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Prestigious keynote speaker lineup announced for major North East IT conference

A host of leading national and regional players from the the North East’s IT community are set to deliver keynote speeches at the Dynamo 15 conference, later this month.

The conference, themed North East Tech Impacts the World, is aimed at showcasing and celebrating the strength, breadth and vitality of North East businesses in the sector.

Staged at the University of Sunderland’s St Peter’s Campus, about 200 delegates have already signed up for the event, which has attracted major players from the world of IT and is on track to be a fully-booked success.

Featuring 40-plus national and regional speakers, keynote sessions will include:

• Steph McGovern, one of the BBC’s leading economic commentators, who gave her take on the North East’s commercial outlook and its place in the world of business as well as hosting a panel discussion on Our Region – Our Future
• Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of The Sage Group, plc.
• Bob Paton, Managing Director of Accenture’s Newcastle Delivery Centre
• Chris Rothwell, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Microsoft
• Stephen Guss, General Manager at Nissan, on IT and the Automotive supply chain
• Ian Walshaw, Head of IT at gaming giant Tombola
• Neil Crockett, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Catapult
• Markus Milstead, Chief Executive Officer of Omlis
• Dean Benson, Chief Executive Officer of Visualsoft
• Paul Fellows, Chief Operating Officer at Performance Horizon Group
• Jess Tyrrell, Director of Connecting Tech City Centre for London on the future of the North East Digital Economy

Dynamo15 will highlight the North East’s IT expertise, knowhow and skills with a range of exhibitors and workshops and will include an interactive playroom. It also will provide extensive networking opportunities.

Charlie Hoult, Dynamo Chairman, said: “Dynamo has pushed the IT agenda along really far since our inaugural event in 2014.

“We really want Dynamo 15 to be a show of support for the sector, for the Government’s Northern Powerhouse agenda and how we can get the North East designated as the tech lead in the North.”

The conference’s headline supporters are Accenture and Sage with backing also obtained from Make It Sunderland, University of Sunderland, Baltic Training Services, Quantum Law, Orchard Information Systems and Opencast Software.

Bob Paton, Managing Director of Accenture’s Newcastle Delivery Centre, said: “It is important that we celebrate and showcase the positive impact that the IT sector is not only having on the North East’s economy, but how it is adding to our region’s national and global reputation for innovation and creativity.”

Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of The Sage Group plc, said: “The North East has a strong heritage of technological innovation. The inventive, hard-working spirit that sits at the heart of this community remains as strong today as it ever has been. We’re immensely proud to have our roots in the North East.

Dynamo is credited with notching up notable successes that will benefit the region’s economy. This has included bidding and winning a tender to create a University Technical College in Newcastle; setting up the Dynamo Apprentice Hub; introducing SME tech firms to HMRC’s Government Digital Service; and helping Newcastle Gateshead Initiative with inward investment projects North East.

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