Events

We were delighted to sponsor and host the latest ProductTank Newcastle event last night, welcoming members of the Product Management community from across the North East. Our guest speaker, Viktoria Korzhova (COO/VP of Product at Product People), travelled all the way from Germany to discuss the importance of business knowledge and how to build an effective business case. The event was expertly hosted by Tolu Kolawale (Product Manager at IriusRisk) and Toby Rogers (Head of Product at Hedgehog Lab), who regularly host ProductTank events on the last Wednesday of each month. The evening began with guests arriving in high spirits, engaging in networking and lively discussions about Product Management. Tolu Kolawale and Toby Rogers kicked off the event with an introduction to ProductTank and an overview of the evening's agenda. This was followed by an excellent presentation from Viktoria Korzhova on the importance of incorporating business aspects into the role of a Product Manager. Viktoria, an experienced Product Leader, shared insights from her work atProduct People, a Germany-based Product Management consultancy. She emphasised the need for Product Managers to focus on technology, users and business when making decisions. Her discussion prompted us to consider whether Product Managers are sufficiently business-focused in their roles. Viktoria stressed the importance of conducting thorough research and providing data to support business case proposals, including costs, revenue estimates and benefit analysis. She highlighted the necessity of including risks and assumptions in business cases and focusing on the value being delivered. Viktoria's presentation provided brilliant insights into how to approach building business cases without fear. The presentation concluded with a Q&A session, sparking further discussion and insights into business cases and the current state of Product Management, with a focus on adding value. If you would like to hear more about the event or discuss it further, please contact david.quearns@harveynash.com.

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, promoting neuro-inclusivity is not just a matter of compliance but a strategic imperative that fosters innovation, enhances employee well-being, and drives organisational success. Recognising the unique strengths and challenges of neurodivergent individuals, our recent webinar aimed to shed light on the importance of creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. By bringing together experts and advocates, we explored practical strategies, shared real-world examples, and discussed the critical role of leadership in championing neuro-inclusivity. This webinar was hosted to empower organisations with the knowledge and tools needed to support neurodivergent employees effectively, ensuring a diverse and dynamic workforce. Panel Our incredible panel included: Meri Williams, Chief Technology Officer, Pleo Russell Botting, Neuroinclusion Services Director (UK), Auticon Sophie Dupre-Echeverria, Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, GIB Asset Management Kate Bohn, Global Advisory Council Member, Diversity Economics Institute (DEI) Tony Fagelman, Global President, Xerox’s Enable_All ERG Georgina Lindsey, Senior Consultant, Harvey Nash (host) Key takeaways Definition and Importance of Neuro-Inclusivity Neuro-inclusivity is about true equity of experience for neurodivergent individuals, recognising their unique strengths and providing necessary support. It addresses historical misconceptions and barriers faced by neurodivergent individuals in the workplace. Challenges and Barriers Neurodivergent individuals often face significant barriers, including stigma, lack of understanding, and fear of disclosure. Creating a supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable disclosing their needs is crucial. Practical Measures and Accommodations Implementing practical measures such as clear communication, written instructions, flexible schedules, and real-world applicable tasks can significantly support neurodivergent employees. These accommodations benefit everyone, not just neurodivergent individuals. Role of Leadership and Middle Management Senior leadership buy-in is essential for fostering an inclusive culture. Middle managers play a critical role in implementing inclusive practices and need to be equipped and supported to create environments where diverse individuals can thrive. Employee Resource Groups and Peer Support Employee resource groups (ERGs) and peer support networks are valuable for providing support and fostering a sense of community among neurodivergent employees. These groups can help share challenges, accommodations, and advocate for necessary changes. Strategic and Policy Integration Embedding diversity and inclusion in organisational strategies, governance, and policies is vital. This includes measuring and reporting on inclusivity efforts, ensuring policies protect and support neurodivergent individuals, and promoting a culture of understanding and respect. Watch the full webinar About NASHability NASHability is our Nash Squared ERG (employee resource group), who strive to highlight, educate and celebrate our (unique/differing) abilities, raising awareness for all visible and invisible disabilities alike. Working to foster a culture of understanding, support and acceptance throughout the business and beyond alongside implementing impactful initiatives that will help to shape the future accessibility of our working environment.

