WoW Woman in Tech | Hanna Johnson, COO of PUBLIC
Interview by Marija Butkovic
Hanna Johnson is COO of PUBLIC, Europe's leading GovTech venture firm. PUBLIC runs an accelerator, venture fund and annual international conference, all aimed at supporting and empowering start-ups in the GovTech space. Their aim is to connect tech start-ups (whether that's health tech, IOT, or any tech which helps public services - from hospitals through to job seeking sites) with the resources they need to transform the world. Their annual conference brings together the biggest players in the GovTech scene with the most exciting start-ups: last year it was attended by President Trudeau, President Macron, Matt Hancock and Sadiq Khan, among many others. Before joining PUBLIC Hanna was a former No. 10 advisor to the PM and spent six years across DCMS and Downing Street.
Hanna, tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
I’m currently the COO at PUBLIC. Our mission is to grow and develop GovTech start-ups - technology which transforms public services.
Before coming to PUBLIC, I had quite a varied career! After graduating, I started out in management consultancy with Accenture and then spent several years in the charity sector, before moving into government. I spent six years across the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and Number 10, acting as an advisor to the PM. The linking thread between all my roles has been trying to make things work better, whether it’s a business process, a donor-charity relationship or a public policy.
How did you get into this industry?
Our founder and CEO, Daniel, was one of my colleagues at No 10. Together we worked on the Government’s Digital Strategy, and we both felt the frustration of working inside a system that isn’t designed to embrace innovation. We wanted to write the plan for how Government could capture the power of all the new technology that was emerging, but the system wasn’t ready for that. Daniel left to go and try and change that with PUBLIC, and I followed him two years later. So I wasn’t coming from a pure tech background by any stretch - my career has been mainly in Government and consulting.
What does your current job role entail?
I run the UK arm of PUBLIC and lead in expanding our efforts across Europe; no two days are ever the same. As COO, I work across all three of PUBLIC’s main focus areas: GovStart, PUBLIC Hall and the GovTech Summit. I might be in London on one day talking through the events programme in our new co-working space, then in Paris the next planning the GovTech Summit, then Germany the following week meeting start-ups joining our programme. It’s hugely varied.
What projects are you working on at the moment?
This week is the GovTech Summit in Paris, which is our big event of the year. This year, we will have the Estonian President joining us on stage to talk about how she approaches innovation in Estonia, one of the more forward thinking GovTech adopters on the planet.
One of my favourite things about this event is the way it brings together some of the best and brightest startups with Government ministers, top investors and public sector buyers. And I’m genuinely inspired by the range of brilliant ideas we hear about. The news cycle can often heavily focus on the negative effects of technology, and while it’s crucial to address tech’s issues we must not forget its immense power to do good.
How has your career progressed since your degree? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
My degree was in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. From there I went from management consultancy to working in the theatre, to charity consulting, to Government and now tech. So it’s not been a linear path! For me the driver has always been challenge and personal passion - I want to always be learning something new whilst working towards something I feel passionately about. Along the way you will always meet like-minded people, and I’ve been lucky enough to meet a few who will take me with them and give me a chance to try something new, which is why I think I’ve been able to change track as much as I have.
How long did it take you to be where you are now?
I graduated 13 years ago - it feels like it has gone by in a flash but I guess that’s quite a long time..! But as I mentioned, my career path hasn’t been linear - so it’s not a case of working my way up one straight ladder, but building up in one profession and then finding a way to use that in a whole new career.
What was the biggest obstacle?
Starting again in a new industry can be hard, but I find that in every job there are elements which are transferable; so it’s a case of finding those common threads and applying your experience where it can transfer, and being humble enough to learn from scratch where it can’t.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
Leading a team to serve two prime ministers has to be a highlight for me so far. Coming on board just before the Scottish Referendum, then working the lead up to the General Election 2015, the European Referendum, the change of Prime Minister and then another General Election was fascinating and exhausting in equal measure; 17 hour days weren’t rare. Managing the team through this, and managing to keep them motivated and happy whilst producing huge amounts of exceptional work is one of the things I am proudest of in my career.
What does the #WomenInTech movement mean to you? What are the challenges of being a woman in tech / STEM?
I think a lot of what influences people’s choices about what to study and what career and industry to go into is whether they can see people like themselves succeeding - so for me the #womenintech movement is about highlighting all the brilliant women who are at the top of the game to inspire more women to choose that path for themselves. I haven’t personally encountered any challenges being a woman in tech that you don’t encounter naturally being a woman in business - battling imposter syndrome, feeling you have to work harder to have your voice heard - but those challenges do become harder when you perceive yourself to be “in the minority”, which women often are in a tech or STEM job.
In your opinion, what will be the key trends in tech industry in the next 5 years and where do you see it heading?
I’m really excited to see where GovTech goes in the next 5 years - it’s the next big sector waiting to explode. AI and NLP can change the way we interact with the state; Data Science could give us better and deeper insights into health, welfare and planning; IoT has the potential to revolutionise the way we care for young and old. Citizens’ expectations are rising about what their public services can deliver through technology, and it will be interesting to see which countries are the best and quickest adopters. We’ve already seen Estonia pushing ahead, and here in the UK new schemes like the GovTech Catalyst Fund and the creation of NHSX show understanding and the will to innovate.
Who are your 3 inspirational women in tech and / or STEM?
Sheryl Sandberg as an inspirational woman in tech, who I think has had a real impact on how women view themselves and their careers; I know that personally reading “Lean In” was what encouraged me to start negotiating my salary and to expect equal treatment.
Robyn Scott, founder of Apolitical, as a fantastic role model who has built a really incredible business and who we are lucky to co-work with in PUBLIC Hall.
And someone I have always found hugely inspiring in my work life is Sharon White, who is currently the Chief Executive of the telecoms regulator, and who worked her way up through the civil service and who combines incredible poise with razor sharp intelligence and drive.
Website: https://www.public.io/
Twitter: @PUBLIC_team
This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship and diversity. Visit marijabutkovic.co.uk or follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic.