Leigh is currently Digital Development Manager at The University of Reading and part of the Digitally Ready team.

My role at the University is focused around managing the digital presence of the diverse and varied University projects. Investigating new technologies and techniques that can help drive the University forward.

Previous experience at The University of Warwick revolved around working with innovative Small/Medium businesses, World leading academics and Students. Within this role I hit on the idea of the “Digital Goodlife” can a business be run for free?
With the amount of free, open source and collaborative technologies available could traditional paid for services such as consultancy marketing etc. be replaced with social media, crowd sourcing and free to use software? Working with colleagues we developed this into a business workshop to showcase these technologies on a sliding scale of current to emerging technologies.

I also managed the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire High Technology Corridor, working with HE, public and private sector partners to put the right infrastructure in place to drive innovation forward in the region through strategic investment of £27+ million into new projects and initiatives.

Leigh has a BA (Hons) in Business and Information Technology, with qualifications in project/programme management, business planning and evaluation, experience in economic development and regeneration, developing partnerships and supporting funding applications.

Leigh’s interests are in a diverse range of digital technologies including Serious Games, Virtual Environments, and Health Technologies to allow SMEs and University colleagues to get the best support available enabling them to innovate and grow.