Last night, Harvey Nash were delighted to attend the Digital Skills Feast as part of Manchester Digital's Festival, which was sponsored and co-hosted by Slalom. The evening event hosted at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester city centre, invited tech leaders, key decision makers and education partners to celebrate and discuss the region's tech landscape. Katie Gallagher OBE, Managing Director of Manchester Digital welcomed everyone and reflected on the Manchester Digital Festival as a whole. This was then followed by Councillor Nick Peel, leader of Bolton Council and portfolio holder for digital and tech for GMCA. He gave a speech celebrating the region's success and focus on digital innovation and education highlighting AI growth and high graduate retention for those studying computer science. Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, the Parliamentary Undersecretary for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety, shared a video message for the event. The speech emphasised Manchester's role as a tech hub and the government's commitment to fostering tech ecosystems across the UK. It highlighted the importance of digital skills, the creation of Skills England, and reforms to apprenticeship programs to support the tech sector. Tech leader panel David Savage, Technology Evangelist and host of our podcast Tech Talks then hosted a panel discussion. The panel included; Caroline Grant, Managing Director at Slalom Manchester; Rob Sugden, Managing Director, ECOM, our Sector Insights Partner and Alison Ross, Chief People and Operations Officer at Auto Trader. The panel discussed some of the key challenges facing digital leaders currently including: economic uncertainty; regulatory hurdles; funding constraints; infrastructure limitations and talent shortage. We recorded this brilliant discussion as a Tech Talks podcast episode which you can listen to here. David Savage, who hosted the panel commented, "Manchester is a vibrant hub for business and technology, with strong, passionate local leadership. One message was clear from our panel; we are living through a period of instability that makes business challenging. With that in mind, it is clear that Manchester can be a model for regional growth across the UK to ensure fragile confidence does not evaporate." Overall, we were thrilled to be part of Manchester Digital Skills Feast which concluded an excellent week of events as part of the festival. We'd like to thank Manchester Digital for organising the festival week and Slalom for sponsoring this specific event. Panel L-R: David Savage, Caroline Grant, Alison Ross MBE and Rob Sugden. Manchester Digital Manchester Digital is the driving force behind Greater Manchester's thriving tech and digital sector. As a dynamic membership organisation, we unite a powerful community of over 400 members - including large corporations, innovative SMEs, cutting-edge startups, freelancers and leading agencies across all tech verticals. Find more about Manchester Digital here.

Last week Harvey Nash and Nash Tech had the pleasure of hosting 30 digital and technology leaders from across the Midlands at the Bank restaurant in central Birmingham. It was the first leadership dinner of 2025 and the evening didn’t disappoint. Upon arrival the attendees spent an hour networking, catching up with old friends and making new acquaintances. Our guests came from a variety of backgrounds and industries, some working for globally recognised corporate brands, others employed by mid-size organisations and start up enterprises. However, similar challenges effect all delegates including driving successful digital transformations, the ongoing need for strong cyber credentials as well as maximising a company’s data to deliver business and customer value return. Once seated we enjoyed a lovely meal with breaks for keynote speeches. The first was from Bridgette Bigmore, the CTO for the UK Telecoms Lab at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Bridgette delivered fascinating insight into the organisation with it being recognised as a world leading centre of excellence in telecoms security. We learnt that they provide best in class test and evaluation capabilities to safeguard the UKs critical national telecoms infrastructure from external threats. Later Jon Woodforth, CTO from Totalmobile talked about their AI focused Unified Data Platform which powers their business and supports the work and lives of over 500,000 field-based workers. Both talks were very well received and were the catalyst for further debate as we enjoyed our main courses and deserts. The evening was a great success, with all the digital and technology leaders sharing valuable ideas, challenging one another’s thinking and having peers who understood many of the challenges they’re facing in today’s market. If you’re interested in finding out more about our events, please reach out to our team here. And to find out more about our services at Harvey Nash, please contact our teamhere. About the author: Peter Birch Peter is a Director with over 20 years of experience specialising in hiring C-suite level individuals across the globe. Working across various companies, Peter’s experience extends from large corporations through to start-up enterprises. If you’re interested in speaking with Peter, please get in touch at peter.birch@harveynash.com.

