Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was among the roster of speakers to open up the Digital City Festival, which places a key focus on fintech and digital tech.
The festival, which runs from the 9th to the 13th March 2020, will be a celebration of the growing digital economy in the North and beyond, and an opportunity for globally focused organisations to connect, innovate and collaborate.
It comprises a wide range of events, including a landmark expo, as well as masterclasses, networking opportunities, workshops and much more. The event will cover the worlds of creative, marketing and technology featuring industry leaders such as Google, Boohoo, IBM, Unilever, The Very Group, the Co-op and Social Chain.
Speaking at the launch, Burnham emphasised his elation at the city being a top-tech town in the UK, adding that Manchester is at the heart of the ‘new industrial revolution’.
He underlined his belief that digitalisation and decarbonisation will be vital in 21st century economic growth and that he was looking to strengthen the City of Manchester’s status in both.
He also stated that both retail tech and fintech are pertinent strengths for the city as it continues to attract some of the top talent globally.
Furthermore, ahead of an engaging five days of content, Patrick Gormley, lead for the festival’s headline partner Capita Consulting, highlighted that it simply makes business sense for tech companies to move workforce from the south to northern cities as innovation becomes an increasingly key factor.
Meanwhile Jo Graham CIO from launch event host Boohoo added that in the current climate, it’s imperative that e-commerce companies are up to date with the latest tech trends.
