Silka Patel

Silka is a strategic marketing expert with 15+ years’ experience of working within the technology industry, including for global blue chip organisations like Cisco. Her current role is to successfully deliver and reflect market industry trends in Digital Transformation to help future-proof the UK’s businesses from digital disruption.

In previous roles in Cisco, Silka drove business results in Global Thought Leadership for both the Service Provider and Enterprise sectors using internal and external communication across traditional and digital media.

She has also worked in the Emerging markets theater where she was responsible for adapting and driving new concepts by strategically influencing key stakeholders and delivering regional marketing campaigns.

Silka moved from London to Glasgow in 2008 and is the Founder and Chair of Scotland Women in Technology group (SWiT), where she actively drives to attract, inspire, empower and retain women and young people into the sector by developing a community and network to help grow women’s contribution in IT business. She also leads the Women’s Group in Cisco Scotland with several initiatives and programs to develop the progression and collaboration of the Women’s community.

Silka has also held a Non-Executive Director position at Glasgow Women’s Library for the last 4 years advising the board on marketing and digitalization aspects for future growth.

Her recent board appointment is as a member of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Economic Leadership Board as of Oct 2016. This allows her to advise the Scottish Government of how funding can be spent on matters like infrastructure and enabling Smart Cities to benefit Glasgow and the economy.

Silka is married and has two boys aged 6 and 2 and enjoys running, Pilates and cooking in her spare time.