London tech heavyweights call for European talent to remain in the capital following Brexit vote
The London tech community has called for non-UK Europeans working in the sector to stay following the country’s vote to quit the European Union.
Russ Shaw, founder of lobby group Tech London Advocates (TLA), has gathered around 150 signatures, including the Mayor of London and the likes of entrepreneur and angel investor Sherry Coutu and co-chief executive of digital literacy startup Decoded Kathryn Parsons, to publicly pledge their support to the sector.
Around a third of those working in London's growing tech industry are EU nationals, according to Shaw.
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The petition was sparked by concerns raised by European tech employees over negative public opinion and potential visa regulations.
There are also fears that less investment, including in the tech sector, will slow UK growth following the Brexit vote. Economists have been quick to downgrade the UK's GDP outlook since last Friday.
It's understood there have already been instances of deals being put on hold or cancelled and people choosing to put off moving to the UK.
Speaking to CityAM Shaw said:
I've been talking to a number of funds and big corporates about their plans. Investment is going to slow down to a degree but what I'm hearing is that they're committed to London tech in the longer term. The sense right now is that they're waiting and watching.
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However, Shaw warned that longer term there is a threat if the UK does break away from the EU and the Single Market tech talent may return to their home countries and investment will move elsewhere.
"If the global landscape deteriorates investors they may change their plans," Shaw added.
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However Shaw doesn't think there is a danger of people leaving in the short term.
There's a lot of confusion and a lot of uncertainly about what this vote means for the industry. We're trying to set up a hotline for people who have questions and concerns. I don't think anyone will go anywhere immediately.
Shaw praised the commitment of the mayor of London Sadiq Khan to the tech sector, though called for greater political leadership in a time of turmoil.
From our mayor we're getting the support we need, Khan is very much on the case. The noises and the signals from political leaders are good, there is a lot of support but they are still trying to get themselves sorted out.
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Here's the full list of signatories:
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
Russ Shaw, Tech London Advocates
Akosua Annobil, AB2020
Alban Remy, Betterise
Alex Macpherson, Octopus Ventures
Alice Bentinck, Entrepreneur First
Andrew Campling, BT
Andrew Clough, The Brew
Andrew Lynch, Huckletree
Andy Chew, Cisco
Angela Bradbury, Chime Advisors
Anna Thomlinson, MassChallengeUK
Anthony Impey, Optimity
Asher Ismail, miDrive
Baroness Oona King
Ben Brabyn, Level39
Ben Slater, Bow & Arrow
Bethany Koby, Technology Will Save Us
Bindi Karia
Bob Schukai, Thomson Reuters
Branislav Trajkovski, Expand Ventures
Brendan Lewis, Flinders Pacific
Caroline Vaughan, Innovate Finance
Caterina Pavone, MasterCard Worldwide
Chris Tottman, Notion Capital
Chris Wade, Isomer Capital
Claire Cockerton, Entiq
Claire Marriott, Nexec
Dana Tobak, Hyperoptic
Daniel Hirschmann, Technology Will Save Us
Daryl Woodhouse, Advantage Business Partnerships
David Mills, Russell Reynolds Associates
David Norris, Forward Partners
David Pack, Canada Corporation
David Slater, London & Partners
Debu Purkayastha, Octopus Investments
Diane Perlman, MassChallengeUK
Dickens Moon, Foundation Talent
Dylan Richts, London & Partners
Efe Cakarel, MUBI
Elena Corchero, Wearables & ZippyKit
Eric van der Kleij
Felix Mitchell, Instant Impact
Francois Mazoudier, TMRW Tech Hubs
Frank Meehan, Smartup.io
George Whitehead, Angel Co-Fund & Octopus Ventures
Gerard Grech, TechCity UK
Gi Fernando, FreeFormers
Gordon Innes, London & Partners
Guy Rigby, Smith & Williamson
Guy Shand, Prodigy Finance
Hugh Chappell, Entrepreneur & Investor
Hussain Al Hilli Byoot
Huw Williams, Oury Clark
Ian Coyne, Russell Reynolds Associates
Irene Graham, Scaleup Institute
Iris Lapinski, Apps for Good
Jacqueline de Rojas, techUK
James Layfield, Central Working
Janet Coyle, SVC2UK
Jeanette Carlsson, Tech Nordic Advocates
Jeff Tijssen, CapCo
Jeremy Silver, Digital Catapult
Jess Tyrrell, ustwo
Jo Tasker, TechnoPop
Jo Twist, UKIE
Jo Valentine, London First
Joanna Tasker, Jo Tasker Consulting
Joe White, Entrepreneur First
John Aalbers, Arts Alliance Media
John Kampfner, Creative Industries Federation
John Zai, Cocoon Networks
Jonathan Brech, CambridgeData
Jonathan Chippindale, Holition
Jonny Rose, Croydon Tech City
Josephine Goube, YBorder
Juliette Morgan, Cushman & Wakefield
Justin Fisher, American Express
Justin Spratt, Quirk Agency
Kam Rafique, Venturr
Karan Chadda, Evolving Influence
Kathryn Parsons, Decoded
Kay Hutchison, Belle Media
Kerry Ritz, MassChallengeUK
Kim Nilsson, Pivigo
Kutlu Kazanci, SUCool Startup Accelerator
Laura Mercurio, TLA Australia & New Zealand
Lawrence Wintermeyer, Innovate Finance
Lesley Hill, HillShaws & Company
Linda Summers, Tech London Advocates
Lord Jim Knight
Lord Nat Wei, Makers Wharf
Louis Glass, Olswang LLP
Louise Conolly-Smith, London & Partners
Maggie Philbin, Teen Tech
Marc Duke
Mark Boleat, Canada Corporation
Martina King, Featurespace
Mary Keane-Dawson, Ogilvy
Matt Clifford, Entrepreneur First
Matthew Cooke, Unruly
Melissa Di Donato, Salesforce
Michail Smirnov, bringme.com
Mike Adams, Vega
Naomi Timperley, Tech North Advocates
Nene Parsotam, VINE Creatives
Nick Rollason, Kingsley Napley LLP
Nikki Watkins, TLA Women in Tech
Nitin Dahad, TechSpark
Pat Saini, James Klein, Penningtons Manches LLP
Pavel Doležal, Keboola
Penny Power, The Business Cafe
Peter Cunnane, Canada Corporation
Peter Gillingwater, Nexec
Peter Hargreaves, Network Pathway
Phyllis SantaMaria, Learning Without Borders
Pru Ashby, London & Partners
Rafael Dos Santos, Mi-Hub
Rafael Lopez-Jimenez, RLJ Sports Therapy
Rajeeb Dey, Enternships
Ranj Begley, Readly
Reshma Sohoni, Seedcamp
Richard Corbett, Eyetease
Rioch Edwards-Brown, So You Wanna Be in TV?
Robert Norum, Opportunitas
Rohan Silva, Second Home
Rose Hall, Allen & Overy
Rosemary Forsyth, Forsyth Group
Sam Hardy, Sorensen Communications
Sarah Drinkwater, Google Campus
Sarah Luxford, TLA Women in Tech
Sarah Wood, Unruly
Scott Button, Unruly
Sherry Coutu, Founders4Schools
Stephen Millard, eccomplished
Susanne Chishti, FINTECH Circle
Tim Scott, London First
Tony Margiotta
Vicky Brock, Clear Returns
Volker Hirsch, Emerge Education
Wendy Tan-White, Entrepreneur First
Yasmine Mahmoudieh, Mykidsy.com