People, Progress & Responsible Tech: Where's the humanity in tech's future?

Its 2020, and tech’s wild west days are drawing to an end. As the impact of the industry on people, communities, society and the environment becomes increasingly apparent, reminding ourselves that tech exists to serve humanity (and not the other way around) is imperative.

Greater Manchester’s tech ecosystem have made clear their ambition. As a region with a progressive digital and social history, rapidly growing tech industry and strengths in security, health innovation and IOT, the private and public sector are keenly aware of the risks surrounding tech and responsibility.

Brand perception and earning people’s trust are front of mind, and though our big players have intimated that putting people central when it comes to design, development and data management is key, the role that people's needs often comes secondary to influencing user journeys, and the people targeted by technology rarely have a say in what that could and should look like.

Sponsored by Luminate and the Co-op Foundation The Federation’s Responsible Tech Collective is already working collaboratively with Hyper Island to understand how to diagnose and plan for more responsible tech practises in their organisations, but the second conversation in our series of education events is platforming those organisations who already engage in responsible tech and place the needs and impact on people central to their work.

With talks from industry leaders in the tech for good space, panel discussions on the tensions and tools needed in influencing responsible tech practise and a showcase of emerging ethical tech solution in Greater Manchester, we’ll explore the realities and potential of responsible tech from our region’s industry leaders at our first #responsibletechreview.

Our Speakers

Chris Quin, Co-op Group

Chris has a Retail & Hospitality background with previous IT Management roles in Yates’s Wine Lodges and the Hospitality technology vendor Alphameric.

Chris been with the Co-op for 11 years, fulfilling a number of Strategy & Architecture roles. Initially starting with the Bank in 2008 and going on to lead the Architecture teams in Pharmacy, Legal Services, Funeralcare, Corporate Systems and finally Food. Chris took on the Strategy & Architecture Director role for the Co-op in 2018 when the Architecture teams were centralised.

Chris has played a major role in shaping Co-op’s technology revival, including launching Funeral Plans online 6sixyears ago, the creation of the Food SAP transformation programme three years ago and more recently the Co-op’s Cloud, Data and Collaboration modernisation.

Since taking on the Director role Chris has been responsible for setting the technology direction and strategy for the Co-op, advocating how technology now leads business strategy and how emerging technologies can be used to improve Customer & Member experiences and optimise costs.

A technology strategy proposing this change at the Co-op comes with certain responsibilities. As an ethical Member led organisation then being responsible with innovation, whether that is products, businesses or societal is nothing new. This applies to technology a well. As a lot of the responsible tech thinking is still emerging, it is important to Chris that the Co-op remain at the forefront of the thinking and respond appropriately, whether that is applying it to Co-op’s own use of technology or campaigning for the rights of Members and the communities Co-op supports more broadly.

Jahmel Harris, Digital Interruption

Jahmel (Jay) is a security researcher and hacker. He started Digital Interruption in 2017; a security consultancy which helps secure organizations with a mix of penetration testing and by helping to embed security into the pipeline.

Jay is interested in all areas of technology but has a special interest in hacking radio devices and mobile apps. He runs the Manchester Grey Hats community group, running free workshops and Capture The Flag events and speaks globally about various hacking topics.

Matt Jones, Tech Returners

Matt is Talent & Engagement Coach at Tech Returners, an inclusive, accessible and positive learning and coaching community which empowers careers into and through technology with a range of programmes, resources and development tools. Drawing on a wealth of technology recruitment experience Matt support businesses across Greater Manchester and beyond to create recruitment strategies which are inclusive of the employment of individuals returning to or entering careers in technology, with extensive expertise in candidate experience he also supports returner journeys into employment.

Matt has worked in technology recruitment for more than 15 years, having recruited through several changing markets including the 2008 recession, and now booming tech scene, Matt has played an integral role in the creation of multiple employer brands and recruitment strategies for some of the North’s leading businesses including Misguided, Bosch, Studio Retail and ResponseTap where he supported the strategy behind international growth for the business. Matt is also a familiar face in the tech community through groups including North West Tester Gathering, Manchester Tech Night and Disrupt HR.

Vimla Appadoo, Digital Bridge

As Lead Service Designer at DigitalBridge, Vimla is bringing her passion for Service Design and user-centred services to the forefront of tech innovation. At 21, Vim co-founded Experience Matters, winning the NHS CCG as her first client. Since, Vim has also founded Northern Collective: Women in Public Spaces, co-founded SheSaysMCR, managed DrinkaboutMCR and Manchester Social Entrepreneurs. She has been an advisor to the Youth Charter, the Big Youth Group and is a Regional Ambassador for the Holocaust Educational Trust.

Vim has been an advisor on international government tech missions and a mentor for various startup programmes as well as an international keynote speaker. In 2016, Vim was voted on to the Northern Power Future List, in 2018 won the Young Digital Leader of the Year award at Digital Leaders and in 2019 won the We Are The City Rising Star in the public sector and was voted as one of the Top 100 Asian Stars in UK Tech. Throughout her career, Vim has remained conscious of her decisions and focus to bringing passion into her work, to make continuous a difference.

Louis Georgiou, Code Computerlove

Louis has worked in the Digital Industry for over 20 years. He is co-founder and Managing Director of Code Computerlove, a Digital Product and Service Company. Across his career, Louis’ areas of expertise have spanned digital strategy, UX and agile delivery for clients, such as Oxfam, Brother, BBC and Go-Ahead Trains.

In his role as MD, Louis is an advocate of autonomous teams, placing culture, learning and lean/agile working at the heart of the company. Louis has provided agile training and consultancy to several organisations and has helped the C-suite of many businesses see the benefit.

Completely unrelated, Louis is the current Guinness World Record holder for the Largest Collection of Transformers Memorabilia.

Jo Morfee, InnovateHer

Jo works tirelessly towards achieving gender equality within the tech sector. After experiencing the effects of the 'gender gap' firsthand in industry over the course of a decade, she was driven by a personal passion to co-found InnovateHer, a pioneering organisation with a mission to 'get girls ready for industry, and industry ready for girls.'

Working with young women aged 11-16, InnovateHer uses educational programmes and industry role models to reverse gender inequality, improve digital skills, provide opportunities and invest in the future of our young people. The organisation simultaneously works with industry to make workplaces more inclusive and diverse.

Jo contributes to a number of local and national equality and skills forums, including the Institute For Apprenticeships digital route panel and the Manchester digital skills network. She is passionate about making the world a more equal place through education, mentoring and coaching.

Food and drink to be served.