Sheffield Digital adds two directors as co-founder Mel Kanarek steps down

Sheffield Digital has made changes to its board and announced new partnerships and initiatives aimed at strengthening its support for digital businesses and professionals in the region.

The organisation revealed at its Autumn Senior Leaders Dinner that James Charlesworth and Rachel Ovens are joining as directors. Co-founder and director Mel Kanarek is leaving after more than 11 years at the helm.

The changes come as artificial intelligence alters the way businesses start, operate and grow. Sheffield Digital says it wants to build on its existing foundations and add new expertise, viewpoints and opportunities to its support for the region’s digital ecosystem.

New directors

Charlesworth is a Sheffield-based product engineering leader and site lead for Pendo’s office in the city, where he has expanded the company’s local presence and integrated it into its global R&D function. His background covers engineering, technical leadership and AI.

He also runs Sheffield AI, a community for local engineers, researchers, enthusiasts and business leaders, and has belonged to Sheffield Digital as an individual member for over six years.

“I’m particularly interested in how we can help Sheffield’s technology businesses grow and succeed, while continuing to strengthen the grassroots communities that make the city such a great place to work in tech,” he said.

“I’d love to see more successful product companies being built and scaled here, more opportunities for local talent, and stronger connections between businesses, universities and the wider technology community.”

Ovens, who heads marketing at the independent training provider Whyy? Change, brings experience in strategic marketing and skills development. She is an approved tutor for the Chartered Institute of Marketing and focuses on SEO, digital marketing and the development of marketers through apprenticeships and professional training.

She already has close links with Sheffield Digital and the local tech community, attending events and taking part in the organisation’s mentoring scheme.

“As a member, I’ve experienced first-hand how Sheffield Digital has expanded my network and created new opportunities for collaboration, including bringing guest speakers into my marketing apprenticeship groups,” she said. “I am committed to driving the organisation’s sustainable growth so that it can continue to facilitate further opportunities for the wider Sheffield tech ecosystem.”

Kanarek steps down

Kanarek has played a central role in setting up and developing Sheffield Digital since it was formed in 2015. She was among the original team who saw that the city’s digital businesses needed a collective voice and stronger representation.

Over the past decade she has helped it grow into an established membership organisation that forms a key part of the region’s tech infrastructure.

Her work has also reached beyond Sheffield. She helped establish the UK Tech Cluster Group, which links regional organisations nationally to grow and support the UK tech industry. She also led the push for Sheffield’s first Digital Festival, held annually for four years, with online and hybrid versions during the pandemic.

She said: “I’d like to see the organisation continue to evolve by responding to the needs of its community, with more people involved in running the organisation. I’d really like that group and the community as a whole to be more diverse.

“I know that Sheffield Digital is in very good hands.”

Partnerships

Sheffield Digital has also announced several developments intended to widen its reach and support for members. These include a partnership with Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, a new associate sponsor in Anthology North, and work with the University of Sheffield to examine how small and medium-sized businesses are responding to rapid change in AI.

The not-for-profit is funded entirely by membership fees and has over 100 individual members and more than 80 company members, as well as a wider network of ecosystem partners.

Its work covers people development, business development and profile building. Services include a mentoring scheme, a member jobs board, networking, marketing channels, a calendar of South Yorkshire tech events and a Slack community with over 2,000 people.