Data & Analytics Events in Manchester

Laura Hughes – Head of Data @ Softwire

Laura is a Senior Technical Principal and Head of Data at Softwire with a particular focus on Data Strategy, Governance & Data Engineering.

About 5 years ago, she moved into data strategy and transformation after starting her career as a full-stack software engineer.

Along the way, she noticed that data projects are still run quite differently from what she’d gotten to know on agile software teams, and the challenges faced are often not the ones you might expect.

In this talk, she’ll use her lived experience on projects to cover what makes good data architecture and what the key to a successful business transformation is.

Date: Wednesday 4th November
Venue: Bonded Warehouse (M3 4AP)

5pm – doors open (network, have some pizza and grab a drink)
6pm – presentation
7:30pm – pub / home (please don’t feel bad if you need to leave early)

Pizza and drinks will be provided as usual. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let me know ahead of time.

Welcome, Manchester Data Intelligence Network!

Manchester Data Intelligence Network is a community-based networking event bringing people together to meet peers, share stories, and build meaningful relationships around data intelligence.

Hosted by Datacove, award-winning Brighton-based R, Python and Shiny experts, these events also offer inspiring talks, hands-on sessions, and open knowledge sharing, all in a friendly, inclusive environment. Whether you’re just starting out in data or a seasoned expert, there’s always something new to discover, spark your curiosity, and take back to the office.

We run four events each year in Manchester, offering fresh insights, lively discussions, and opportunities to connect with the wider Data Intelligence Network, anchored by the EARL Data Intelligence Conference, our flagship event held in Brighton each October.

The events are supported by the generous team at DiSH, Eagle Labs

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to get involved as a speaker, contact us at [[admin@datacove.co.uk](mailto:admin@datacove.co.uk)](https://datacove.co.uk/contact/) or visit https://datacove.co.uk

--- Talk Information ---

Data Meets Dev: How cross‑functional collaboration has changed my work forever

Fiona Pye. Senior Data Analyst, AutoTrader UK

I have spent the last two years as a Data Scientist/Analyst embedded in a backend development team. There is so much I have learnt from them: ways of thinking, collaboration, design and coding methods which have changed my approach and perspective on analytics work. In return, they have a richer understanding of the data they are handling and producing and its implications on the wider business. We are all the richer for it, and I want to share my experience as I think this is special, important and useful for others to hear about.
----
Seeing and Believing: How AI Decides Which Brands Get Discovered

Jonas Almesri, Co-Founder, GenSight.AI

The disappearing click: discovery is no longer a page of links a human scans but a single AI-written answer with a few names in it. "How do we get found?" has become "does the machine recommend us?" AI Visibility and GEO focus on presence, recommendation, and citation as three distinct outcomes. GenSight.AI Research explores how LLMs see, believe, cite and recommend, and the shift ahead as AI agents move from recommending to buying. We will also explore the frontier problems we are working on, including measuring people vs companies as different objects, product-level vs brand-level visibility, and the cold-start problem of measuring a market a brand has never entered, and how all of these lend to different marketing strategies.

--- Schedule & Refreshments ---
Now, refreshments! Drinks and nibbles will be served from 6pm. Talks will commence at 6:30pm/6:45pm and the event will conclude at 8pm. The conversation will continue after the event at a local pub.

--- Sponsorship Information ---
Our event relies heavily on sponsorship from companies that attend. Please contact the organisers or [admin@datacove.co.uk](https://datacove.co.uk/) to get involved.

--- Arrival Instructions ---
There are several entrances for Heron House, however, to access DiSH you need to go to Lloyd
street reception. This is the same entrance used for the Registry office.
What3Words: mason.baking.dined

--- Registration Etiquette ---
At our meetups, the event is sometimes capped by the space. We’re committed to keeping these events accessible for everyone, but to make that possible, we need your help. Please ensure your registration is kept up to date. If your plans change, simply update your RSVP to reflect your availability. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Please feel free to spread the word.

We look forward to seeing you all again!

HER+Data MCR is a community working to connect, inspire, support and empower the NW UK’s Women in Data. Our goal is to bring together women and non-binary people who work in data or who would like to work in data - to support one another, share experiences and talk data - big or small! Whether you’re a student just embarking on a career or a seasoned data professional, this group is for you. We want to connect and inspire amazing data women with diverse expertise and experience.

This event is very generously hosted by COLONY Fabrica (269 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, M4 7DB).

✨ Please note:

• Due to venue policies, this event is for 18+ attendees only.
• If you have any allergies/special dietary requirements, please let us know in advance, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.
• If you have any access needs, please get in touch beforehand so we can ensure you have the best experience at the event.

Agenda
(All times in local time)
18:00 - 18:30 Networking with food and drinks
18:30 - 18:40 Welcome and announcements
18:40 Lightning talks and Q&A
20:30 Close

Speakers

1. Irene Amadi is a Data Engineer at Accenture. She designs and monitors production-scale machine learning pipelines and large-scale data systems.
   Before moving into engineering, she built a career in broadcast journalism, mental health, and business analysis.
   Talk title From Care Plans to Data Pipelines: A Non-Linear Path into Data Engineering in an AI Driven world.
   Talk abstract: In this talk, she shares her journey into tech as a career changer, moving from working as a Registered Mental Health Nurse in Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to building and supporting modern data platforms. She reflects on what it means to find your place in a rapidly evolving, AI-shaped industry—especially when you come from a non-traditional background—and how prior experience can be channelled into being a secret advantage.
   This talk is for anyone trying to understand where they fit in the world of data and AI, particularly early career talent who are taking less conventional paths into the field, people supporting newcomers into the field, or those hiring talent into the field.

