WOMEN IN DATA 2017

Bigger and farther-reaching at Women in Data in 2017

We are delighted to announce that this year we will have more than 400 data professionals at the Women in Data event. We have extended the event to a full day that includes more speakers to educate and inspire the WiD community, a panel session, parallel workshops, more networking time and a sponsor exhibitor room in the evening.

This year we are pleased to welcome sponsors for the first time. Each sponsor actively promotes the importance and value of diversity and we look forward to their contributions.

The venue

After filling last year’s space at the Grand Connaught Rooms with more than 200 attendees, we have moved into the Ballroom and adjacent rooms for Women in Data 2017. The day includes refreshments, lunch and a longer evening drinks reception to allow attendees to meet our sponsors and enjoy an even more valuable networking opportunity.

Your hosts: Roisin McCarthy and Rachel Keane … and the partnership with the Female Lead

We could not be more pleased with the amazing success of previous Women in Data events and their positive outcomes. We have seen the significant and measurable influence of Women in Data on the careers of women in data at all levels, from graduate to boardroom, which has translated into an uplift in the placement of women in significant data roles. However, this is not a time to become complacent; it is a time to capitalise on the momentum generated to date. The support of the Women in Data community has encouraged us to go bigger and aim wider.

We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Edwina Dunn and The Female Lead. The work of The Female Lead goes deep and wide, from encouraging girls at grass roots level in schools to be brave enough to aspire to be future leaders, to promoting global luminaries as role models for all women.

We would like to thank Edwina, our wonderful speakers, and our sponsors, all of whom have a common objective to promote diversity as a blueprint for effective team work and as a positive force in business.

We look forward to meeting you on the day and hope you will all take away key messages and form relationships that support you in your careers.

The Topics

Diane Black

Artificial Intelligence – is this the future of analytics and the workforce?
Artificial Intelligence is set to be a game changer for today’s businesses and workforce. With the rapid developments in machine learning, cognitive computing and robotics the next decade promises to see huge leaps forward. What are the potential applications of AI in the future and how do we deal with the fears that currently surround AI? How are organisations already making analytics and AI central to their strategy and what use cases are we already seeing in practise?

Di helps dispel some of the myths and explain how AI is already having an impact and how advancements will enable us to work better, smarter and faster. We look at the opportunities and challenges associated with AI and analytics and how organisations can positively respond to the change that AI transformation brings, making analytics central to their business

Partnership panel session

Is gender diversity profitable?

Caroline Morris

Connecting Women in Data and Being Heard
Do you ever feel lonely at work?  Have you noticed how much time you spend being really listened to?  Do you know who to turn to for help?
I hear these and many more questions regularly in my role as a Leadership coach and it’s so refreshing to be in the coaching industry where supporting each other and being heard is a given.  However, it wasn’t always that way for me, I spent over eighteen years working in data and technology and often found myself feeling lonely and not sure where to get support.  In fact, over 50% of leaders say that they too often feel lonely.  I feel it is a real gift to make connections with people and so in my talk, I’ll be sharing the benefits of making connections, being heard and accepting help from each other.

Sue Unerman

The Glass Wall

Never mind the glass ceiling. In the workplace today there’s a glass wall. Men and women can see each other clearly through the divide, but they don’t speak the same language or have the same expectations. And as a result, women and their careers are suffering.

With more women than ever in the workforce, but still too few in the boardroom, now is the time to address the assumptions and miscommunication holding women back. My talk will explain why this is and give a sample of the strategies that women on the way up and managers need for any situation. Drawing on Unerman and Jacob’s own experience in men-dominated businesses, as well as over a hundred interviews with both men and women, The Glass Wall provides clear, smart and easy-to apply strategies for success. From unlocking ambition and developing resilience to nurturing creativity and getting noticed, these are the skills that everyone needs to learn to help break down that wall and create better workplaces for all.

Yasmeen Ahmad

The Human in the Loop – developing skills for the digital age

In a future driven by Artificial Intelligence, is the human decision maker obsolete? Machines in almost all fields are outperforming human efforts. Algorithms that are monetizing data to become the billion dollar unicorns. Should businesses feel threatened by new algorithms? This presentation will explore:

• How is the explosion of data, new trends in AI, Machine Learning and Deep Learning impacting organisations?
• How is automation driving new business models and maximising revenue streams?
• What are the technology, skills and cultural changes required to thrive in the digital age?
• How can businesses prepare for a future involving human machine partnerships?

Elizabeth Denham & Fedelma Good

Join Elizabeth and Fedelma for a conversation about GDPR and so much more……

Hear about the paths their careers have taken that have led them to where they are today. Their shared passion for ensuring GDPR is seen as so much more than a regulatory change (and much more!).

Håkan Nyberg

How to fight gender inequality in male dominated sectors

The Female Lead

The Female Lead aims to make women’s stories more visible and to provide positive role models for future generations. The Female Lead is multi-platform

• An online resource featuring videos, interviews, news and views at thefemalelead.com.
• A book of 60 remarkable women with original portraits by internationally renowned portrait photographer, Brigitte Lacombe and in-depth video interviews with each woman by documentary maker, Marian Lacombe.
• An outreach programme targeted at younger women to offer alternative role models to those ever-present in popular culture.

Download The Female Lead information about scheduled launches