Reed Women in Technology - Cardiff Meetup

Our first Cardiff meetup for the Reed women in technology community, hosted by Creditsafe in partnership with Target Group, providing an opportunity for people to learn more about this fantastic community and learn from our fantastic speakers.

Come and join us for an evening, of networking, with food, drinks and inspiring discussion.

Talks:

"Menopause matters – Empowering workplace conversation and breaking down taboos"

Emma Jayne Williams, Learning and Development Business Partner, Target Group

With over 20 years of experience in Learning and Development, Emma is passionate about supporting colleagues to excel both personally and professionally. At Target Group, Emma leads the delivery of innovative learning solutions, oversees client onboarding, and spearheads the Leadership Development Program. Her expertise in enhancing colleague capabilities and fostering a high-performing culture makes her a key driver of organisational growth. Emma-Jane's skill and dedication were recognised when she won the "Trainer/Coach of the Year" award at the Cnect Wales Contact Centre Industry Awards 2023.

Outside of work, Emma keeps busy spending quality time with her two children. She also has a passion for live music, which she says; “Evokes emotions that recorded music can't match. It's great for my mental health, and there's nothing like the goosebumps I get from seeing my favourite artist perform”.

"From transactional to transformational – Reimagining the home ownership journey"

Katie Pender, Chief Operating Officer, Target Group

Katie is dedicated to driving growth and strengthening client relationships at Target. She empowers frontline colleagues with the skills they need to enhance customer experiences. Since joining Target in 2019, Katie has been pivotal in their success. She was the brainchild for their revolutionary Mortgage Hub origination solution, which won the 2024 Mortgage Technology Provider of the Year at the prestigious Money Age Mortgage Awards. Prior to becoming COO, Katie served as Managing Director of Target's lender division. With over a decade of experience in financial services, she excels in mortgage operations, digital transformation and change management.

Outside of work, Katie is a devoted dog Mum. She also enjoys spending time with her 21 nieces and nephews and perfecting her sourdough baking and sewing skills.

Panel Discussion:

Lowrhi Francis - Data Manager, Admiral Group
Lowrhi is the Data Manager of the UK Holistic MI team within Admiral Group. Originally beginning her data career in 2019 as a Junior Analyst, she has worked with a wide range of business areas within Admiral while progressing her career. She is passionate about providing actionable insights that result in data-driven decisions, supporting the learning and development of others, innovative problem solving, and upholding data best practise and quality.

Helen Morris- Engineering Director, Creditsafe
After a swift change in degree subject, I started out as an Oracle developer 25 years ago, working for a number of Power companies such as SWALEC, SSE and Npower and supporting all manner of business functions. Over the course of my career at Creditsafe, I have transitioned from crafting intricate database systems to leading dynamic engineering teams, driving innovation and efficiency in the industry. I'm primarily focused on using data-driven insights to empower organizations, ensuring that technology serves both businesses and consumers responsibly. As a dedicated advocate for women in tech, I am particularly enthusiastic in helping our young people discover the wide range of opportunities that technology offers.

Gemma Bale - Head of Brand and Product, Monmouthshire Building Society
I have 20 years experience across financial services and fintech marketing and product design. Including companies such as Lloyds Banking Group, GoCompare, Legal and General, LV= and Monmouthshire Building Society. I have a huge passion for customer experience and user centred design across every touchpoint advocate for research led design and development. I’ve led on large change programmes including transformation, digital acquisition, rebranding, mass migration projects, CRM, new project development, go to market launches and customer insight led propositions.

Peter O'connor - Chief Executive Officer, Target Group

About the Reed Women in Technology CommunityA

The Reed Women in Technology Community is a 2,750 person network established in 2019 to help close the gender gap in the Technology industry. We do this by:

Supporting women in technology and transformation to achieve their goals and ambitions. Through:

-Access to mentoring (Over the last 5 years we have created over 1,450 mentoring relationships)

-Access to personal & professional development opportunities (weekly webinars, workshops. coaching sessions)

-Access to networking opportunities (In person and virtual)

Bringing more women in to the industry. By:

-Increasing visibility of female role models

-Demystifying tech roles

-Providing the above support to people trying to enter the industry (transitioners, returners, early careers)

-Creating better pathways in to technology careers

Host or Publisher Reed Technology Leadership Practice