Barclays chief design officer joins new London tech ambassadors group

Barclays chief design officer joins new London tech ambassadors group

Barclays' Derek White has been named a technology ambassador by London Mayor Boris Johnson as part of a push to make the city the tech capital of the world.

White is one of nine members of the London Tech Ambassadors Group, which also includes Kathryn Parsons, Co-CEO Decoded, a digital literacy outfit, and Gerard Grech, CEO of Tech City UK.

The news comes as a new YouGov survey of tech firms based in London reveals that 84% believe the outlook is bright for their sector and 71% think that being based in the capital will help them attract the investment they need.

Says Johnson: "There is nowhere to rival London for tech firms to thrive and grow - we have the talent, the investors, and the entrepreneurial spirit...I want London's world-class tech sector to be as well known around the globe as our tourism, arts and financial services - it certainly deserves to be."

As part of the push, this June the city will host its first London Technology Week, comprising a series of 25 events across the capital that will bring together over 1000 influential advocates.

Last March, Johnson opened Canary Wharf-based Level39, Europe's largest "accelerator space" for financial technology, providing small fintech firms with an office, events and social area.

Finextra is partnering with Level39 to present Future Money, a two-day event in Canary Wharf that will bring together senior business, IT and innovation participants at banks, VCs, start-ups and industry influencers to network and learn more about the competitive threats and collaborative opportunities for banks in the digital era.

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