Speakers

Shafiqa is a visionary digital and technology leader, driving enterprise-scale transformation across digital, technology and cyber.

A passionate advocate for education and the opportunities that digital, data and technology can create, she is particularly committed to inspiring young people to pursue STEM careers. She has successfully opened an academy to broaden opportunities, particularly for communities at greater risk of disadvantage.

As Chief Digital and Technology Officer at the Department for Education, Shafiqa leads the organisation’s enterprise-wide digital and technology strategy, overseeing the modernisation of legacy systems, rapid experimentation across complex business processes to improve productivity, and the safe integration of AI into the technology ecosystem.

Her leadership philosophy is rooted in trust, agility and collaboration, creating environments where teams can innovate and deliver impactful solutions that can be reused and repurposed.