What do digital leaders think of the current technology landscape? On the 28th of November we hosted our 25th annual Digital Leadership Report dinner at the Scotsman Hotel, which gathered digital leaders from across Edinburgh to discuss the key topics shaping the technology sector. The evening was enlightening, with insights from a cross section of Technology organisations across financial services, public and private sectors, all from corporate scale to SME and start-ups. Our diverse guests provided a truly varied range of opinions and experiences on the current state of the technology industry, allowing us to consider many different perspectives on some of the biggest questions currently in the industry. AI adoption One of the most fascinating discussions of the evening was regarding the adoption of AI within the workplace and the vast differences in utilisation between the smaller technology companies and the larger corporate environments. Interestingly enough, many of the leaders in the room perceived a need for a ‘Chief AI Officer’ type role, as organisation's grapple with the governance of the pace of change within this realm. We are beginning to see a trend towards appointment of, at the very least, AI “SME’s” with one client already committing to an AI board, overseeing best practice, areas of application and hypothetical integration in future. Turning our focus to NetZero One area that stood out as needing attention, is sustainability. According to our Digital Leadership Report, a staggering 58% of tech companies currently have no plans for achieving Net Zero. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the sector to innovate and lead in environmental responsibility. Thinking towards the future As we head into the new year, leaders are beginning to plan towards 2025, and discussions around the dinner table revealed that a quarter oforganisations in Scotland are engaged in large-scale projects involving AI, data, and the Metaverse. This revelation is a clear indication of the forward-thinking approach many digital leaders and organisations are adopting, to position themselves in the most efficient way to manage emerging, cutting-edge technological advancements.It should come as no surprise that a notable discussion point throughout the evening was the role of AI in the workforce. Tech leaders in Edinburgh support the sentiment that AI is not replacing jobs but rather supporting and enhancing organisational operations. This positive perspective is further evidenced by the emergence of AI boards and the role of the Chief AI Officer within companies. Summary The evening provided all those who attended with the opportunity to connect with like-minded digital leaders across Edinburgh and explore the largest topics affecting the tech industry. Thank you to everyone that joined us and to our Harvey Nash team who supported in bringing this group together. It was truly fabulous to connect, network, and have insightful discussions with such a dynamic group of individuals. If you’re interested in finding out more about the evening, please reach out to our Director in Scotland, Cameron MacGrain. And to find out more about our services at Harvey Nash, please contact our team here. If you would like to connect with the rest of our Harvey Nash team, you can find more information here: Andy Heyes, Kirsteen Bell, Kevin Robson, Bethany McKenzie and Craig Ross.

Harvey Nash exhibits at annual conference for public sector technology professionals As an exhibitor at Scotland's largest digital transformation summit, we were thrilled to be part of an event that brought together over 1,200 delegates, 100 exhibitors, and more than 70 speakers. Digital Scotland is the premier gathering for public sector policy and technology leaders, dedicated to enhancing government services through cutting-edge technology. Our Scotland public sector team who attended included Executive Director Graeme McNaull and consultants Craig Ross, Shauna Cavanagh and Luke Thornborrow. This is the second year exhibiting at this conference and the team thoroughly enjoyed attending the variety of speeches and discussions as well as seeing and meeting technology professionals within the public sector. The team have summarised the conference's whole day agenda below. Event Highlights: Ministerial Keynote: The summit kicked off with a keynote from Kim McAllister, reflecting on the past year's achievements and the strategic direction for the coming year. This set the tone for a day filled with insightful discussions and innovative ideas. International Perspectives: H.E. Mr. Viljar Lubi from the Estonian Government shared valuable insights on building a future digital society in the era of AI, emphasizing the relevance of past successes in shaping future strategies. Addressing Key Challenges: Hayden Edwards from BT Business highlighted Scotland's top digital transformation challenges, including budget constraints, talent acquisition, service improvement, legacy systems, sustainability, and security. “This was a brilliant speech focusing on how Scotland's public sector's transformation challenges, which we have seen with many of our existing