Diversity in Tech - Edinburgh

Diversity in Tech

Join us on Thursday 18th September in the People’s Postcode Lottery's Edinburgh office for an evening of Diversity in Tech.

Diversity in Tech is a group formed in 2025 with the intention of encouraging more diversity in tech, both within People’s Postcode Lottery and in the wider tech community.

They facilitate internal and external events, with an aim to promote learning and inclusivity and to celebrate everyone that works in tech or is in interested in it.

MBN are excited and honoured to partner with the group to host a series of events promoting all types of diversity.
To kick off the series we’ll be discussing the importance of diversity and hearing inspiring stories on neurodivergence and diversity in leadership / building Data & AI Teams.

Anna Skelly, Senior Data Engineer at People’s Postcode Lottery will do a short introduction with an overview of the Diversity in Tech group.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaskelly

Shannon McKechnie, Managing Director at MBN will chair the evening.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonmckechnie

We have 2 exceptional speakers.

Damien Anderson, Teaching Associate and Programme Leader for the MSc in Software Development at the University of Strathclyde.

Against the Odds: My Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Belief

Growing up there is an ideal path that everyone is encouraged to follow: do well at school, go to University, get a degree, get a job, win: what about those that don’t fit the mould?
For Dr Damien Anderson, life has dealt speed bumps that required forging a different path, battling self-doubt, and facing moments where success seemed out of reach.
In this deeply personal talk, Damien shares his journey from struggling to becoming a university lecturer, researcher, and award-winning scholar.
Through honest reflections, moments of humour, and hard-earned lessons, he will explore the role of resilience, mentorship, and self-acceptance in building a fulfilling career.
This is not just a story about overcoming challenges, it’s about embracing difference, recognising strengths, and using them to thrive.

Speaker Bio
Dr Damien Anderson is a Teaching Associate and Programme Leader for the MSc in Software Development at the University of Strathclyde. His career path has been anything but linear: from early struggles in education to earning Scotland’s top PhD scholarship from the Carnegie Trust, Damien’s journey is a testament to perseverance and self-belief.
Passionate about creating inclusive environments where all minds can flourish, Damien blends his academic expertise with his lived experience to inspire others to see difference as a strength. Today, he champions approaches to learning and working that celebrate the unique ways people think, learn, and solve problems.
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Edafe Onerhime, Enterprise Data Architect at Royal London.

Executive Director | Data Leader | Key Note Speaker | Author | Responsible AI, Data Science, Analytics, Data Strategy, Data Architecture

The importance of diversity when building Data & AI teams.
Edafe Onerhime is a data specialist, speaker, and writer. She has spent the last twenty years leading on the human element of data for impact. She is a leading voice on diversity, decolonisation and making data useful, usable, and put into use.

Can you please register here - **https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/diversity-in-tech-edinburgh-tickets-1604773072459?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl**