Event Details

Join GBx for the latest installment of our ‘_Power Brits_’ series: fireside conversations with British leaders who have built category-defining companies or shaped the world’s leading technology organisations.

This edition is hosted in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering as part of the Academy’s 50th anniversary celebrations, while also marking GBx’s 10th anniversary year – a milestone moment for both organisations as we celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship, and British leadership in technology on a global stage.

GBx co-chair Kathryn Parsons MBE will be in conversation with Baroness Martha Lane Fox CBE.

Martha Lane Fox is one of the UK’s most influential technology entrepreneurs. She co-founded Lastminute.com in 1998, one of the UK’s earliest internet success stories, later acquired by Sabre for £577 million. She is also co-founder of Lucky Voice.

Beyond entrepreneurship, Martha has played a central role in shaping the UK’s digital landscape. A member of the House of Lords, she currently serves as a Non-Executive Director at British Airways, Chanel, and Multiverse, and has previously sat on the boards of Channel 4 and Twitter during pivotal periods of growth.

Kathryn Parsons is the founder of Decoded, a global technology education company that helps organisations understand and adopt emerging technologies. She has advised Number Ten Downing Street, HM Treasury, and the Mayor of London on technology, skills, and growth.

The conversation will explore Martha’s journey across entrepreneurship, technology, and public service, and what it takes to build and scale enduring institutions in the AI era.

Royal Academy of Engineering
The Royal Academy of Engineering is the UK’s national academy for engineering and technology, bringing together the country’s most accomplished engineers, innovators, founders, and industry leaders to advance excellence, innovation, and societal impact through engineering. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the Academy has played a pivotal role in shaping the UK’s technology and innovation ecosystem.

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