clients. Hayden spoke about ensuring the right talent can not only be attracted into the public sector but also retained to ensure they can reach their digital transformation goals. Graeme McNaull, Executive Director, Harvey Nash Public Sector Digital Home Nations Panel: A panel featuring Geoff Huggins, Paul Duffy, and Gina Gill discussed shared experiences and common challenges in delivering best-in-class digital public services across the UK. Geoff Huggins: Emphasised the need to focus on solutions that benefit multiple government services over the medium term rather than solving individual problems urgently. Gina Gill: Highlighted the importance of prioritising the best user experience for citizens to mobilise collective efforts towards better-connected services. Paul Duffy: Noted the impact of leadership gaps on service transformation in Northern Ireland but shared a positive vision with the establishment of a central digital office to drive improvements. Masterclass Sessions: The summit featured parallel masterclass sessions covering a wide range of topics: Connecting Scotland for Good: Alan Lees, Sally Fuller, and Robert Thorburn explored the future of ubiquitous connectivity and its potential to drive innovation and bridge the digital divide in Scotland. Leveraging AI: Jon Palin from Objective Corporation discussed how AI can enhance information governance outcomes within the Scottish public sector, providing practical knowledge on navigating AI complexities. Future-proofing Connectivity: Ewan Ferguson and David Nicoll shared insights on securing Scotland's public sector networks with Zero Trust architectures and Fortinet's SD-WAN solutions. Denmark's Digital Success: Thomas Rysgaard Christiansen from Netcompany showcased how Denmark's digital transformation journey can inspire and shape Scotland's future. Networking Opportunities: The event provided ample opportunities for networking and collaboration. Attendees engaged in meaningful conversations during the networking breaks, fostering connections that will drive future innovations. Our public sector team thoroughly enjoyed seeing current clients as well as making new connections, hearing how digital transformation is at the core of Scotland's public sector. "It was great to see a lot of familiar faces at the conference as we have been delivering to Scotland's public sector for over two decades. It was a great opportunity to speak to delegates about what digital transformation targets they have in the pipeline but also how they will be resourcing these." Craig Ross, Senior Consultant, Harvey Nash Public Sector Leadership Streams: In the afternoon, leadership streams focused on key areas such as cloud, citizen services, data, digital transformation, and automation. These sessions provided deep dives into specific topics, offering attendees valuable insights and practical strategies. Our team attended the cloud focused session titled, "from vision to reality - driving digital transformation and innovation". The session included Nia Lewis from the Scottish Government who chaired the discussion, Alison McLaughlin from Disclosure Scotland, Isaac Smith from The Scottish Government, Dinesh Kumar Subramani from Amazon Web Services and Ann-Maries Gallacher from NHS 24. It was a great discussion delving into real example of successful digital transformation and innovation across the private and public sector. Ann-Marie Gallacher speaking during this leadership stream session. Closing Remarks: The conference concluded with a session on adapting and changing to keep public services at the forefront of the digital revolution. John-Paul Marks and Sidsel Skovborg emphasised the importance of continuous innovation and adaptation in the public sector. Final Thoughts: Digital Scotland 2024 was an inspiring and informative event, showcasing the latest advancements in GovTech, digital ID, cloud services, payments, AI, IoT, and cybersecurity. As exhibitors, we were proud to be part of the conversation and contribute to the future of digital government services. We look forward to continuing our support Scotland's public sector and help our clients to deliver world-class digital experiences. Thank you to all the speakers, exhibitors, and delegates who made this event a success. An a massive thank you to FutureScot for organising the whole conference. We look forward to exhibiting next year. If you would like to find out more about the conference please visit FutureScothere or reach out to one of our public sector recruitment consultants here. Harvey Nash Public sector At Harvey Nash, we bring extensive experience in providing a comprehensive range of public sector recruitment services across the UK and Ireland. We understand the critical role that frameworks play in developing strong, formalised, and measurable partnerships with public sector clients. Our expertise ensures that we can guide you through these frameworks, helping you select the most suitable engagement route based on your specific needs. Let us help you navigate the complexities of public sector recruitment to achieve the best outcomes for your organisation. Discover our public sector recruitment here.

