Yorkshire Telecoms Showcase: Connecting and powering regional growth

techUK is proud to bring its regional Telecoms Showcase series to Yorkshire - convening industry, local government, investors and innovators to spotlight the role of digital infrastructure in driving inclusive economic growth across the region. 

Building on the success of the London, North West, South West and West Midlands Telecoms Showcases, techUK is delighted to bring this series to Yorkshire. As a leading advocate for the UK tech sector, techUK works alongside local authorities, combined authorities, devolved government, and national policymakers to champion the role of digital connectivity in strengthening regional economic growth and resilience. 

Yorkshire stands at a pivotal moment in its digital journey with major infrastructure investment under way, a rich innovation ecosystem and ambitious plans for  connectivity across urban and rural communities alike. This Showcase will bring together the region's leading voices from industry, the public sector, and the investment community to take stock of progress, tackle shared challenges and chart a course for what comes next. 

Why Yorkshire? 

Home to some of the UK's most ambitious infrastructure programmes and a thriving cluster of digital innovators, Yorkshire is playing a central role in the national mission to deliver world-class connectivity.  The region's combined authorities, universities, and private sector partners are leading the way in turning connectivity investment into tangible economic and social outcomes. 

This Showcase will place Yorkshire's digital infrastructure story in a national context, and explore how the region can attract further investment, showcase its innovation pipeline, and ensure that connectivity delivers for every community. 

Agenda  

09:00 – 09:30 | Registration and networking 

09:30 – 09:45 | Welcome and opening remarks 

Josh Turpin, techUK

Max Handforth, MD Business Solutions, Liberty Blume 

09:45 – 10:05 | Keynote: The future of digital infrastructure in the UK 

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire 

Session 1 – Infrastructure deployment 

10:05 – 10:50 | Panel: Building the networks across Yorkshire 

Chloe Wood, VP Operations, Liberty Blume

Kasam Hussain, Regional Partnership Director, Openreach 

Hayley Sykes, Director of Brand, Communications and Public Affairs, nexfibre 

Kate North, Senior Public Affairs Manager, VMO2

10:50 – 11:15 | Project spotlight: Delivering Project Gigabit in Yorkshire  

Dan Hague, Director Contract and Programme Delivery, Quickline Communications 

11:15 – 11:40 | Networking break 

Session 2 – Data and digital infrastructure 

11:40 – 12:00 | Insight talk: Using data to drive infrastructure deployment 

Katie Todd, Director of Wayleave, Liberty Blume 

Martin Owens, Group Leader for South Yorkshire Digital Infrastructure team, Barnsley Council

Ady Rhodes, Managing Director, Comtech 

12:00 – 12:30 | Innovation spotlight: Digital infrastructure innovation in Yorkshire 

Professor Vishanth Weerakkody, Professor of Digital Governance and Research Lead for 6G-Path

Dr Kamran Mahroof, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Analytics

Dr Jing Li, Associate Director, Institute of Digital and Sustainable Futures, University of Bradford

Paul Coffey, Chair, Lab of the North 

12:30 – 13:30 | Networking lunch 

Session 3 – Digital infrastructure in practice 

13:30 – 13:50 | Case study: Connectivity enabling public services 

Adrian Walker, Transformation Services Manager, Bradford Council  

13:50 – 14:30 | Panel: The Yorkshire digital infrastructure ecosystem 

Sarah Bowes, Head of Business, Innovation and Inclusive Economy, West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Ady Rhodes, Managing Director, Comtech 

Alastair Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, NYnet 

Andy Bates, CISO, StonesThro 

Raymond Cassar, Strategy and Growth - Public Sector, VodafoneThree

14:30 – 14:35 | Closing remarks  

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