Jennifer Hartley, March 2, 2016 2 min read
We have some exciting news – Jennifer Hartley, Trade and Investment Director at Tech North, is taking up a newly created role as Deputy Head of Tech North. Over to Jen…
I’m delighted to be taking up this new role as Deputy Head of Tech North. Having led our trade and investment activity at Tech North since joining last October, I’ve worked on some incredible projects with some very talented and passionate colleagues and members of the community, and I’m excited to take a leading role in the next phase of our journey.
I joined the team with much excitement in the combined efforts to grow the tech economy across the North and in turn the UK. Having grown up in Preston, completed my undergrad and post grad degrees in Newcastle, worked in law in Leeds and Sunderland, promoted the North East as a business location to overseas investors, and with family in Cheshire, I feel proud and inspired to work across a patch I know and love so well.
With a masters’ degree in International Law from Newcastle University and years of inward investment experience, I’ve spent a lot of time travelling to global key investment markets and therefore understand the business drivers and challenges of technology companies from pre-startup stage through to global players.
This has involved remotely managing teams and consultants across the globe, from Germany and the US to Japan and India, supporting large and small companies with investment opportunities in the UK.
In recent years I’ve worked on large technology driven projects and I’m proud to have mentored startups for local accelerator ignite 100 as well as sitting on the board of the North East IT cluster Organisation Dynamo with fellow board members Sage plc, Accenture, HP, DWP and Ubisoft.
I start my new role on Monday 7 March after leaving my position as Senior Investment Manager at NewcastleGateshead Initiative, and I’m very much looking forward to being able to dedicate my time fully to Tech North for the year ahead. I’ll continue heading up our trade and investment activity from my base up in the North East, but I’ll also act as second-in-command to the new Head of Tech North when they are in place.
I’m passionate about playing a leading role in helping to accelerate the tech economy in the north of England, working with the fantastic team at Tech North. It’s an exciting time for Tech North and the northern tech community. We have lots to look forward to, not least our activity at the SXSW conference in Texas next week, the forthcoming Talent & Skills Summit on 18 March, the next round of our Northern Stars programme, our second Founders’ Network event, and the new Northern Co-Investment fund we’re creating, along with all the sponsorships and support we’re providing for events happening across the North of England. I look forward to updating you all on our progress.
