“Stark divide” in UK’s regional tech sector could hold back future growth.
Future economic growth could be held back because of the ‘stark regional divides’ in the UK’s technology sector, as shown by the results in the techUK Local Digital Capital Index 2022.
The Local Digital Capital (LDC) Index measures the strengths of the UK’s regional digital ecosystems. In 2022, it concluded that a technology sector concentrated and reliant on the South of England isn’t sustainable for the wider UK economy.
Some Scottish regions scored well in the Index, however results were not consistent across Scotland. This session will consider how the tech sector can continue to thrive and grow in Scotland, if the challenges facing the tech sector are being met and how the success of the sector can be built on to improve innovation, create new job opportunities, deliver growth and improve services.
techUK has called on the Government to work with the industry in order to secure future growth in the sector, create jobs and invest at a local level. To read the full report and see our recommendations to Government follow this link.
What next for Scotland?
techUK is committed to developing strong local economies across our nations and regions that ensure the tech sector is at the forefront of delivering new and improved services, products, careers, companies and helping to tackle climate change. As part of our plans we are holding a number of sessions and events across the UK.
The first of these sessions will be hosted by KPMG on 2 February in Edinburgh, with Scottish Government and other stakeholders invited. We are delighted to be partnering with KPMG and to be joined by David Gimson, Director, Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare Consulting – Scotland for the discussion.
Agenda
The event will include an SME tech panel looking at the opportunities and challenges for tech firms (especially SMEs) in Scotland, and how SMEs in Scotland are helping to grow the economy, innovate and create new jobs. We'll also discuss the impacts of the Scottish tech ecosystem, before we have a fireside chat with Mark Logan, Chief Entrepreneur to the Scottish Government. Mark is the former COO at SkyScanner, and as the Chief Entrepreneur to the Scottish Government led the Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review in 2020 which aided techUK in the development of our Local Digital Capital (LDC) Index.
This is going to be a great event and we encourge all local stakeholders to come and have their say.
From the start of our 150-year history, we’ve worked to deliver for our UK communities. It’s core to our Values. Today, we focus where the need is most acute and where we know we can make the biggest difference.
techUK – Building Stronger Local Economies
techUK champions the tech sector throughout the UK. We work with local authorities, devolved government, and local and national policy makers to advocate for the tech sector in strengthening economic growth and resilience. We provide opportunities for our members and local stakeholders to meet, build relationships, and collaborate to drive forward local projects. For more information or to get in touch, please visit our Nations and Regions Hub and click ‘contact us’.
Matt is leading techUK’s work with members and stakeholders across the UK to increase the Local Digital Capital across the UK’s nation and regions, build communities and to ensure that digital technology plays a key part the post-COVID-19 levelling-up recovery.
Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked for several national education charities and membership bodies to develop their regional partnerships with schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and other stakeholders. He’s also worked with local authority leaders and other stakeholders to engage communities, work with elected members and improve public services.
He holds a BA in Politics from the University of York and an MA in International Relations from the University of Leeds. Away from work he’s a keen football fan and golfer.
If you’d like to find out more about our work in the nations and regions please get in touch with Matt:
Programme Manager, SME Engagement and Nations & Regions, techUK
Stephanie Barr
Programme Manager, SME Engagement and Nations & Regions, techUK
Stephanie is the Programme Manager for SME Engagement and Nations & Regions at techUK.
Working across the two programmes, Stephanie develops activities to support the growth and development of tech SMEs and engages with members and stakeholders more broadly to help strengthen regional tech economies.
Prior to joining techUK, Stephanie worked for a political events company and as a Senior Caseworker for an MP. She holds an MA (HONS) in Politics from the University of Glasgow.
Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys travelling, climbing and playing squash.
Programme Manager – Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, techUK
Luke Newcombe
Programme Manager – Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, techUK
Luke joined techUK in September 2025 as a Programme Manager for Local Public Services and Nations and Regions.
Luke works closely with members and stakeholders across industry and government at local, regional and national levels to support collaboration, drive innovation and strengthen tech-enabled public services. His work supports the development of strong local and regional tech economies by helping organisations to engage with public sector challenges, explore emerging technologies and build impactful partnerships.
Prior to joining techUK, Luke worked at Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government’s export development agency. He began by advising SMEs on export strategy to the UK and later focused on connecting Irish businesses with multinational organisations to foster strategic partnerships, drive international growth and support economic development.
Luke holds an MSc in Political Economy from the University of Amsterdam and a BA in European Studies from Trinity College Dublin.
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Fran Richiusa
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Fran serves as the Programme Team Assistant within techUK’s Public Sector Market Programmes, where she is responsible for delivering comprehensive team support, managing administrative functions, and fostering strong relationships with members.
Prior to joining techUK in May 2025, Fran built a meaningful career in the charitable and local government sectors. She worked extensively with both victims and perpetrators of crime, and notably led the coordination of Domestic Homicide Reviews across Surrey—an initiative aimed at identifying lessons and preventing future incidents of domestic abuse.
Outside of work, Fran is an avid traveller and a proud cat mum who enjoys unwinding with her feline companions.
Ed is Head of SME Engagement and is responsible for shaping techUK’s proposition to our SMEs across the country, ensuring our policy work, market access activity and services benefit the SME community.
