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women in tech

[unfiltered]

08.03.24

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THANK YOU MANCHESTER

What an incredible experience! We couldn’t have asked for better feedback on our first ever Women in Tech Event. 

If you are here looking for tickets for our Women in Tech [Unfiltered] 2 conference – visit the link below! Alternatively, if you are looking for a flavour of our women in tech conferences, you can check out the page below covering everything our March conference had to offer!

Women in Tech 2.0

“My career in tech has changed my life, but it’s not always been easy to get where I am today. I want to support more women from similar backgrounds like myself, get that first senior role and to make it a little less lonely when they get there”

Lauren Gibson, Organiser of  MTF Women in Tech 2024.

KEynote Speakers

Click the bio’s below to find out more!

Kanika Selvan

Digital Strategy Lead
Beetroot Consulting

Lord Mayor of the City of Manchester, Councillor Yasmine Dar.

Kanika Selvan

Digital Strategy Lead
Beetroot Consulting

SPEAKERS

Discover our line-up of inspirational tech talks, click the bio’s below to find out more! 

Princess Mavuru

Data Engineer
Capgemini

Toni Phoenix-Coles

Co-Founder
Define talent

Kanika Selvan

Change Consultant & Managing Director
Beetroot Consulting

Jennifer Dootson

Director
Lightbulb Moments

Ruth Mills

IT Consultant and Senior Software Engineer
Naimuri

Roxana Lawton

Director of Innovation Programmes & HOST
IN4 vGroup

Becki Howarth

Senior Product Delivery Manager
KrakenFlex

Sherelle Fairweather

Digital Strategy Lead
Manchester City Council

AMY NEWTON

Founder & Festival Director
Manchester Tech Festival

Vernon Richards

Senior Expert Quality Engineer

SOBIA IQBAL

Head of HR & OD
The Big Life Group

Ayan Mohamed

Executive Director
Digitech Oasis

Clare Sudbury

Independent Technical Coach
Sudbery Software Engineering Ltd

Janet Coulthurst

Chief of Staff
6point6 | Part of Accenture

Talks & AGENDA

Women in Tech [Unfiltered] is a one day conference taking place at Friends Meeting House Manchester. During the day our main stage will be presenting the topics that matter most to our community. Curated by our organising board, each topic has been chosen to reflect the intersectionality of women working in tech.

Throughout the day, a number of workshops will be running concurrently with the main stage, giving you the opportunity to break off and delve deeper into the topics that matter most to you!

Explore Talks >

OUR SPONSORS & Patrons

Thank you to our sponsors and patrons, who are making Women in Tech [Unfiltered] a reality

Patrons

MTF Naimuri Track Sponsor Logo

SPONSORS

MTF Money Supermarket Group Founding Partner Logo
MTF Venturi Founding Partner Logo
MTF Dish Track Sponsor Logo

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Kanika Selvan

Change Consultant & Managing Director at Beetroot Consulting

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Kanika works to a ‘tech for good’ mission, working with organisations to lift the vail on technology, empowering them to make decisions that unlock the benefits of technology to their organisation. She is part of a community of speakers and bloggers, creating thought leadership on Change, Technology, Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion. All topics that feed into her passion to support organisations to embrace innovative change. It is through that innovation that she has developed a broad change tool kit and a network of like minded enthusiasts. She utilises this to work with leadership teams and change delivery professionals, with an approach that is authentic and focused on outcomes.
PET TO THREAT

Kanika Selvan, an IT Change Consultant talks through the little known phenomenon of ‘Pet to Threat’. As a woman of colour, challenges in the workplace intersect as race and gender both co-inside, kanika offers an overview of the research and data, then challenges the audience to step back and ask themselves if they are a ‘pet’ Or a ‘threat’ in their organisations?

She rounds up, offering some of her own experiences and some actionable take-aways for those wanting to challenge and change the experience for women of colour in tech.  You will like this talk if you are the kind of person who wants to see things from a new perspective, have a passion for change or simply love dogs… because kanika has brought her terrier Macduff to share the stage with her.

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LORD MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MANCHESTER, COUNCILLOR YASMINE DAR.

ABOUT

Councillor Yasmine Dar was born in South Yorkshire but was raised in Manchester. She is a proud Mancunian and has lived in Manchester for over fifty years, alongside her five brothers and one sister.

As a child, Yasmine attended Manley Park Primary School and Whalley Range High School. She then attended Abraham Moss College, where she studied Art and Design, Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy. After working for several years, Yasmine took the decision to go back to education and completed a Diploma and Certificate in Welfare Studies. She began working for a Welfare Rights Organisation supporting and advising individuals regarding their rights and entitlements. Yasmine soon realised making a difference to the lives of others by providing the right support and advice was her vocation. Yasmine has had her fair share of trials and tribulations but has not let any of those struggles or difficulties keep her down. Empowered by her life experiences, while being a mother to two daughters, Yasmine completed a BA Hons in Social Work from Salford University.

