Over the past decade, London has established itself as a global tech powerhouse, attracting investment from some of the most innovative digital companies in the world, from Yelp to Facebook, Salesforce to Apple. The city is also producing some of the fastest-growing tech companies, adding 20 new unicorns to its ranks in 2021, more than any other previous 12-month period. Where will this momentum take the UK capital in 2022? How will London make the most of this movement to ensure prosperity for digital businesses and talent?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BrainStation gathered four industry experts from British broadcasting giant BBC<\/strong>, social networking multinational Meta<\/strong>, European media company Sky<\/strong>, and global cycling brand Rapha<\/strong> to answer these questions and more as part of BrainStation\u2019s Digital Leadership Event Series on our London campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our panellists agreed that London\u2019s strength lies in its diversity. \u201cThe varied economy of music, culture, financial services, and more, has fostered a city of diverse thinkers,\u201d said David Jones, Executive Product Manager at the BBC. Innovation in London tech is informed and also tempered by these other fields. \u201cLondon \u2014 and by extension, Europe \u2014 is catching up with Silicon Valley in terms of venture capital and incubator opportunities, as well as risk tolerance. For the first time, venture capital outweighs the amount of startups in London,\u201d said Ankur Modi, Product Leader at Meta. Jason Field, BrainStation\u2019s Founder and CEO agreed. \u201cThe UK acknowledges that tech, like finance, is a source of strength.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While all the panellists agreed that remote work will be a constant going forwards, Ranjani Parthasarathy, Head of Digital Marketing at Sky, explained that the organisation\u2019s approach is \u201cto go \u2018remote-first\u2019 rather than treating it as an option. Our team relies on tools like shared docs and live collaboration to work from anywhere in the world \u2014 location no longer needs to be a factor.\u201d Sky\u2019s approach challenged our panellists to define what hybrid working truly means. For Jones and his team at the BBC, remote work has provided an opportunity for more introverted colleagues to participate in group discussions. \u201cFeatures such as the raise-hand function and the comment section of a video chat have had a positive impact on the way we work,\u201d he said. However, Ben Bodien, Technology Director at Rapha, expressed concern about the challenges of hybrid and remote working for those in need of mentorship and a sense of community. \u201cAt Rapha we have created a culture that centres around one thing that we can bond over. Ours is cycling, but it can be anything: an activity, a sport, or simply professionals connecting over new trends in tech. There needs to be a central focus,\u201d he said. As well as sharing their predictions for the future of work, our panel of digital leaders explained what their organisations are looking for in the talent applying to open digital roles. \u201cThere is an abundance of tech talent on offer given the so-called \u2018Great Resignation\u2019. There is a hot market for digital roles in 2022 \u2014 and Sky is hiring!\u201d said Parthasarathy. In response to questions from aspiring tech professionals in the audience about breaking into the industry, the panellists encouraged applicants to lean into their backgrounds. Jones explained that he had originally completed a degree in literature before moving into the product field. He encouraged audience members to get creative with their applications, including evidence of independent work as well as the traditional CV. \u201cThe tech industry is one of the few to hire talent rather than qualifications,\u201d he said. \u201cThe BBC is looking for those with the initiative to work on their own projects and arrive with enthusiasm, ready to learn on the job.\u201d \u201cTraditional education is becoming the exception rather than the rule,\u201d agreed Modi. \u201cStrong digital leaders have experienced a variety of roles in their past \u2014 a mixed professional background is an asset for anyone looking to move into a digital role.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s clear that the tech industry is welcoming applications from a variety of backgrounds, but recent studies from Tech Nation suggest only 19 per cent of the UK tech workforce is made up of women. This figure is even less for black and Hispanic women at just 3 per cent and Asian women just 5 per cent. What can we be doing better to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace? \u201cThe tech industry is gender-skewed. We have a collective responsibility to create and fund initiatives that encourage girls into STEM early on in their education. We need more diversity champions and role models in the industry for incoming generations to look up to,\u201d said Parthasarathy. Meanwhile, at the BBC, Jones and his team have increased the size of interview rounds to incorporate a greater variety of educational and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as creating a regional headquarters in Manchester to incorporate the north of the country. \u201cThe steps taken so far are positive to see, but more inclusivity is required across the entire tech stack. We all need to do more,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the discussion drew to a close, the panellists looked towards the future of London\u2019s tech industry. Is this culture of digital innovation here to stay? <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo role being created at the moment can afford to be tech-free. Tech is no longer a discrete vertical \u2014 the shift to digital is happening in every industry,\u201d said Modi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAge-old industries such as banks are having to update their approaches and need tech talent more than ever before,\u201d agreed Bodien. Events outside of the tech space, such as climate change, are also having an impact. \u201cSDGs and increasing focus on sustainability are encouraging investment and innovation in the climate tech and cleantech spaces. The tech industry will only become increasingly important both in London as well as globally,\u201d said Modi. London has established itself as a global tech powerhouse. How will the city make the most of this movement to ensure prosperity for businesses and talent?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":12988,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[783,1320],"tags":[115,405,135,136,238,430,1020,1243,1309,1310,1277,1278,637,726,122,100],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Makes London Unique?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Future of Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Skills Are Most In-Demand?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nEncouraging Diversity and Inclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nWill London\u2019s Tech Boom Last?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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