We were delighted to host digital leaders from across Leeds during this year's Leeds Digital Festival, as we premiered our last Tech Flix film, “AI & Robotics: A Near Future You’re Not Prepared For”, followed by an insightful panel discussion lead by Director of Technology & Solutions at NashTech, George Lynch. Our incredible panel included: Lisa Johnson, VP of Starship Technologies Adam Roney, Founder & CEO of Calls9 Crispin Read, Found & CEO of Coders Guild Marcus Hunter, CTO of Evri The event was jam-packed with discussions on the future of technology, AI, regulations and self-driving robots, among so much more. Lucky for us, we were able to pick George’s brain about the event and have a full break-down of the event. Leeds Digital Festival through the eyes of George Lynch I was charged with ‘looking after’ our panel members who represented a range of local and international organisations and managed to grab a few minutes with them as we waited for the film to start. It was amazing to see how all the leaders provided so much insight which spanned across so many different sectors and areas within technology, robotics and AI. Having then invited our guests to join us in the theatre we viewed the short but compelling Tech Flix documentary, “AI & Robotics: A Near Future You're Not Prepared For” presented by David Savage, Technology Evangelist at Nash Squared. I first viewed the documentary at the National Robotarium in Edinburgh a few months ago and it was amazing how even in that short period of time things have moved on again… The documentary seeks to focus on the practical application of AI & Robotics in business and society discussing a variety of important topics like policy & regulation, education and skills for the future. Inevitability though the documentary does explore some areas where the answer is unknowable i.e. as “overall productivity increases but individual productivity reduces” what impact will this have on the global economy? The panel provided insightful and challenging answers to the questions I posed. Everything from data governance & self-regulation to commercialisation of AI and the impact of talent. I was left with a sense of cautious optimism. The panel and all our guests viewed the documentary as both a challenge and a call to action… and it’s the word “action” that is most important to me. Key takeaways from our panelists Lisa Johnson, VP of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for Starship Technologies not only talked eloquently about the legal and regulatory challenges facing robotics and AI they also just happened to have one of Starships autonomous self-driving robots for all to see. “Be an ambassador for AI & Robotics and talk positively about it. Fundamentally, politicians need to do more around regulation." Adam Rooney, CEO and Founder of Calls9, gave his views on how digital leaders can create policies for responsible AI that foster innovation rather than act as a barrier. "SME's need to understand more. Do not wait for the government or anyone else to tell you that this is important, it's important now!" Crispin Read, CEO & Founder, of the Coder’s Guild had already attended a few Leeds Digital Festival events. Crispin’s unique perspective on education and awareness of all things Robotics and AI was very much appreciated as we wrestled with the role of software engineers in the medium to long term. "Progress is a shared responsibility. Economic and social sustainability is the goal." Finally, I managed to spend some time withMarcus Hunter, CTO of Evri, who was able to share how Evri has already created an AI policy and framework to ensure AI is not perceived as a threat but rather a business enabler. "It's a playground out there! Play, but play responsibly and sustainably." Conclusion As digital leaders, we need to act now so that our organisations can take advantage of recent breakthroughs in AI & Robotics whilst exerting our influence on policy makers, governments & big tech to make sure we embed ethics and good practice in everything we do. It’s worth calling out the National Robotarium which provided a fusion of academia and industry allowing SMEs to innovate and adopt a “fail fast” approach to product development. The telltale sign of a great event is the number of guests who linger to discuss the big topics raised by the film and panel discussion. Needless to say, the discussions at the Everyman Theatre went on late into the evening. For more informationabout this event, please contactCharlie DeaconatCharlie.Deacon@harveynash.com If you’re interested in finding out more about how Harvey Nash can support your hiring needs,please contact us here. About the author George Lynchis the Director of Technology & Solutions atNashTech, our sister brand as part of the Nash Squared business. With over two decades of experience in the tech world, George has a real passion and understanding of technology, and how business can use it to their advantage.

