Sheila Flavell CBE delivers speech at techUK's Annual Dinner 2022

Ladies and gentlemen,

I’d like to begin by paying tribute to you Jacqueline.

Over the last seven years you have been the most wonderful leader and ambassador for techUK.

You have guided both the Board and senior leadership team with great skill and wisdom; you have helped build strong constructive partnerships with government and stakeholders, you’ve been a powerful advocate for a properly diverse digital sector. And personally, you have been an inspiration to me and thousands of women working in our sector today.

Thank you for your incredible service.

But there is one thing I will hold against you – you are going to be an incredibly hard act to follow.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a huge honour to stand here as the new President of techUK.

An organisation that I think every tech company or company that uses tech should be a member of!

In a world defined by technology, I believe it’s vital that the companies at the forefront of digital innovation have a strong industry voice.

We need to champion the potential of technology and work with government and others to ensure that technology works for people, society, the economy, and the planet.

Let’s face it: these are tough times. The extraordinary confluence of events over the last few years has presented businesses with huge challenges.

How many of us could ever have imagined the difficulties we’ve had to deal with over the last few years? From the impact of Brexit, to the reality of the pandemic, and now the war in Ukraine and a darkening economic climate. And throughout all of this a relentless acceleration in the pace of technological innovation.

This is the context that tech businesses - our techUK members - have to operate in: constant change, constant challenge, but also constant opportunity.

techUK members have adapted through Brexit, innovated through COVID-19, and have rallied in support of Ukraine. Through our work on Defence and Cyber Security, we are at the heart of the response to our new national security challenges. Through our work on Health and Social care we are committed to getting the NHS back on its feet and fit for the future. And through our work on climate change we are striving to decarbonise not just tech, but also the wider economy.

And, importantly, through our work on Local Digital Capital we are putting digital at the heart of Levelling Up our nations and regions.

But, inevitably, there is now much focus on the immediate economic outlook and the reality of double-digit inflation.

I believe the only meaningful long-term solution to the cost-of-living crisis and falling living standards is to raise our productivity. And the way to do that is through innovation.

We need to accelerate digital adoption across the UK economy so that we give British businesses the tools to power the productivity they need to accelerate growth.

When I prepared this speech, I wrote that techUK is working closely with the Chancellor to support plans to drive business investment - but a week is a long time in UK politics.

We are of course now looking forward to working with the new administration. We need to drive productivity across the public sector so that we can build public services and a smarter state that supports and empowers people.

And I am proud of the huge amount of work that techUK does to support innovation right across the public sector.

Finally, we have huge opportunities to take our digital expertise out to markets around the world.

techUK works closely with the Department for International Trade to ensure digital trade is at the heart of their strategy.   

And during my time as deputy president, when representing techUK overseas, I’ve seen first hand the strength of our relationship with the Department for International Trade.

And we now have some genuinely world leading digital trade agreements in place.

As the world opens up post Covid, techUK will be working with members to put those agreements into action to build our export markets.

But ultimately, our future economic growth rests on people and their ability to be productive in a modern economy.

Anyone who knows me and my company FDM will know that my passion is all about identifying talent and creating skills. At FDM, we create and deliver training programmes that enable people from all walks of life to develop the technology skills that our businesses need. We are facing unprecedented levels of demand for digital skills in this country.

Demand that a company like FDM, however much we scale, cannot meet alone. But neither can we wait for government to fix our digital skills deficit.

Echoing Jacqueline’s words, I firmly believe that it is time for our sector to go from being a consumer of skills to a creator of skills, with businesses taking a far more active role in opening up new pathways for people from all walks of life to build new career in tech.  

I know this is a belief that’s fervently shared by my colleagues on the techUK Board and I am determined to use my tenure as techUK President to help us make real progress on this issue.

This country is not short of talent, but it is short of skills. techUK is working with our stakeholders to drive a vision of a modern digital economy that works for all. At the heart of that vision must be a commitment to drive productivity, because that is the only thing that can make us better off in the long-term. And of course, that depends on having:

...the right technology.

...the right skills

...and a firm commitment to diversity and inclusivity.

So, ladies and gentlemen, whilst our Government may be in a state of flux and transition I can assure you that techUK remains true to its mission:  

…To create a network for innovation and collaboration across-

Business

Government

and stakeholders

….. to provide a better future for all.

So enjoy the evening, and tomorrow, lets crack on - and deliver the world beating digital economy that this country needs.

Thank you.