In 2009, Yasmine and her brother Majid set up a charity for young people called Community on Solid Ground. It is now  an award-winning service, and more than 400 young people access its activities on a weekly basis. Yasmine’s working life
has included helping some of the most vulnerable and stigmatised in our communities around mental ill health, domestic abuse, and the criminal justice system.

Yasmine has valued the support of her loving parents, especially her late father M. Akram Dar, who encouraged her to become involved in local politics. Yasmine knew she could make a difference and is committed to standing up for peace, justice and equality for all. She was elected to Manchester City Council in 2014 as Councillor for Moston ward. Yasmine is a proud socialist and community activist. Soon after becoming a councillor, she was elected onto the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee – its highest  governing body. This is a great achievement for a working-class, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic woman.

Life taught Yasmine that she could empower herself to do better, and this is why her year as Lord Mayor will have the theme of self-empowerment. Yasmine says: “I am truly humbled and honoured to be the Lord Mayor of the City of Manchester. I will represent the great people of this city, and inspire and empower others on this journey.”

Yasmine will be supported by her daughter Amina as Lady Mayoress, and her brother Majid Dar as Consort during her year.

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Kanika Selvan

Change Consultant & Managing Director at Beetroot Consulting

Kanika works to a ‘tech for good’ mission, working with organisations to lift the vail on technology, empowering them to make decisions that unlock the benefits of technology to their organisation. She is part of a community of speakers and bloggers, creating thought leadership on Change, Technology, Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion. All topics that feed into her passion to support organisations to embrace innovative change. It is through that innovation that she has developed a broad change tool kit and a network of like minded enthusiasts. She utilises this to work with leadership teams and change delivery professionals, with an approach that is authentic and focused on outcomes.

Pet to Threat

Kanika Selvan, an IT Change Consultant talks through the little known phenomenon of ‘Pet to Threat’. As a woman of colour, challenges in the workplace intersect as race and gender both co-inside, kanika offers an overview of the research and data, then challenges the audience to step back and ask themselves if they are a ‘pet’ Or a ‘threat’ in their organisations?


She rounds up, offering some of her own experiences and some actionable take-aways for those wanting to challenge and change the experience for women of colour in tech.  You will like this talk if you are the kind of person who wants to see things from a new perspective, have a passion for change or simply love dogs… because kanika has brought her terrier Macduff to share the stage with her.

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Princess Mavuru

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ABOUT PRINCESS

DATA ENGINEER, CAPGEMINI

Princess is a trailblazer with a relentless drive for innovation and a strong commitment to diversity in the tech realm.

Thriving as a data engineer in a cutting-edge tech consulting firm, she has navigated diverse roles, from  account management within the diagnostics sector to energy sales. Her journey has been shaped and fuelled by the legacy of her parents – a nurse turned entrepreneur and an electrical engineer who fearlessly embraced a career change.

Hailing from Zimbabwe, she brings a unique perspective as a young woman from a minority background. Her academic foundation reflects her passion for the intersection of science and technology.

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Toni Phoenix-Coles

Linkedin

ABOUT TONI

CO-FOUNDER, DEFINE TALENT

A proud northerner, Toni brings 18 years of technology recruitment expertise, leading teams and collaborating with SMEs and blue chips to elevate their tech talent. As the owner of Define coaching and a qualified business & executive coach for 6 years, Toni is also a certified master practitioner in NLP.

Before embracing motherhood, Toni pursued extreme challenges, racing 100 miles across the Himalayas, participating in a white-collar boxing match, and trekking 5 days along the Great Wall of China (1 week after finding out she was pregnant!)

Despite a successful 12-year tenure leading up to her role as Managing Director for a global tech consultancy, 2023 brought unexpected changes.

Undeterred, Toni founded her recruitment consultancy with a focus on fulfillment and sustainability, complemented by her commitment to coaching.

In addition to her ventures, Toni has built a women in leadership community dedicated to connecting female leaders with peers. This initiative aims to foster broader relationships, facilitate knowledge and challenge sharing, and enhance the career journeys of its members.

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KANIKA SELVAN

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ABOUT KANIKA

CHANGE CONSULTANT & MANAGING DIRECTOR AT BEETROOT CONSULTING

Kanika works to a ‘tech for good’ mission, working with organisations to lift the vail on technology, empowering them to make decisions that unlock the benefits of technology to their organisation. She is part of a community of speakers and bloggers, creating thought leadership on Change, Technology, Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion. All topics that feed into her passion to support organisations to embrace innovative change. It is through that innovation that she has developed a broad change tool kit and a network of like minded enthusiasts. She utilises this to work with leadership teams and change delivery professionals, with an approach that is authentic and focused on outcomes.

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JENNIFER DOOTSON

Linkedin

ABOUT JENNIFER

DIRECTOR, INNATARUM

Jennifer’s raison d’etre is to support organisations to maximise their people potential. She has worked in the life sciences and tech industries for the last 10 years in an organisational psychology capacity supporting large scale, global and transformational change. With a Masters in Human Resources and post-grads in Education and Coaching she supports organisations in understanding the “why” behind the “what”. Working with clients she creates bespoke learning content allowing leaders to flourish. Her passion is helping organisations to create a space where employees can do what they do best, every day. Jennifer shares her knowledge through her podcast and publications which cover a variety of passion topics including neurodiversity, leadership, intergenerational communication and creating a culture of accountability.

