In conversation with Dell Technologies UK at DTX

June 30, 2023

Two people talking at a panel

The Digital Transformation Expo (DTX) is the North of England’s biggest enterprise IT event. As the anchor of Manchester Tech Week 2023, this digital transformation expo focuses on how organisations can improve connectivity and implement cutting-edge enterprise technologies. 

Dell Technologies, in collaboration with Intel, was invited to sponsor DTX, hosting a session entitled ‘Securing the future: Boosting your cyber strategy while reducing complexity’. Moderated by Dell Technologies UK CTO, Arash Ghazanfari, the session explored the surrounding topics: 

  • Understanding barriers to transformation: How to build intrinsic cybersecurity into your enterprise architecture
  • Responding to threats: How to become more resilient and respond to complex threats, while enabling an innovation culture
  • Securing critical infrastructure: How UK organisations and institutions are enhancing our security ecosystem to protect people and data 

Plexal’s Manchester Innovation Lead, Ruby Motabhoy, joined the speaker panel for a flowing dialogue about how to work and innovate everywhere. Dedicated to expanding the North West cyber ecosystem, Ruby drives collaborative cyber security programmes and research across industry, SMEs, academia and government. 

Joining Arash and Ruby on the Advanced Protection Stage panel was Liz Green, EMEA Advisory and Cyber Lead at Dell Technologies UK, with a background in data protection, endpoint and network security as well as cyber and incident recovery. 

They were joined by Markus Leberecht, Member of the EMEA Chief Technology Office at Intel Germany and moveero’s Global IT Director, Faisal Jaffri .

Four panelists hosting a discussion

Dell Technologies is driven by innovation, recognising the positive benefits for society, which makes it aligned with our own values as the innovation company solving society’s challenges through technology by closing the gap between government, startups and industry. So, when DTX Manchester was approaching, Dell Technologies took this opportunity to spotlight the innovations transforming the workplace, processes people and the planet. 

The theme surrounded constantly changing operational landscape; from the abrupt move to remote and hybrid working and how this transformed organisational approaches to work. They explored how personalised, responsive and collaborative technology fuels innovation and further how organisations can set intentional, human-centred strategies that makes them successful. 

Overall demonstrating the opportunities of emerging technologies to prepare organisations for a more secure and innovative future. The Dell Technologies team shared their insights into how businesses need a data culture and modern data infrastructure, utilising AI to increase productivity, improve energy efficiency, accelerate innovation and collect, prepare and curate data to their needs. 

All this data comes hand in hand with a need to protect it. The panel discussed the need for a holistic approach and enacting Zero Trust principles and architecture, to strengthen with modern security, prepare for threats and maintain a minimum viable enterprise to continue operating after a cyber-attack. 

Discussing what role Plexal plays in providing organisations with innovative solutions, Ruby highlighted notable innovation programmes that we deliver, such as partnering with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on NCSC For Startups. Through this, we discover and support technology innovators at the helm of cyber startups developing solutions to our most pressing security challenges to make the UK the safest place to live and work online.

Then there’s Cyber Runway, the UK’s largest cyber accelerator, which is funded by  the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and delivered by Plexal, to help entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups at varying stages of growth. 

The dialogue continued around diversifying investment opportunities UK-wide and outside of London, ensuring the regions are receiving the necessary support. To this, Ruby spoke about Plexal’s work powering up the North with DiSH, which is designed specifically as a part of a joint mission to support 500 startups and create over 1,000 jobs in Greater Manchester.

Check out Dell Technology Uk’s reel on their DTX Manchester 2023 highlights: