The Voices In The Shadow Festival - Helping Black Females Thrive In Tech

Welcome to The Voices In The Shadow Festival, the annual event for Black women wanting to thrive into tech as a professional or as an entrepreneur.

Our Festival is dedicated to supporting, connecting and celebrating Black women. We help you:

• Thrive in tech: Do you want to successfully progress within your career in tech and break the glass ceiling to leadership? This festival is for you.

• Get in tech: Are you looking to transition into tech or make your entry into tech? This festival is for you. You don’t need to already be in tech to attend this festival.

• Become a successful tech entrepreneur: Do you want to start your tech business and/or need guidance to scale your business? This festival is for you.

This year will give you the keys to elevating your success, inspiring you, helping you grow in your tech career or as an entrepreneur and making new connections. Throughout the day, you will get plenty to learn new strategies, connect, unleash new opportunities, and network with brands, our speakers and other delegates.

Our festival is open to all levels, genders and ethnicities.

This event is for all levels: Students to C-suites looking to get into tech, progress within their tech careers or become entrepreneurs.

• Onsite: You will get our designed tote bag, snacks and refreshments. Optionally, you can also get the book.
• What else to expect: Meet top tech brands, photos and interviews

Discover top speakers from top brands for our professional programme

1 – The Professional Programme

Join us for an extraordinary event celebrating the remarkable achievements of Inspirational Black Women in Tech. We’ll be shining the light on Black female tech titans – an incredible group of women who are breaking barriers, smashing glass ceilings and reshaping the landscape of the tech industry.

Pillar 1: Career Success Stories of Black Women in Tech

This engaging session will bring together a diverse group of accomplished professionals who have shattered glass ceilings and achieved groundbreaking milestones in their careers. Through lively conversations and thought-provoking exchanges, they will share their personal triumphs, discuss their strategies, and offer practical advice to those aspiring to follow in their footsteps.

• Deborah Womack – EY Partner
• Belinda Djamson – Managing Director at Accenture
• Rashada Harry – Director at AWS
• Kezia Anim-Addo – Director of Communications- Africa, Middle East & Turkey at Meta
• Penny Ezechie – Director at Deutsche Bank

Pillar 2: Career Building With Leaders

Whether you’re just starting your career or seeking to take it to the next level, this pillar is your gateway to success in the tech industry. Our panel will delve into rapidly expanding domains, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, data science, and more. Discover how these emerging fields can unlock exciting prospects for career advancement and explore the skills and expertise required to excel in each domain. Gain valuable advice on how to leverage these new tech opportunities and position yourself for success in the digital age.

• Amber Shand – Software Engineer at Skyscanner
• Jolawn Victor – Board Director at Jebbit
• Marie Feliho – Director of Customer Experience at Virgin Media O2
• Morag Ofili – Founder of Kiltered
• Kate Philpot – Senior Director, Global Sales Enablement at Getty Images

Pillar 3: Intersectionality, Health and Wellness

As we navigate the intricacies of modern technology and innovation, it is imperative that we recognise and address the multifaceted dimensions of diversity, health, and well-being that intersect within our industry. Join our panel of experts as they look at ways in which we can foster an inclusive environment that values the well-being of all its employees to drive innovation, enhance creativity, and create products that truly serve the diverse needs of our global society.

• Ramat Tejani – Strategic Partnerships Lead at Google and CEO of Inspiration Box
• Karimi Kihato – Global HR Director at Smiths
• Lee Chambers – CEO of Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing
• Ngozi Weller – Director at Aurora
• Tolu Osinubi – Director at Deloitte UK

Pillar 4: Building your financial wealth and beyond

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, mastering the art of financial growth is not just desirable, but essential. Building financial wealth and beyond requires a combination of knowledge, discipline, mindset, and adaptability. It’s not just about accumulating money; it’s about creating a life of security, abundance, and impact. This pillar aims to empower you with a comprehensive understanding of effective money management, investing, and wealth-building techniques.

You will have the opportunity to learn from seasoned financial experts, explore diverse investment avenues, and gain insights into cultivating sustainable long-term wealth. You will also receive complimentary financial consultations from a TV Star financial adviser, Emmanuel Asuquo.

• Emmanuel Asuquo – ITV Guest Presenter, Author & Financial Adviser
• Helene Mendy – Consultant at Workday
• Selina Flavius – Director of Black Girl Finance
• Kelly McKenzie – CEO & Founder of Kelly Upstaged

Discover top speakers from top brands for our entrepreneur programme

2 – The Entrepreneurship Programme

Join us alongside remarkable women who aren’t just building successful businesses; they’re also fostering innovation, inclusivity and social change. These visionary Black female entrepreneurs are paving the way for a more diverse and inclusive tech landscape. Their stories and guidance remind us that true progress is achieved when all voices are heard and represented.

