Head of Panasonic’s IP group (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) for 16 years.

Jason is an innovator at heart and a zealous advocate of the active utilisation of intangible assets.  To further promote sustainable open innovation, Jason has created IPHatch^® , the world’s first startup incubator programme that focusses on the commercialisation and deployment of Intellectual Property, which runs in UK and 8 key Asian cities including Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.   Since 2017, Piece Future has invested in over 60 tech start-ups that enrolled into IPHatch^® programme.

In addition to his role at Piece Future, Jason is also Director of the International IP Commercialisation Council Singapore, Executive Adviser for Asia to the Institute of Innovation Knowledge Exchange, Managing Partner of i2P Ventures (a private startup incubator) and True Vine Capital Partners Pte Ltd. 

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Prakash Kerai (PK)

Partner, Shoosmiths

Prakash Kerai (PK) co-heads the fintech service line at Shoosmiths and has been advising on technology, outsourcing, and FinTech arrangements for nearly two decades. His ‘in-house’ experience includes acting as the General Counsel of a FinTech organisation (a digital challenger bank).  As a member of the Shoosmiths’ Technology Sector Executive team, PK also helps lead on the Blockchain & Digital Assets sub sector. In 2023, PK was appointed as a member of techUK’s Financial Services Council.

 

: https://www.shoosmiths.com/people/cvdetails/prakash-kerai

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Martin Ward

West Midlands Tech Commissioner,

Martin is the new West Midlands Tech Commissioner and senior executive in the software industry with 30+ years’ experience of B2B enterprise technology and associated services across EMEA. As a Partner at Waypoint Partners, he specialize in advising early-stage tech-centric ventures on their growth and fundraising strategies.

Previously, he’s worked in sales, business development and general management positions for several global blue chip enterprises including SAP, Fujitsu and Oracle. I’ve been a successful co-founder and have enjoyed multiple trade transactions. I’m an alumnus of MIT, IESE and Imperial College, and a serial angel investor and start-up mentor with personal investments spanning martech, customer analytics, machine learning and fintech.

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Matthew Evans

Director for Markets and COO, techUK

Matthew Evans leads techUK’s Market Programme teams and is a member of the senior leadership team.

The Market Programme teams help techUK members apply innovative technology solutions across a range of sectors, including the Public Sector, Financial Services and Cyber. 

Prior to his appointment in early 2019, Matt led techUK’s Smart Infrastructure and IoT work, as well as being CEO of the Broadband Stakeholder Group. During this time he led the telecoms industry’s approach to lowering the cost of network deployment, played a key role in coordinating it’s response to Brexit and was closely involved in the development of the Government’s Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review. He also assisted in the development of the UK’s first secure by design Code of Practice aimed at consumer IoT, oversaw the publication of a paper outlining the tech sector’s view of future mobility services and drove engagement around the use of digital twins.

Matt sits on the Steering Board of the Electric Vehicle Energy Taskforce, Digital Framework Task Group,  andthe advisory board for the Prospering from the Energy Revolution industrial challenge fund.

Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked in Arqiva's public policy team, across the broadcast and telecoms markets. Before that he was a researcher for an MP at Westminster.

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Clare Boden-Hatton

Interim Exec Director, West Midlands Combined Authority

Clare Boden-Hatton has over 20 years’ experience leading change in employment and skills delivery. She is responsible for the development and implementation of policy and strategy relating to the West Midlands Combined Authority priorities on employment, skills and communities, which includes successfully delivering £170m of employment and skills training across the region. 

Clare manages key stakeholder relationships with local partners and government departments, working collaboratively to shape and develop support for residents, businesses and communities to address inequality,  drive up skill levels and support inclusive growth in the West Midlands.

Mission driven, Clare has been influential in the refocussing of the adult skills offer in the West Midlands to improve resident outcomes.

Clare Joined WMCA in 2018 having previously worked for the Learning and Skills Council in senior policy roles and for PWC in their public sector practice supporting a range of national and government clients. Clare also spent four years working as a Senior Leader in Further Education.

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