Prior to working at techUK, Ed worked in the at the Department for International Trade, engaging with a variety of businesses, particularly SMEs, to understand the benefits of Free Trade Agreements and act as case studies in press and social media. Ed has also worked in policy and public affairs within the voluntary sector, namely the Alzheimer’s Society and the Men’s Health Forum.
Ed holds a MA in International Relations from Leiden University, and in his spare time enjoys spending time with his son, travelling, and visiting historical sites.
Julian David is the CEO of techUK, the leading technology trade association that aims to realise the positive outcomes that digital technology can achieve for People, Society, the Economy and the Planet.
He leads techUK’s 100+ strong team representing 1,100+ British based tech companies, comprising global and national champions and more than 600 SMEs and ScaleUP companies. techUK is the voice of the tech industry in the UK with 21 member led programmes covering all of tech from ‘Chips to Clicks’ and addressing 11 market sectors from Defence and Central Government, through to Health, Consumer Electronics and Financial Services.
In 2021 techUK launched TechSkills, the employer-led accreditation organisation that aims to improve the flow of talent into the digital workforce and open up access for all to high value tech jobs.
Julian represents techUK on a number of external bodies including the Digital Economy Council, the National Cyber Security Advisory Council and the Department of Business and Trade’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group. He is member of the NTA Advisory Board of DIGITALEUROPE and is a member of the Board of the Health Innovation Network the South London Academic Health Science Network.
Julian has over thirty years of experience in the technology industry. Prior to joining techUK, he had a series of leadership roles at IBM including Vice President for Small and Medium Business and Public Sector. After leaving IBM he worked as a consultant helping tech SMEs establish successful operations in the U.K. His personal interests include Football (West Ham, Balham FC and Real Madrid) and Art.
Jill has worked in health and digital transformation most of her career , having started as a manager in the NHS and moving to major digital transformation programmes from which she has worked for a number of technical suppliers and consultancies. As CEO of Sitekit she has led the development of the health and social care expansion and is pleased to have a number of early forays in Scotland which is the home of Sitekit’s founder.
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.
Director, Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare Consulting – Scotland, KPMG
David is the lead for KPMG's Infrastructure, Government and Health consultancy services in Scotland. He has worked across the public sector on large scale programmes from design through to implementation, including the delivery of enabling technology.
David has a background in local government and worked for ten years in London, before moving to Glasgow in 2015.
Chris co-founded PDMS in 1993 with a mission to help organisations get the maximum value from information technology and their associated data assets. Celebrating 30 years in business this year, PDMS is a digital services and solutions company with a focus on solving complex problems with great people and expertly engineered software. Chris is currently an SME representative on the techUK Central Government Council and PDMS has a growing operation in Scotland.
techUK Deputy President, Chief Executive in the UK and Ireland, IBM
Nicola Hodson is a seasoned senior executive with expertise in delivering results and driving the strategic, commercial, and digital transformation of large, international complex technology and engineering companies. Her focus is on purpose-led, profitable growth, sustainability, and shareholder value.
Nicola is the Chief Executive of IBM in the UK and Ireland, responsible for business operations, driving revenue growth, client satisfaction and employee engagement in the UK and Ireland. Previously, Nicola was the Vice President of Change Management and Transformation for the Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions (MCAPS) organization, directing innovative transformation and change management to empower Microsoft customers, partners, and employees. She was central in building new strategies and go-to-market methodologies as well as providing oversight to the change management landing and adoption of these priorities, and transformational initiatives. She played a key leadership role within the MCAPS organization and held several senior roles in Microsoft including UK COO.
Prior to joining Microsoft, Nicola held positions at Siemens, CSC, and Ernst & Young Management Consulting selling and delivering multiple transformation projects in the energy and utilities sector.
Nicola lends her extensive technology, digital transformation, sales, IT and ESG experience by participating on boards, both in the private and public sectors. She is currently Deputy President of techUK and a non-executive director at Drax Group Plc and at Beazley Plc.
She holds an MBA with a focus on management and operations, a PhD in Materials Engineering, and a BSc in Chemistry and Materials Science.
Mark is a Professor in Practice in the School of Computing Science. This means that he works in industry, rather than as a full-time academic member of staff. He has over 25 years of leadership experience in the internet technology industry sector. He was instrumental in the success of multiple start-ups, including as COO of Skyscanner, one of Europe's most successful technology companies, where he was responsible for the general management of the business.
In 2014, the Institute of Directors named him Director of the Year and in 2016 he won the UK Digital Masters award for Excellence in General Management. In 2019, he was conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science by the University of Glasgow.
Since leaving Skyscanner, Mark’s focus has been as a start-up/scale-up advisor, investor and non-executive director in start-ups across the sector in Scotland and internationally. He is also an advisor to the Scottish Government on technology policy.
Ed Thewlis is the co-founder of The Data Shed, an award-winning data engineering and analytics consultancy, as well as the founder of The Data Refinery, a SaaS data platform providing automated insights to SMEs.
With a background in Economics, Ed spent the first decade of his career working within Financial Services and Travel, and the last 10 years working across a wide range of industries, focussing on helping organisations make the most of the data they hold through the development of their Data Strategy, and building their own Data Engineering and Data Science capabilities.