Webinar: Local Digital Index 2023 recap – How can the UK’s tech sector strengthen local economies?

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.

James Antell

Senior Consultant, Henham Strategy

James Antell is a Senior Consultant at Henham Strategy, where he led on the development of the Local Digital Index 2023. Henham is a policy and public affairs consultancy, which has worked with techUK to produce the Local Digital Index for the past three years.

James’ other work at Henham covers tech, fintech, higher education and trade & investment. Prior to joining Henham, James was a Government Special Adviser, working on legislation, media and speechwriting. Prior to this, he worked as Chief of Staff to a MP. Before entering the world of SW1, James was a business strategy consultant.

Claire Delahunty

Faster Britain Ambassador, ITS Technology

Claire is a Faster Britain Ambassador at ITS Technology where her role is focused in the north of England and more specifically on ITS’ biggest joint venture, with Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. The JV, LCR Connect, is building a 212km full fibre, gigabit capable spine through six local authority areas to ensure future proofed digital connectivity for local businesses. Claire’s role involves engaging a wide spectrum of private, public and third sector stakeholders to maximise the positive impact of the new infrastructure.

She is passionate about conveying the role digital connectivity can play in underpinning innovation, inward investment, social value in underserved communities and increasing productivity.

Previously Claire working at a Local Enterprise Partnership where her role included listening to the business community to understand the challenges and barriers to growth, and worked in partnership to deliver local interventions.

Matthew Evans

Director, Markets, 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.

Sheila Flavell CBE

Chief Operating Officer, FDM Group

Sheila has over 30 years experience in the global tech sector. She is a business leader who has a passion for enhancing diversity in the workplace and creating exciting careers for the next generation of digital talent. She played an integral role in FDM’s flotation on AIM in 2005 and was a key instigator of the management buy-out of the Group in 2010 and the subsequent listing onto the main FTSE Market in 2014. Sheila’s knowledge of the sector has been crucial in driving FDM’s global expansion programme, taking them into the FTSE250. She spearheads the ‘Global Women in Tech’ campaign and created FDM’s Returners Programme. Sheila sits on the Board of techUK. One of her proudest moments in business was when FDM achieved a zero gender pay gap.

She has won numerous awards during her career for services to the tech industry and was recognised in the 2020 New Year’s Honours list with ‘Commander Of The Order Of The British Empire’ for her services to gender equality in IT and the employment of graduates and returners. She is also listed in Computer Weekly’s ‘Most Influential Women in UK Tech, Hall of Fame.’ At the 2020 European Tech Women Awards, The Department of Trade and Industry recognised her outstanding achievements by conferring Sheila with a ‘Career Recognition’ award. Some of her other recent accolades include, Information Age ‘Women of the Year 2018,’ ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at the 2017 Scotland Women in Tech Awards, ‘Tech Champion’ at the 2018 TechWomen100 Awards, as well as being regularly named one of the 25 Most Influential Women of the North American Mid-Market by CEO Connection. She has also been named ‘Entrepreneur of the year’, ‘Leader of the Year,’ included in the 100 Women Role Models in Tech by Business Cloud and selected as one of Brummell Magazine’s Top 30 Most Inspirational Female Entrepreneurs in the City.

Sheila is fully invested in progressing broader diversity matters beyond gender and is inspirational in showing the way and proving what’s possible – especially (but not exclusively) for women.

When she is not working she can be found flying an R44 helicopter over the Sussex Downs.

: @@SheilaFlavell1