Pillar 1: Stories of Business Growth and Success

Join a diverse group of entrepreneurs and business experts who have experienced remarkable growth and achieved significant success in their respective fields. Our panellists will share their insights, strategies, and lessons learned throughout their journeys.

• Eric Collins – CEO of Impact X
• Zuleika Philips – Director at Intuit
• Lorraine Wright – Former Director at Meta
• Dayo Akinrinade – CEO & Founder of Wisdom
• Lou Nylander – CEO of Wildflowers

Pillar 2: Entrepreneurial Skills and Resilience

Possessing the right skills and being resilient is essential for the success of any entrepreneur. This pillar will cover a wide range of topics, including business planning, market positioning, marketing and sales strategies, team building, coping mechanisms to overcome challenges in entrepreneurship, cultivating a growth mindset and embracing failure as part of the entrepreneurial journey and much more.

Learn from the panellists’ experiences as they share their insights, lessons learned, and best practices for successfully navigating the challenging landscape of the tech industry. Gain valuable guidance on how to overcome common obstacles, leverage opportunities, and build a sustainable and scalable business.

• Oyinkansola Adebayo – CEO & Founder Niyo Group
• Daniela Nyarko – Senior Strategic Consultant at Canva
• Sarah Wernér – CEO & Founder of Husmus
• Hana Abdi – CEO & Founder of HanaCodes
• Lynette Nabbosa – CEO & CO-Founder of Elimu

Pillar 3: Pitch for Success and Growth

Pitching your business is a crucial skill for any entrepreneur or startup founder. It involves presenting your business idea, product, or service to potential investors, partners, customers, or stakeholders compellingly and concisely. A successful pitch can open doors to funding, collaborations, and growth opportunities.

At this year’s festival, we are giving 6 entrepreneurs and businesses the chance to pitch their businesses to our panel of expert masters. Those who have been pre-selected to participate will have the opportunity to present their business idea, product or service and receive constructive feedback and insights from our four masters.

This pillar will provide you with access to business resources, legal advice, and intellectual property protection clinics. As well as the opportunity to build a supportive community of Black women entrepreneurs to share knowledge and experiences.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or a current business owner looking to take your venture to new heights, this pillar is a must-attend event. Immerse yourself in the knowledge, experiences, and perspectives of successful Black entrepreneurs who have thrived in the tech industry. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain invaluable insights, forge connections, and uncover the strategies needed to start and scale a business in the ever-evolving tech landscape.

• Chenelle Ansah – Managing Partner of LightPace VC
• Raphael Sofoluke – CEO of UK Black Business Show
• Izzy Obeng – CEO & Founder of Foundervine
• Leke Sholuade – Founder of Black Valley

Register for our Priority Access to Entrepreneur programme ticket to receive details on how to register for our business pitch pillar. Successful applicants will also receive a FREE pitch template to follow. Details are provided in your confirmation email.

Promo code offer: WeAreTheCity members have an exclusive 50% discount for this event, please book using promo code MICHAEL50

REGISTER HERE

Meet top brands and explore career opportunities

FREE FESTIVAL PASSES FOR STUDENTS AND JOB SEEKERS!

Would you like to attend The Voices In The Shadow Festival 2023? We’re thrilled to invite a limited number of students and those currently looking for new opportunities to the festival completely FREE of charge!

Our Festival is dedicated to supporting, connecting and celebrating Black women. Whether you’re looking to transition into tech, make your entry into tech or simply want to start building your network, this festival is for you!

To secure your FREE ticket, simply complete our Student and Job Seeker form and send it back to us.

Student and Job Seeker Application Form

Discover why your talent is perfect for a career at Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading digital, cloud and security capabilities. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, they offer Strategy and Consulting, Technology and Operations Services and Accenture Song—powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centres.

They generate new thinking faster and develop innovative solutions for their clients because they prioritize the crucial value unlocked from the diversity of thought and lived experiences.

GTA Black Women in Tech are excited to have a brand membership with a company committed to taking action around ethnicity to ensure greater equality and increase representation across their business (with black colleagues currently making up 4% of their workforce in the U.K. and Ireland).

Accenture is opposed to discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability or any other dimension of diversity. They want to be a catalyst for positive change, starting with building the world’s most inclusive and diverse team.

Click here to find out more