In today's rapidly evolving Data, Analytics & AI market, organizations face a number of challenges that demand creative solutions. Recently, I hosted a gathering for Data & AI leaders and experts to provide insights into some of the biggest challenges facing our market. This article highlights our key findings from our presentations, Q&A and high-level discussions and provides actionable insights and recommendations to address. Preparing for Five Generations in the Workforce by Ryan Parish As we look ahead to 2030, the workforce will span five generations, each with unique needs and characteristics. Addressing health and wellbeing is paramount to retain talent across this diverse demographic. The Cost of Ill Health In 2022/3, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimated the annual cost of short-term ill health and workplace injury at £20.7 billion. Additionally, 35.2 million working days were lost due to ill health, with 1.8 million people suffering from work-related illnesses, primarily stress, depression, anxiety, and musculoskeletal disorders. The economic impact of mental ill health in England in 2022 was a staggering £300 billion, double the NHS England's budget for that year. Generational Characteristics Generation A (<18):Hyper-connected, visually motivated, independent, with short attention spans and poorer mental health. Generation Z (18-34):Entrepreneurial, career-focused, pushing for workplace change, and motivated by social issues. Millennials (34-50):Digitally native, value teamwork and consensus, need meaningful motivation. Generation X (50-65):Technologically comfortable, value work-life balance, direct yet open to feedback. Baby Boomers (65+):Self-sufficient, value workplace visibility, prefer full-time over part-time. Mental, Physical, Financial, Environmental, and Social Wellbeing Businesses must enhance their support systems to retain staff and reduce sickness absence. Mental health is a significant concern, with 49% of ill health cases in 2022 due to stress, anxiety, or depression. Physical wellbeing is also critical, as presenteeism remains a challenge, with 46% of workers admitting to working while unwell. Financial wellbeing is under pressure, as evidenced by the CIPD 2023 UK Working Lives survey, where only 48% of respondents reported meeting their bills without difficulty. Moreover, hybrid work environments and robust ESG policies are essential to attract and retain talent, as more than a third of UK workers might quit if forced back to full-time office work, and 52% would stay longer with a company committed to ESG values. Goodbye Hybrid? The Lifestyle-to-Work Approach The hybrid model is now the minimum expectation for many employees. The Candidate Experience Report by Greenhouse indicates that 40% of candidates would not apply for a job without their preferred working model, and 77% would consider leaving if flexible work policies were reversed. Future workforce expectations will include flexibility in work style, supported by comprehensive benefits packages. Employers need to innovate continuously to stay competitive and attract top talent. Data & BI Leaders: Navigating a Rapidly Growing Sector The data analytics sector is projected to grow exponentially, reaching $778 billion by 2030. To attract and retain top talent, leaders must offer more than competitive salaries: Current Offerings:Consider low-cost healthcare options, hybrid working models, and a focus on work produced rather than hours worked. Next Steps:Add flexibility, develop genuine ESG policies, and review wellbeing benefits. Future Plans:Prepare for a global talent pool, support digital nomads, and adapt to the 'lifestyle-to-work' approach. Gen AI Use Case: Product Data Industrialisation by Carl Smith The use case presented focuses on leveraging Generative AI (GenAI) to optimise product data, improve search engine visibility, and drive sales. Key Points Products that rank higher in search engine results sell more. This can be achieved through: SEA (Search Engine Advertising):Paid ads to boost visibility. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation):Enhancing web content to improve organic search rankings. SEO Strategies On-Page SEO:Optimise content quality, keywords, meta tags, URL structure, internal linking, mobile-friendliness, and page performance. Off-Page SEO:Build high-quality backlinks, leverage social signals, and optimise for local SEO. Technical SEO:Improve site architecture, mobile optimisation, SSL, speed optimisation, XML sitemaps, and robots.txt. Product Description Optimisation Length and Structure:Use concise sentences, bullet points, headings, and images. Language:Highlight unique features and benefits with clear, meaningful writing. SEO:Naturally incorporate high-frequency, low-competition keywords. Customer Value:Emphasise how the product benefits customers with lifestyle writing. Call to Action:Summarise benefits and include a clear action prompt. Buyer Persona:Tailor descriptions to stimulate customer desires and reflect brand character. Key Takeaways Prompt Engineering:Better prompts lead to improved GenAI outputs. Input Quality:Detailed input data yields better results. GenAI as a Tool:Requires iteration and validation for optimal use. SEO Optimisation:GenAI helps create high-quality SEO product descriptions. Stepping Stone:Use GenAI outputs as a base for further refinement. By adopting these strategies, businesses can enhance product visibility, improve search rankings, and increase sales through effective use of GenAI in SEO optimisation. Securing Investment for Data & AI Initiatives by Faye Murray Challenges and Barriers Securing funding for data and AI projects remains a significant hurdle, with over 70% of executives citing it as a challenge. Many projects fail to move from pilot to production due to funding issues, perceived high costs, and lack of executive sponsorship. Funding Difficulties:High costs and uncertain ROI hinder investment. Economic Constraints:Competing priorities and