Nicholas Woods, CIO, Manchester Airports Group

Session: How digital transformation and data analytics are delivering a step change in airport operations

Around the boardroom, tech is evolving from a BAU function to one of business enablement. Organisations are ripe for this change. Manchester Airports Group is leveraging emerging tech and the power of data to improve how the organisation operates. In this session, MAG CIO, Nicholas Woods shares how tech is driving commercial and operational value.

Joanna Drake, CIO, The Hut Group

Session: Modern Leadership: The link between employee success and business growth

Engagement between employee and company has never been more critical for commercial business outcomes. Modern workers want to have purpose and to be creatively inspired. It’s the role of leadership to set employees up for success. What does a good people strategy look like? How do we define good culture? In this session, Joanna will share her best practice and impart practical suggestions for leadership-driven cultural change.

Greg van der Gaast, Head of Information Security, The University of Salford

Session: Agile Security: Baked in controls for cost and people efficiency

Today’s reactive approach to security is causing an endless spiral of costs, technology hype, and resource requirements all without addressing the root causes that cause the ever-increasing number of issues and breaches. Find out why, and discover how your organisation can achieve much better assurance for far less.

Gunnar Menzel, Chief Technology & Innovation Officer Europe, Capgemini

The modern CIO agenda: Architects of positive futures

CIOs are not what they used to be. Rightly so, sustainability and social impact are part of the corporate agenda. As tech continues to be the core of most businesses’ growth ambitions - CIOs have become champions for a better future. While exploring the current CIO agenda, we’ll delve into the emerging tech enabling the IT strategy, from both business and socio-economic perspectives.

Event Chair: Patricia Keating, Executive Director, Tech Manchester

Patricia has over 20 years of high-level experience, working with a range of diverse significant stakeholders and industries. It's the first time Patricia is taking the role of Chair for CIO WaterCooler, we're sure the community will help her feel right at home!

Phil Swan Chief Technology & Innovation Officer Europe, Capgemini

Manchester's Digital Blueprint