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London dominates numbers of women in tech but ‘more still to be done’

The capital’s tech community employs 40% of the country’s entire female tech workforce, according to research released today by technology recruiter Mortimer Spinks.

Surveying 3700 working professionals across Britain, the study also found that women tech workers in the city were also 2.5 times more likely to work for a tech startup than elsewhere in the UK.

However, despite London’s pre-eminent position, more still needs to be done to battle under-representation as the research also reveals large swathes of the tech landscape still have a gender diversity problem.

With one in ten of the capital’s tech teams having no female employees, and more than half of respondents saying that less than 15% of their teams are women, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has outlined his determination to ensure that there is equal representation in one of London’s most important sectors.

Khan said: “London Technology Week has shown how the capital is the most important tech hub in Europe with its vibrant mix of investors, talent and creativity.

“Although the sector is flourishing, it is vital that we actively encourage more girls to work in digital and tech to reverse the under-representation of women in this industry.

“Our current female tech pioneers are the role models for the next generation and as the father of two teenage girls, I want them to have the same opportunities and aspirations.

“I am determined to work hand-in-hand with individuals and employers like these to nurture more young female entrepreneurs that will contribute to London’s economic prosperity.”

Some moves are still being made in an attempt to make the sector more representative, as research also released today by London Tech Advocates has emphasised.

They have found that a third of the capital’s tech firms have initiatives in place to ensure they recruit more women, compared to less than a quarter in the rest of the country.

Still bemoaning the ‘boy’s club factor’ that still predominates in industry, Russ Shaw said: “Technology’s gender problem is the industry’s guilty secret that we need to address. Despite a range of highly successful female founders and CEOs in London, senior roles and management teams at digital businesses have more of a ‘boy’s club’ factor.

“For a sector driven by the need for highly skilled and creative talent, failing to harness those currently under-represented makes bad business sense.”

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