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RUTH MILLS

Linkedin

ABOUT RUTH

IT CONSULTANT AND SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT NAIMURI

Ruth works for Naimuri, where she uses her skills and experience towards Naimuri’s mission of making the UK a safer place. She is a neurodivergent queer trans woman who has worked in tech since graduating in 1996. After living as genderfluid for several years (although not “out” in work), she finally transitioned in the mid-2010s. She is passionate about Diversity and Inclusion, and regularly speaks at meetups and conferences, both on tech-related themes, and on D&I.

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ROXANA LAWTON

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ABOUT ROXANA

DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION PROGRAMMES & HOST, IN4GROUP

Roxy is the Director of Innovation Programmes and HOST Salford at the IN4 Group, overseeing the portfolio of programmes and provision. In addition, her remit is to foster and support the value-added offer to the community at HOST as a leading Innovation Tech Hub within the North West.  Boasting the first UK Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) lab and AWS Training Partner, amongst other accolades.

Roxy holds various academic certificates. She achieved her MBA in 2023 and is a Chartered Manager with the Chartered Mangers Institute.

She previously worked in academia for nearly a decade. Roxy has led several flagship programmes such as Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry programme a research and innovation programme, which has referenced by Andy Burnham as excellent practice of academic and industry collaboration.

Roxy has extensive experience on leading projects and programmes across a series a wide-range of disciplines such as leadership, tech-adoption, innovation, business growth, business start-up and entrepreneurship and has worked within this space for over 20 years.

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BECKI HOWARTH

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ABOUT BECKI

SENIOR PRODUCT DELIVERY MANAGER, KRAKENFLEX

Becki is driving the creation of a global technology platform that will support a greener and cheaper energy system. As Product Lead at KrakenFlex, she is leading the delivery of a product that enables smart control of devices in customers’ homes. This technology is crucial to encourage adoption of greener technologies and reduce the cost of energy for everyday consumers.
She is also an experienced public speaker, who has spoken at numerous tech conferences (Reframe Women In Tech 2023, Manchester Tech Festival 2022, 2023 and Women of Silicon Roundabout 2023). Outside of work Becki is also an international public speaking coach, and has delivered training programs across Europe, North America & Japan.

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SOBIA IQBAL

Linkedin

ABOUT SOBIA

HEAD OF HR & OD, THE BIG LIFE GROUP

I’m Sobia, an experienced HR professional building most of my expertise in the charity, and health & social care sector. I like to keep things simple and transparent, whether I’m talking about employment law or about talent planning. I’m passionate about equity and about creating fair and inclusive workplaces, and supporting others to do the same.

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Ayan Mohamed

Linkedin

ABOUT AYAN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIGITECH OASIS

With a foundation in Business Management at the undergraduate level, Ayan Mohamed pursued further studies, delving into International Business, Finance, and Banking for my postgraduate studies, and later, an MSc in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Her career journey began within prominent financial institutions such as Barclays, gaining rich experience in the banking domain. During her university tenure, she was associated with Google, igniting her passion for technology. Over the past 11 years, she has steadily developed her expertise in coding. This diverse background, spanning finance, technology, and entrepreneurial studies, has profoundly shaped her professional trajectory, providing a robust understanding of the intricate intersections between business, finance, and technology.

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Clare Sudbery

Linkedin

ABOUT CLARE

TECHNICAL COACH, SUDBERY SOFTWARE ENGINEERING LTD

Clare Sudbery is an independent technical coach specialising in TDD, refactoring, pair programming, continuous integration and other eXtreme Programming (XP) practices. Clare taught the Coding Black Females’ Return to Tech programme and co-ran Made Tech’s academy – coaching inexperienced engineers to learn on the job. She has a passion for helping under-represented groups to flourish in tech. Clare hosted Season One of the acclaimed Making Tech Better podcast and publishes content on Medium (“A Woman in Technology”) and her own site (“In Simple Terms”). She is the author of the Stupidity Manifesto, has written about trunk-based development and refactoring for O’Reilly and for Martin Fowler’s site, and regularly presents workshops and keynotes at events all over the world.
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Janet Coulthurst

Linkedin

ABOUT JANET

CHIEF OF STAFF, 6POINT6 | PART OF ACCENTURE

As Chief of Staff at 6point6, Janet leads the company’s strategic growth initiatives, which includes the expansion of 6point6’s regional hubs, responsibility for Marketing and Communications, as well as spearheading the business’ social value programme.

Throughout her career, Janet has focused on making the complex accessible by facilitating dialogue between technology experts and end users. A diversity and inclusion champion, Janet is continually exploring what it means to build a great place to work underpinned by an environment where everyone is valued for their unique contributions.