DataFest 2021
The Balmoral, Edinburgh
DF21 was the first edition of the event in which I played a major role. Following the cancellation of the 2020 event due to the pandemic, it was imperative to regain the momentum the brand had built while operating within the confines of COVID restrictions. I was tasked with programming and organising the event on a smaller scale than previous years as a precursor to a full return in 2022/2023.
The event sold out within a month of its announcement and the waiting list was extensive. Attendee satisfaction was 95% and perfectly set the scene for subsequent years.
To source our participants I worked extensively with the speaker agency JLA. Political participants, such as the First Minister, were secured via the official Scottish Government channels.
I was asked to maintain the existing branding to ensure continuity from the 2019 event, though as part of my pitch for the role of Head of DataFest I made a complete rebrand a priority.
Speakers
Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland
Nina Schick – Deepfakes and The Synthetic Media
Professor Kevin Fong OBE – The Anatomy of Hope
Reema Patel – Post-pandemic Data Futures
Mike Berners-Lee – What Numbers Can and Can’t Tell Us About Sustainability