Industry Forum Business Reception

The keynote speaker at the recent Industry Forum Business Reception was one of our favourite speakers, Chi Onwurah MP for Newcastle Central and West. While she was with us, we also heard that she had been elected Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee. Also, dropping in briefly, was Bill Esterson MP for Sefton Central who had just heard that he has been elected Chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee. Rod Dowler, Executive Chair of the Industry Forum welcomed guests to the event, held in the Churchill room of the House of Commons for Industry Forum members and friends from the business, diplomatic and academic worlds to meet up with and welcome members of the new administration, after Labour's landslide win. As technology plays an ever more important part of our lives it was appropriate that the evening was sponsored by two fantastically successful tech companies, Workday and Vodafone. James Johns, Head of Government Affairs for Workday in the UK and Paul Morris, who leads Vodafone’s government relations team, both said a few words about their companies and the opportunities for using technology more in building a UK economic recovery. With so much to celebrate it demonstrated the challenges facing the new administration that our Parliamentary host for the evening Rt Hon Darren Jones MP Jones MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury was unable to join us because of a late-night meeting in the Treasury.