Guest speaker: Edel Owen, Managing Director Group Technology - Barclays

Edel is a Strategic Advisor to Barclays Group Technology, focusing on the Technology Workforce of the future. Edel has over 30 years of experience in the financial sector, leading diverse technology teams focusing on transformation. As an Enterprise Leader Edel’s skills range across Organisational Transformation, Strategic Planning, Architecture and Acquisitions Integration.

Edel leads Barclays Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Agenda across the NorthWest reaching to over 10,000 colleagues, ensuring intentional change around Allyship and Neurodiversity. As a female technologist she is passionate about accelerating equity and inclusion, harnessing thinking differently with key industry partnerships, helping to accelerate innovation, employment, and economic growth across the Northwest.

Edel holds graduate and postgraduate qualifications from University College Cork and Advanced Programme Management from Stanford University.

Edel hails from County Cork.

WIH

The Women of Irish Heritage (WIH) Professional Network in the North of England is being developed by Fréa to bring professional women of Irish heritage together to support each other professionally and socially. WIH members grow their network at WIH events by forming professional partnerships and long-lasting friendships. Networking events are held annually in Manchester, Liverpool, and Leeds.

Funds raised at WIH events go towards supporting the lifeline work of the Fréa partner charities.

Fréa Charity partnership (charity registration number is 1197939)

Fréa is a charity partnership bringing together three independent long-established Irish charities in the North of England www.frea.org.uk Irish Community Care (based in Liverpool delivering services across the Northwest), Irish Community Care Manchester, and Leeds Irish Health & Homes. The work of the three charities focuses on improving the health and well-being of vulnerable Irish people of all ages across the North of England through providing lifeline services. The charities offer practical, emotional, and cultural support to thousands of vulnerable Irish people each year by helping to prevent homelessness in the Irish community, keeping older people warm and connected to family and friends to reduce isolation, improving mental health through community support and connections, directing Irish women fleeing domestic abuse to a safe place, keeping the lights on for Irish families during the cost-of-living crisis, supporting former residents of Mother & Baby and County Homes who left Ireland and came to Britain, and providing a respectful burial and resting place for people who have no next of kin. Fréa is from the Irish word ‘fréamh’ meaning ‘root’ and reflects how as charities we are anchored and strengthened by our shared heritage, which, through careful cultivation and ambitious growth, enables us to flourish.

Further information: Dorothy Lynch, dorothy.lynch@frea.org.uk

Women of Irish Heritage (WIH) Professional Networking Event in Manchester