Despite the majority of last year involving social distancing and no face-to-face meetups, Sync NI still got the chance to virtually interview some fantastic individuals and companies across Northern Ireland's tech sector.
Below are our top 10 most viewed interviews of 2020. Thanks to all our interviewees and all you readers for being a part of our year!
You can also check out our top five most listened to podcast episodes of 2020 here.
#1 PwC: 'Tech has let us increase recruitment numbers, despite COVID-19'
In March, PwC was due to bring on 180 new starts nationwide. Deborah Stevenson, student recruitment lead in PwC NI, explained the challenges the professional services firm faced when it came to Covid-19 and hiring, and how they overcame them.
Read the full interview here.
#2 FinTrU's Richard McGuinness: Focusing on the ‘tech’ in ‘fintech’
FinTrU wants to start emphasising the ‘tech’ part of its division, according to the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Richard McGuinness. He told Sync NI that “FinTrU isn’t just what people perceive it to be - which is a hugely exciting financial services company - but it is also becoming exciting for technologists.”
Read the full interview here.
#3 Aflac's Keith Farley: 'Belfast is resilient, reinventive and adaptable'
Since going into lockdown, tech company Aflac has doubled in size, from 20 to 40 employees all working remotely. Headquartered in the US, the health insurance provider set up base in Belfast in 2019 with a promise to create 150 jobs here over the next five years.
Managing director, Keith Farley assured Sync NI that the firm is “sticking to its commitments” and maintaining a strong company culture amidst the coronavirus crisis.
Read the full interview here.
#4 Best of Belfast: Ormeau Baths' Claire Dowds on building a startup community
The Best of Belfast podcast interviews Claire Dowds, General Manager of Ormeau Baths, a Belfast co-working space where she spends her time building an environment where people and businesses can thrive.
Listen to the full interview here.
#5 Ten Eighty: 'Designing innovative tech spaces key for attracting top talent'
Ten Eighty has delivered working environments for many of Northern Ireland’s top tech companies in recent years – including AllState and Kainos. The firm said that “inspiring workspaces are a top priority for technology companies” as “around 60,000 people are estimated to work in the sector in Belfast alone.”
Read the full interview here.
#6 Bazaarvoice's Keith Nealon talks about investing in Belfast as a global innovation hub
Bazaarvoice’s CEO Keith Nealon was in Belfast recently to meet the growing team at the Austin-based software development firm’s new office on Castle Street. Originally from Dublin, Keith has been based in the US for almost 18 years. We asked him about the company’s plans for growth in Belfast.
Read the full interview here.
#7 Version 1's Honey-Bell Oke: 'Diversity and inclusion cover every aspect of work life'
Sync NI spoke to Version 1’s Belfast-based diversity and inclusion team co-lead, Honey-Bell Oke, who said the collaboration’s aim is “to understand what we are doing right but to also look at ways in which we could do better”.
Read the full interview here.
#8 Version 1: Insights from a Belfast tech lead
Again a top favourite from Version 1 – written by the Irish software firm’s own team, this piece reflects an honest chat with the company’s tech lead Chris Colohan about his career to date and some interesting insights for those looking to enter the sector.
Read the full interview here.
#9 Declan Barry: Why businesses should choose Belfast as their tech base
Declan Barry of ExportExplore and Agile Growth Systems has over 15 years’ experience in the technology sector in Northern Ireland, as well as internationally.
Declan talks to Sync NI about the £1bn tech sector that’s vital to the Northern Ireland economy and why businesses should choose Belfast as their tech base.
Read the full interview here.
#10 FinTrU's Roli Shaw: 'Continue investment in the individuals'
Sync NI spoke with Roli Shaw, General Counsel and Head of FinTrU Legal, about the firm’s new Legal Assured Skills Academy, and the progress of the homegrown company’s legal department despite Covid-19.
Read the full interview here.
Check out all (old and new!) interviews and podcast episodes on Sync NI's Interviews section.
