Dynamo conference to focus on tech sector’s pandemic response

Bosses behind a leading North East technology conference have announced it will focus on the region’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Industry cluster group Dynamo has titled its annual conference ‘Tech Leads the Way in a Challenging World’.

It will bring together IT and software companies, local councils, specialist professional services, universities and colleges, and other related industries.

The virtual conference will be delivered by Dynamo and will be free to members – tickets for non-Dynamo organisations will cost £25.

Chair of Dynamo Charlie Hoult said: “Last year’s online conference went extremely well, and while we’d obviously prefer to be able to host Dynamo 21 in person, we know this year’s virtual version will be another success.

“There’s no doubt the region’s tech sector has excelled, succeeded and united to overcome the challenges the pandemic has created.

“Many of our tech companies have played leading roles in helping the Government in its Covid response and the conference will reflect that.

“We’ll have a keynote speaker from NHS Digital, for instance, while Newcastle City Council will lead a session on its ‘response and renewal’ approach to the pandemic, and Opencast Software will host a breakout session on hybrid offices in the wake of changing work patterns enforced by Covid.”

Other breakout sessions will be led by the likes of Sage, Ubisoft and Connected Voice with organisations such as DWP Digital, Newcastle University, Tharsus, Vector 76 and Waterstons also speaking or represented at the event.

Plenary panels will include a equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) panel, chaired by Fareeha Usman, Dynamo’s EDI innovation manager and founder of the charity Being Woman; and a skills panel chaired by Cate Kalson, director at global management consultants Oliver Wyman.

Dynamo 21’s headline partner is Sage.

Lindsay Phillips, executive vice president at Sage Product Delivery, said: “2020 changed the way we work in ways we never expected, 2021 heralds a new future where tech is a fundamental driver for recovery and enabling businesses of all sizes to redefine themselves and how they work.

“Dynamo 21 will help us learn from our shared experiences as a region, to create inspiration and spark innovation for our tech enabled economy.”