financial limits reduce funding. Perception Issues:AI projects are seen as risky investments. Lack of Understanding:Limited awareness of AI benefits. Executive Sponsorship:Difficult to secure necessary leadership support. Strategies for Success Demonstrate Value Quickly:Focus on quick wins with clear deliverables and quantifiable outcomes. Use POCs:Allocate time for innovation and tie POCs to strategic objectives. Creative Resourcing:Leverage internal and external resources cost-effectively. Align with Business Objectives:Ensure projects are aligned with strategic & business goals. Continuous Improvement:Regularly update and iterate strategies. Internal Champions:Foster a data-literate culture and recruit internal advocates. Business Case Identify the Problem:Clearly define the issue. Analyse the Cause:Determine the root problem. Assess the Impact:Outline the consequences of inaction. Propose the Solution:Describe the benefits of the solution. Preparing for AI: AI-Ready Data and AI-First People by Christopher Knight To leverage AI effectively, organisations need high-quality, timely, relevant, accurate, and consistent data. AI-ready leaders understand AI's strategic value and drive adoption, while AI-first teams and contributors integrate AI into their workflows and continuously learn and innovate. By addressing these challenges and focusing on strategic, flexible, and innovative approaches, leaders in the data, analytics, and AI market can navigate the complexities of a multi-generational workforce and rapidly evolving technology landscape. Key Actions for Becoming AI-Ready Data Preparation Invest in data management tools and practices to ensure data quality. Regularly update and clean data to maintain its timeliness and accuracy. Standardise data formats and integrate data from various sources. Skill Development ● Provide training and development programs to enhance AI skills among employees. ● Encourage continuous learning and staying updated with the latest AI trends and technologies. Leadership and Culture Develop AI literacy among leadership to foster a supportive environment for AI initiatives. Promote a culture of innovation and experimentation with AI. Strategic Alignment Align AI projects with business goals to demonstrate value and secure investment. Prioritise AI initiatives that offer clear, measurable benefits. Collaboration and Communication Foster collaboration between AI specialists and other departments. Maintain open communication channels to keep stakeholders informed about AI projects and their progress. AI-Ready Data Ensuring your data is ready for AI is crucial for successful implementation. The key characteristics of AI-ready data include: Timeliness:Data must be up-to-date to be relevant for AI applications. Old or outdated data can lead to inaccurate insights and decisions. Accuracy:The data should be correct and free from errors. Inaccurate data can significantly impact the performance of AI models. Consistency:Data should be uniform across different sources and systems. This means following standardised formats and ensuring data is harmonised. Completeness:Data sets should be fully populated with minimal missing values. Incomplete data can lead to biased or incorrect AI model outputs. Availability:Data should be easily accessible when needed for AI processing. Delays in accessing data can slow down AI initiatives. Validity:Data values must fall within acceptable ranges and adhere to business rules. This ensures that the data used in AI models is sensible and meaningful. AI-First People Building an AI-ready workforce involves cultivating AI-first leaders, teams, and contributors. This human aspect is as important as having the right data. AI-First Leader Understands the strategic value of AI. Integrates AI into the organisation's vision. Drives AI adoption across the organisation. Focuses on leveraging AI to enhance decision-making and innovation. AI-First Team Comprised of members proficient in AI technologies. Adaptable to changes and new AI developments. Collaborates effectively to integrate AI into workflows and projects. AI-First Contributor Actively utilises AI tools and techniques in their role. Continuously learns about AI advancements. Contributes to the organisation’s AI initiatives by applying AI to improve processes and outcomes. Summary In conclusion, navigating the landscape of data, AI, workforce diversity, and digital transformation demands proactive strategies and adaptive approaches. 4 key takeaways 1. Implement flexible work arrangements and policies Flexible work policies that cater to the preferences of different generations, such as hybrid work models are vital. This adaptation can enhance employee satisfaction and productivity across the board. 2. Invest in comprehensive SEO strategies (both on-page and off-page) The successful use of GenAI SEO strategies like optimised product visibility and sales performance on digital platforms are key to ultimately improving sales. This includes focusing on technical SEO aspects like site architecture and mobile optimisation. 3. Build a compelling business case for data and AI initiatives By emphasising quick wins and low-hanging fruit for these business cases, you demonstrate immediate value and ROI. Engage internal stakeholders early and align projects with strategic objectives to secure necessary funding and resources. 4. Establish AI-ready data practices by ensuring data is timely, accurate, and accessible Foster a culture of AI adoption among employees (AI-First People) by providing training and resources that promote proficiency and innovation in AI technologies. About the author Joshis a Senior Consultant with over 5 years of experience, based in our Birmingham offices. With a passion for recruitment, Josh has a wealth of knowledge within the technology space, providing clients with leading Data professionals of all levels. Discover our latest roles here. To find out how Harvey Nash can support you with your recruitment needs, please click here.

