21/08/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 21/08/2024 09:16
techUK is bringing back a busy agenda at the political party conferences again this year, with events planned across Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Conferences. Marking the first conference season since the General Election, we will be hosting a range of events across the secure zone but also externally for members and stakeholders to attend during the Labour Party Conference.
In partnership with a range of members, we will be exploring some of the key issues facing the UK's tech sector and wider society with our programme of events.
Please note that more events may be added in the coming weeks, and that the below events may be subject to change. For any questions, please email [email protected]or [email protected].
Please note, unlike previous years, techUK's events will not be in the same room at this conference. If you are planning on coming to any techUK events, please check the event location to avoid missing any of the session.
20:00-21:30pm CBI Business Reception [private event - by invitation only]
08:30-09:30am In-conversation with The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (invited) [techUK members only]
10:00-11:00am Improving AI adoption to support Labour's mission for growth in partnership with RELX
10:30-11:30am Digital Resilience and Risk: Building an economy able to withstand the threats of tomorrow in partnership with Cisco
11:30am-12:30pm techUK and the Startup Coalition roundtable: Harnessing scale ups for growth & productivity across the UK economy [private event - by invitation only]
20:30-22:00pm CBI Business Reception [private event - by invitation only]
Further details will be confirmed in due course.
22-25 September, at the ACC in Liverpool
CBI Business Reception
In conversation with: The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (invited)
A fireside conversation between techUK's CEO Julian David and Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology the Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, followed by a Q&A session for attendees.
For more information, or to register to attend as a techUK member, please email [email protected].
Panel: Improving AI adoption to support Labour's mission for growth in partnership with RELX
Throughout Labour's Five Missions, it is clear that technology - including AI - is seen as a tool that can help to deliver on the Government's vision for a better future and the effective delivery of public services. However, to reap the benefits of AI solutions, there needs to be widespread adoption across both the private and public sectors, and little time has been afforded to coordinating how AI solutions could be more widely adopted, and how we can see the potential benefits from widespread uptake achieved in the future.
This session will consider what the current barriers are to AI adoption, and what policy changes could be made to make the uptake of AI solutions simpler and more accessible. The conversation will discuss the potential productivity gains that could be made across government, the public sector and businesses - and how we work to achieve them. Themes that are likely to come up include how regulation can best support wider uptake, the skills gap that needs to be closed to ensure that AI solutions are understood and widely implemented and whether the UK currently has the right investment landscape to allow for innovative AI solutions to be explored and used.
Panel: Digital Resilience and Risk: Building an economy able to withstand the threats of tomorrow in partnership with Cisco
It is widely accepted that the UK has, in recent years, fallen behind its counterparts in terms of our cybersecurity framework - particularly as the NIS Regulations have become outdated considering the everchanging nature of cyber threats. In February, the previous Government opened a review into cybersecurity and economic growth in the McPartland Review. The self-published findings suggest that a two-pronged approach was needed to address obstacles and barriers, including both regulatory changes and non-legislative levers. We have already seen in the King's Speech the new government's plans for the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, but the Labour Party's thinking around the other non-legislative actions to improve resilience are not as clear.
With multiple significant cyberattacks taking place in recent years - including one on the NHS during the election campaign - it is vital that resilience is considered by any government as a priority during any adoption or rollout of technological solutions across public services in order to reap the benefits that the technology sector can bring to the UK and its public services. The session will focus on the need to consider resilience within the rollout and adoption of technological solutions, and what steps the government should consider when building on the UK's current cybersecurity framework. It will also touch upon how technology can often be the solution to defending the UK's public services, given examples of solutions specifically focussed on countering such threats, and how it can support wider economic growth.
Roundtable: techUK and the Startup Coalition: Harnessing scale ups for growth & productivity across the UK economy
For the new Government, solving the economic growth puzzle is vital to the nation's short and long-term prosperity. Scale-ups-fast-growing companies with the potential to significantly impact productivity and innovation-are crucial for delivering economic growth. Despite the UK's success in creating tech unicorns, with over 150 calling the UK home, there are many different barriers preventing these companies from becoming global champions. This event aims to discuss these challenges and identify actionable solutions to help the scale-up economy thrive.
