The long road ahead for equity in tech, Efua Akumanyi – Coding Black Females

Efua Akumanyi, chief technology officer at Coding Black Females, discusses her own entry into the world of software development as one of the few women on an AI degree, why so many women feel discouraged from entering the sector and how she re-dedicated her career to supporting black women entering tech. Coding Black Females is the largest community of black women in the UK tech industry. The group aims to grow, educate and inspire one of the most underrepresented groups in the industry. 

Emma Hagan, chief executive officer of ClearBank UK, discusses the rich history of the British fintech and why the UK needn’t lose its crown in the sector and the rise of AI in fraud and what fintechs can do to help. ClearBank was founded a decade ago as the UK’s first new clearing back in over two centuries. The firm provides financial institutions with access to payments and clearing services as well as offers embedded banking services in partnership with fintechs. 

Justin Basini, co-founder and chief executive of ClearScore, discusses how companies like his helped the UK come to grips with the concept of a credit score, why the UK is the rational choice for floatation for the bulk of British fintechs and why he is confident in the growth of the UK markets.  ClearScore is a London-based fintech best known for providing free credit score checks and offering tailored support to consumers looking to improve their financial wellbeing. 

Steve Young, managing director of Dell UK, discusses Dell’s expansion into the data centre and artificial intelligence industry, what is needed to accelerate the growth and efficacy of AI integration and why he has remained at the same company for so long. Dell is among the most well-known electronics brands, most famous for its computers and laptops. The company has more recently taken a leading role in the AI industry. 

Catherine Lenson, chief operating officer of Phoenix Court, discusses why well-defined corporate and investment culture supports a cohesive strategy, how different stages of investment come with drastically different needs and why sticking with a founder long-term is both rewarding and satisfying. Phoenix Court is a venture capital firm that backs businesses from the seed stage all the way through to IPO. Lenson has worked across the investment industry, having held roles at firms including UBS and SoftBank. 

Abu Bakkar, chief innovation officer at HLB International, discusses how artificial intelligence is transforming the priorities of the professional services sector, the challenges this presents to the next generation of consultancy recruits and why upskilling has become mandatory. HLB International is a global network of advisory and accounting firms. In the worldwide top ten of advisory organisations, HLB spans across more than 150 countries encompasses the work of around 60,000 individuals. 

Amanda Brock, chief executive officer of OpenUK, discusses how the term open source is so often used incorrectly, why true open source is fundamental to the success of innovation and why AI and its data has created complicated conversations around what it means to be open. OpenUK is the UK’s industry body for open source technology. Brock became the organisation's CEO in 2019, with a background of more than 30 years in the global technology sector. 

Will Hutton, political journalist, author and academic, discusses the potential implications of the upcoming Autumn Budget on the British tech industry, why working with the EU is vital for achieving the growth ambitions championed by the government and how the UK can maintain its place on the global tech stage. Hutton is a columnist for the Observer, president of the Academy of Social Sciences and the author of numerous major works covering politics and economics. 

Dame Ottoline Leyser, former chief executive of UKRI and chair of the advisory board of Innovate Cambridge, discusses the research and business success from the University of Cambridge and how that can be applied throughout the country, government plans to support a global Oxford-Cambridge tech hub and the power of local pride in growing new tech clusters. Leyser was appointed as the head of UK Research and Innovation, the public body which directs government funding to science and technological enterprises, in 2020. 

David Hogan, vice president for enterprise at NVIDIA, discusses the UK’s efforts in scaling its digital infrastructure to meet its ambitious goals in artificial intelligence and just how fundamental the recent shifts in AI technology have been to the shaping the future of the world. NVIDIA is one of the largest companies in the world, known for its top-of-the-line chips, it has been and continues to be instrumental in the rapidly developing AI sector.