What questions are leaders thinking about now where AI and robotics are concerned? Last week Amazon Web Services (AWS) teamed up with Harvey Nash to host over 100 digital leaders to engage in a discussion focused on the frontier of autonomy. As we start to grapple with the impact of AI and robotics it feels more important than ever to dive into the topic with our community. The afternoon was built around a second public screening of Nash Squared’s film ‘A Near Future You're Not Prepared For’ which explores how organisations are preparing for the disruption caused by emerging technology like AI. It highlights the lack of cohesive AI policies and regulation across organisations and governments, which threatens to stifle innovation and put talent at risk. In the film academics and leaders discuss how best to ethically implement AI while supporting their workforce through current technological disruption akin to the industrial revolution, especially given the concerns of job losses to automation. The film provides a nuanced perspective: AI can alleviate humans from dangerous or monotonous work, creating new opportunities in an AI-driven economy. With the scene set we heard from a number of expert voices including Slalom’s Richard Fayers, Niall Robinson from the Met Office, Eddie Seymour of Nvidia, BladeBug’s Chris Cieslak, this year’s most influential woman in tech (Computer Weekly) Suki Fuller and Mike Curtis-Rouse of Catapult. The discussions were hosted by Cheryl Razzell and Jon Hammant, both from AWS. So where does such a broad and knowledgeable group feel we need to spend time really thinking about this technology? The panel explored the potential of AI-powered "smart cities" to improve urban planning, transportation, utilities and more, but also raised challenges around data privacy and equitable access. There was reference to AI guilt and the idea that younger members of teams will use AI tools available to them, but they may also hide the fact that they do because it could be frowned upon. If the right guardrails are in place then there is zero reason to feel any guilt, but addressing that emotion is something leaders need to do to stop adoption happening out of sight and with unintended consequences. It will also compound any efforts made to get the workforce GenAI ready. Data privacy and a particular focus on bias was a recurring theme. How do we address bias present in the data used to train AI models? The need was placed on emphasising diverse data sets and rigorous testing to mitigate discrimination and unintended consequences. One panelist warned that lax data governance might lead to some form of ‘mad cow’ for AI. The panel took time to consider the current state and future advancements of robotics and automation technology, and the potential for societal change. Are we giving enough thought to the ethical questions posed by building technology? Technology used in the development of a wind farm can be used to propel a rocket. Whilst tech is rarely ever developed with bad intentions we are culpable as an industry if we simply fail to engage in the debate. That may be the most pertinent take away. Much of the technology innovation to emerge in the past decade has been narrow in it's application, even if it's unlocked huge benefits (Cloud for example). AI is a tool set that's being applied to so many situations that it's hard to assess its impact. Almost as quickly as we have an understanding of one aspect of the change we face, the picture evolves, and at this point in time debate and community is more important than ever. About the Panel Jon Hammant,Head of Compute for EMEA at Amazon Web Services (AWS) Niall Robinson,Head of Product Futures at Met Office Mike Curtis-Rouse,Head of In-Orbit Servicing & Manufacturing - Satellite Applications at Catapult Eddie Seymour,European Director at NVIDIA Chris Cieslak, Founder and Director at BladeBUG Limited Suki Fuller, Founder | Analytical Storyteller,WINNER 2023 Most Influential Women in UK Technology About the author David Savage is the Group Technology Evangelist for our parent company, Nash Squared. He has a deep understanding of the technology and talent markets and spends his time crafting podcasts, hosting video debates, speaking, moderating conferences, and chairing keynote stages. Since 2017, he has been the editor and host of Tech Talks, a show about leadership and technology currently ranked as one of the most popular podcasts in the world.