This event will explore how fostering and supporting scale-ups can drive growth, productivity and solidify the UK's position as a global technology leader. It will examine what steps the Government should take to support scale-ups with access to finance, access to talent and pro-innovation regulation.
29 September - 02 October, Birmingham
CBI Business Reception
14-17 September, Brighton
Further details will be confirmed in due course.
Head of Public Affairs, techUK
Head of Public Affairs, techUK
As Head of Public Affairs, Alice supports techUK's strategic engagement with Westminster, Whitehall and beyond. She regularly works to engage with ministers, members of the UK's parliaments and senior civil servants on techUK's work advocating for the role of technology in the UK's economy as well as wider society.
Alice joined techUK in 2022. She has experience working at both a political monitoring company, leading on the tech, media and telecoms portfolio there, and also as an account manager in a Westminster-based public affairs agency. She has a degree from the University of Sheffield in Politics and Philosophy.
Email:[email protected]Public Affairs Manager, techUK
Public Affairs Manager, techUK
Archie Breare joined techUK in September 2022 as the Telecoms Programme intern, and moved into the Policy and Public Affairs team as the Team Assistant in February 2023 and as Public Affairs Manager in September 2023
Before starting at techUK, Archie was a student at the University of Cambridge, completing an undergraduate degree in History and a master's degree in Modern British History.
In his spare time, he likes to read, discuss current affairs, and to try and persuade himself to cycle more.
Email:[email protected]LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/archie-breare-512346230,linkedin.com/in/archie-breare-512346230Deputy CEO, techUK
Deputy CEO, techUK
Antony Walker is deputy CEO of techUK, which he played a lead role in launching in November 2013.
Antony is a member of the senior leadership team and has overall responsibility for techUK's policy work. Prior to his appointment in July 2012 Antony was chief executive of the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG), the UK's independent advisory group on broadband policy. Antony was closely involved in the development of broadband policy development in the UK since the BSG was established in 2001 and authored several major reports to government. He also led the development of the UK's world leading Open Internet Code of Practice that addresses the issue of net neutrality in the UK. Prior to setting up the BSG, Antony spent six years working in Brussels for the American Chamber of Commerce following and writing about telecoms issues and as a consultant working on EU social affairs and environmental issues. Antony is a graduate of Aberdeen University and KU Leuven and is also a Policy Fellow Alumni of the Centre for Science and Policy at Cambridge University.
Email:[email protected]Phone:07780603065Twitter:@techUKdepCEOWebsite:www.techuk.org/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonywalker/Associate Director, Policy, techUK
Associate Director, Policy, techUK
As Associate Director for Policy Neil leads on techUK's public policy work in the UK. In this role he regularly engages with UK and Devolved Government Ministers, senior civil servants and members of the UK's Parliaments aiming to make the UK the best place to start, scale and develop a tech business.
Neil joined techUK in 2019 to lead on techUK's input into the UK-EU Brexit trade deal negotiations and economic policy. Alongside his role leading techUK's public policy work Neil also acts as a spokesperson for techUK often appearing in the media and providing evidence to a range of Parliamentary committees.
In 2023 Neil was listed by the Politico newspaper as one of the '20 people who matter in UK tech' and has regularly been cited as a key industry figure shaping UK tech policy.
Email:[email protected]Twitter:@neil13rWebsite:www.techuk.org/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilross13/Head of Digital Economy, techUK
Head of Digital Economy, techUK
Samiah Anderson is the Head of Digital Economy at techUK, overseeing the Digital Economy programme, which promotes how the UK digital economy and innovation can drive sustained economic growth.
With over six years of Government Affairs expertise, Samiah has built a solid reputation as a tech policy specialist, engaging regularly with UK Government Ministers, senior civil servants and UK Parliamentarians.
Before joining techUK, Samiah led several public affairs functions for international tech firms and coalitions at Burson Global (formerly Hill & Knowlton), delivering CEO-level strategic counsel on political, legislative, and regulatory issues in the UK, EU, US, China, India, and Japan. She is adept at mobilising multinational companies and industry associations, focusing on cross-cutting digital regulatory issues such as competition, artificial intelligence, and more.
She holds a BA (Hons) in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from the University of London, where she founded the New School Economics Society, the Goldsmiths University chapter of Rethinking Economics.
Email:[email protected]Website:www.techuk.org,www.techuk.orgLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/samiahnanderson/