UKtech50 2017: Creating an innovation culture

Is there a need for IT to go through its own cultural change prior to embarking on a digitally-enabled business transformation? How do you factor in the needs of different generations in the way you approach innovation through technology? Stuart Birrell, Claire Calmejane, Marcus East and Louise McCarthy answer questions on innovation at the UKTech50 event.

• Stuart Birrell joined Heathrow Airport as CIO in 2015 from McLaren Technology Group, leading the transformation of Heathrow to implement the emerging digital, big data and automation capabilities through innovation, skills and organisation planning. From his early career in various engineering and operations roles he transitioned into IT in 2001. Since then he has held IT leadership roles across several industries.
• Claire Calmejane is a leading figures in financial technology, and one of the only women in the Wall Street Journal Fintech 40 Europe. Hired in 2012 by Lloyds Banking Group to shake-up the old ways of doing business, Claire enjoys working on projects that make a difference and benefit people. She set up Lloyds’ Innovation Labs and worked with HR to set-up the Digital Academy to support 75,000 colleagues to become digital leaders. She is a lecturer on fintech and digital transformation at MIT, Oxford, UCL and HEC.
• Marcus East has nearly 25 years’ experience of building innovative technology solutions around the globe. Half of his career has been spent working for major technology companies IBM and Apple, where he learnt how to build world-class technology; the rest working for various consumer-facing brands such as Comic Relief and Marks & Spencer. As CTO for National Geographic, he is responsible for the digital product and technology teams and has a mission to help re-engineer the organisation for the digital age.
• Louise McCarthy has worked on major transformation initiatives at HM Revenue & Customs, Aviva, Specsavers and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Over a 12-year career in IT, she has also been responsible for IT organisational design, innovation, strategic sourcing and portfolio management. She recently left the EBRD, and acts as a non-executive director for several tech startups.