What I learned failing to make small talk at the school gates – Beckie Taylor, Tech Returners

Beckie Taylor, co-founder of Tech Returners, discusses her long career in HR and how the buzzword of diversity has changed to questions about the impact of AI, how she found the journey from becoming a mum back into the workplace, and why CVs might not be the best way for women looking for a pathway back into the tech industry.    Taylor also spoke on her hometown of Manchester and whether it holds the secret sauce to building long-lasting and thriving tech communities. 

Sue Black OBE, a legendary British computer scientist, discusses her inspirational journey into computing, why too little has changed when it comes to sexism in the tech industry and her hopes and fears for the global workforce in the age of AI. Black was the founding chair of the British Computing Society’s BCSWomen group, championed the preservation of the WW2 codebreaking HQ Bletchley Park and is a professor of computer science at Durham. 

Finn Stevenson, co-founder and chief executive officer of Flok Health, discusses the slow pace of change and the strategic shortfalls of public health organisations, the real-world health impact of these challenges and why tech is one part of the solution needed. Flok Health is an AI-powered physiotherapy clinic that provides patients with virtual appointments to treat back pain. The platform fuses AI and human physiotherapists for personalised care without long waiting lists. 

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.