1pm – 6pm20 June 2023
techUK, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD
Please note, this event will run fully in-person. More information, including location, will be shared once you register. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Join us for an afternoon of panel discussions and networking, bringing together members and stakeholders to showcase the work and impact women are having across the National Security, Policing and Defence sectors.
We are only offering 1 ticket per organisation at this time
The afternoon will focus on anything from; the achievements of senior female leaders who are driving change from leadership positions to; what has been achieved, in terms of advancing leadership opportunities, professional development and where next as we look ahead to break down barriers and continue to accelerate women’s equality.
In July 2018 Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) reported that the UK’s intelligence agencies were not gender balanced at senior levels and did not ‘fully reflect the ethnic make-up of modern Britain’, The most recent data released by the ISC in March 2015 showed 41% of MI5’s workforce were women, 35% of GCHQ's and 36% of the SIS's. Two years later, there was some, if small, growth: MI5 (42.2%), SIS (38.9%) and GCHQ, having the smallest increase, of 35.2% (in 1995 it was 28%).
According to the Home Office, Workforce Open Data Table there were 43,762 female police officers in the 43 police forces on 31 March 2021, making up 32.4% of police officers in England and Wales, up slightly from 31.2% the last year. The number of female officers increased by 3,443 (8.5%) compared with a year earlier. Statista’s distribution of police ranks in England and Wales, highlights that the higher up in the police ranks, the share of females is lower, with around a quarter of police sergeants and inspectors being female. The highest rank of Chief Officer has a distribution of 68.7 percent male Chief Officers and 31.3 percent female Chief Officers.
Female representation in the UK Regular Forces as at 1 April 2022 has increased by 0.3 percentage points compared with 1 April 2021 (11.0%). Defence has set a Level of Ambition to achieve a 30% inflow of women to the Armed Forces by 2030. It is recognised that 30% is a very challenging level of ambition and one which has not yet been achieved by many of our NATO partners. In meeting this ambition, a Whole Force approach has been developed including tailored recruiting activities, women-focused marketing campaigns and making greater use of Servicewomen as recruiters. Defence, however, appreciates that recruitment alone is not enough and sees that a greater focus on retention, behaviour and inclusion continues to be vital.
Structure
13.00hrs – 14.00hrs | Light lunch
14.00hrs – 14.45hrs | Welcome keynotes
15.00hrs – 16.00hrs | Panel discussion + Q&A
16.00hrs – 16.15hrs | Comfort break
16.15hrs – 16.45hrs | Closing presentations
16.45hrs – 18.00hrs | Networking & drinks
Georgina Henley
Head of Justice and Emergency Services, techUK
Georgina Henley
Head of Justice and Emergency Services, techUK
Georgie joined techUK as the Justice and Emergency Services (JES) Programme Manager in March 2020, then becoming Head of Programme in January 2022.
Georgie leads techUK's engagement and activity across our blue light and criminal justice services, engaging with industry and stakeholders to unlock innovation, problem solve, future gaze and highlight the vital role technology plays in the delivery of critical public safety and justice services. The JES programme represents suppliers by creating a voice for those who are selling or looking to break into and navigate the blue light and criminal justice markets.
Prior to joining techUK, Georgie spent 4 and a half years managing a Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) in Westminster. She worked closely with the Metropolitan Police and London borough councils to prevent and reduce the impact of crime on the business community. Her work ranged from the impact of low-level street crime and anti-social behaviour on the borough, to critical incidents and violent crime.
Raya Tsolova is the Programme Manager for National Security at techUK.
Raya is responsible for all National Security related activities across techUK, specifically in the established programmes of Defence, Cyber Security and Justice & Emergency Services. Raya will leverage relationships with existing stakeholders across the three programmes, and will build new relationships between techUK and key stakeholders who are of interest to member companies.
Prior to joining techUK, Raya worked in Business Development for an expert network firm within the institutional investment space. Before this Raya spent a year in industry working for a tech start-up in London as part of their Growth team which included the formation and development of a 'Let's Talk Tech' podcast and involvement in London Tech Week.
Raya has a degree in Politics and International Relations (Bsc Hons) from the University of Bath where she focused primarily on national security and counter-terrorism policies, centreing research on female-led terrorism and specific approaches to justice there.
Outside of work, Raya's interests include baking, spin classes and true-crime Netflix shows!
Freddie MacSwiney is the Programme Manager for Defence and Cyber Security at techUK.
Prior to joining techUK, Freddie worked as a Government Adviser for a firm dealing in International Relations, where he briefed Politicians, Ministers, Heads of State, Diplomats around the world on key issues from Defence, Security and other key issues and aligned them with the UK.
Jago Corry
Programme Assistant, Markets and International Trade, techUK
Jago Corry
Programme Assistant, Markets and International Trade, techUK
Jago joined techUK in July 2022 as a Programme Assistant to Financial Services, Justice and Emergency Services and International Trade. Prior to joining techUK, Jago studied an MSc in European and Global Governance at the University of Bristol.
techUK members – we are calling on you to nominate a colleague who has made a significant contribution or positive difference to People, Society, the Economy, or the Planet through their work with technology.
Can you think of someone you'd like to nominate for our inaugural President's Awards? Nominations close on 26 April.