Tech City UK is delighted to congratulate our Chair, Baroness Joanna Shields, on her appointment as Minister for Internet Safety and Security at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, where she will focus on protecting the safety and security of citizens online.

Due to her Ministerial position, Baroness Shields will step down as Chair. Tech City UK will begin looking for a new Chair while Baroness Shields continues to support the organisation, remaining as an advisor to the Board.

“It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of Tech City UK,” said Baroness Shields. “I am immensely proud of what the community it serves has accomplished, as well as the development of the team and the organisation. In my time working with Tech City UK, this country has become a digital powerhouse. There are 1.5M people employed in the digital sector with more and more people becoming entrepreneurs.”

The UK has one of the most vibrant technology markets in the world. 50% of the UK’s digital companies have been formed since 2008 and the sector is set to grow at four times the rate of GDP. As a result the UK now ranks as the fastest growing economy in the G7.

“Baroness Shields has provided great leadership and guidance to Tech City UK,” said Gerard Grech, CEO of Tech City UK. “Her foresight and enthusiasm have helped change the UK’s global reputation in digital innovation. Her ideas and dedication have also helped drive the delivery of high-impact programmes such as Future Fifty, HQ-UK, Tech Nation and the Digital Business Academy among others. I look forward to continue working with her in her new capacity”

The digital revolution is taking place across the country, as shown by our recent Tech Nation report which examined 21 tech clusters across the UK, with their own strengths and unique characters, reflecting the people, the DNA and heritage of each city.