2. Lucy Tiffany is a data leader and coach in the public sector, spanning health and local government. She began her data career as a data inputter, progressing through a variety of technical roles before unexpectedly finding herself in leadership. Along the way, she discovered that people are an organisation’s greatest asset, and developing others quickly became a passion. Alongside her data career, Lucy coaches women to transform their lifestyles through nutrition and movement, helping them build confidence, challenge their thinking and take action towards what matters most to them.
   Talk title: The Power of Doing It Anyway
   Talk abstract: How often do we overthink, worry about what people will say or wait until we feel ready before doing something we really want to do? Drawing on over 20 years in NHS and local government data leadership, alongside her experience of changing her lifestyle and building a coaching business, Lucy challenges the idea that success has to follow a set path. With honesty and a no-nonsense approach, Lucy explores the pressure to meet expectations, the freedom of following what you love, and why you don't need a five-year plan to take your next step. Because you don't have to climb the career ladder just because it's there, have all the answers or make everyone else comfortable with your choices. Sometimes, you just need to know what's right for you right now — and have the courage to do it anyway.

3. Prevail Uzodinma is a technology professional and Founder and Chair of the BCS Student Chapter at the University of Greater Manchester. She currently works in application support at Magentus, a health technology company, and holds an MSc in Software Engineering. Through her work in technology and community building, she is passionate about bridging the gap between education and industry and helping people gain the exposure they need to explore career paths, recognise their strengths, and navigate the tech industry with greater confidence.
   Talk title: Database Forensics: When Production Data Fights Back
   Talk Abstract: We learn how databases should work in theory, but production systems rarely behave like textbook examples. What happens when a change that seems pretty straightforward gets blocked by the rules of a live system? In this practical talk, I'll share an anonymised troubleshooting scenario from my first few weeks in application support, where a routine change request ran into database constraints I had to understand before I could move forward.

By registering for this event, you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct.
Follow us on LinkedIn for updates!

Our Meetup page is very generously sponsored by KrakenFlex!

Join us for the November edition of the Manchester Databricks User Group, bringing together the Manchester data community for an evening of technical deep dives, live demos and networking.

Agenda

17:30 – 17:45 | Arrival & Networking
Grab a drink, meet fellow data professionals and connect with the Manchester Databricks community.

17:45 – 18:00 | Opening Remarks & Introductions
Welcome from the organisers and an introduction to the evening's speakers and sessions.

18:00 – 18:45 | Session 1 - Keeping Up with Databricks: What a Year of Releases Tells Us About Where the Platform Is Going.

Alex Cole – Principal Databricks Architect & Databricks MVP
A year ago, Alex Cole built Databricks Release Hub to solve a simple problem: keeping track of the constant stream of new features, previews, GA releases and platform updates.
Since then, he has tracked hundreds of Databricks releases, giving him a unique dataset—and a front-row seat—to how one of the fastest-moving platforms in Data & AI is evolving.
In this session, Alex will use a year of release data to uncover some of the trends hidden beneath the announcements.

18:45 – 19:00 | Break & Networking

19:00 – 19:45 | Session 2 - From Fragmented Data to a Modern Lakehouse – An NHS Databricks Journey.

David McDwyer – Head of Data & Analytics – Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust

How do you transform a fragmented hospital data estate into a modern, scalable data platform?

In this session, David will share the journey of moving from disconnected legacy systems to a Databricks-powered Lakehouse within the NHS.

Drawing on real-world experience, he'll explore the challenges encountered along the way, the architectural decisions that shaped the platform, the successes achieved so far and the practical lessons learned throughout the transformation.

A great opportunity to hear first-hand what it really takes to modernise healthcare data infrastructure, including what worked, what didn't and what he'd approach differently.

19:45 – 20:00 | Session 3 - Introducing Databricks Lakebase: Bringing Operational and Analytical Data Together.

Barry Regan - Lakebase Specialist at Databricks

Databricks Lakebase introduces a new approach to data architecture, bringing PostgreSQL-based transactional databases (OLTP) directly into the Databricks ecosystem, bridging the gap between operational applications, analytics and AI.

In this session, Barry will introduce Databricks Lakebase, exploring how it brings together two traditionally separate worlds of data: operational databases and analytical platforms.

Wrap-Up & Networking

Final questions, conversations and a chance to connect with our speakers and fellow attendees.

Date & Location

📅 Date: Thursday, 19th November
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Venue: Canopius Group – 100 Barbirolli Square, Manchester, M2 3BD

Whether you're a Data Engineer, Architect, Data Scientist, AI/ML Engineer, Platform Engineer or simply interested in what's coming next from Databricks, we'd love to have you there.

Join us for another evening of technical content, live demos, learning and networking with the Manchester Databricks community.