Katie Gallagher
One of the Tech Women Celebration 50 - women changing the ratio of the tech workforce
Katie Gallagher is the managing director of Manchester Digital, the not-for-profit trade body for the tech and digital sector in the North West, as well as being the founder of the North West Cyber Resilience Centre. She is a member of the Government's Digital Skills Council and the Barclays Eagle Labs Independent Advisory Panel. She is also the chair of the UK Tech Cluster Group, which champions regional tech eco-systems outside London.
She works alongside tech leaders, the education sector, regional and central government to build and grow the regional tech economy, as well as developing programmes to increase diversity in the North West workplace.
Manchester Digital was formed in 2001 and consisted of a small group of business leaders coming together to support the digital industry. Katie was asked to become managing director in 2011 and since then has grown the membership organisation to include 500 tech and digital businesses, ranging from FTSE listed corporations, startups, agencies and freelancers. She saw an amazing opportunity to both support and develop the sector, as well as creating programmes to ensure that the sector is opened up and accessible to a wide range of people.
Katie has spearheaded numerous initiatives to bring people from diverse backgrounds into the tech industry, hosted many events to showcase knowledge and innovation and built relationships with MPs and municipal leaders to represent the views of our tech members in influencing legislation. Her work makes a tangible difference to people's lives - creating social mobility and opportunities for a diverse group of people in a difficult economic time.
One of the initiatives that Katie developed specifically to support women in the tech industry is called Digital Her. Since launching in 2018, Digital Her has reached more than 4,600 women; supported 200 schools and colleges, and built a community of 300 'real role models' who give up their time to encourage women to consider a career in tech.
Katie also led the development of Manchester Digital's tech apprenticeship programme, which was launched in 2016. This programme was developed as a direct response to the tech industry in Greater Manchester struggling to fill tech roles, particularly with the specific skills that they need to grow their businesses. It was also set up to create another pathway which enabled people from diverse backgrounds, particularly women, to enter the tech industry in a paid role that encompassed training and support.
Alison Ross, chair of Manchester Digital's board and chief people and operations director at Auto Trader commented: "Katie has worked incredibly hard to set up a number of initiatives to encourage women into the tech industry, as well as supporting the wider tech industry. She rarely seeks attention for the huge amount of graft that she does so on behalf of the Manchester Digital board, we would love to see her work recognised. Her years at the helm of Manchester Digital, growing its influence and range of initiatives, are inextricably linked with the growth of Manchester as the UK's leading tech cluster outside London."