As part of our exciting partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs, we’re welcoming David Summerbell to the C4DI team.
You may have already spotted David around the coworking area, but we thought we’d get to know him a bit more, as well as take a closer look at his role.
Great to chat with you David. Firstly, can you introduce yourself?
Sure! My background is actually in retail banking, working with high-net-worth individuals with finances and day-to-day banking.
I am now a Barclays Eagle Labs Ecosystem Manager, which is primarily a linking role - I link up people and businesses to help them to grow, innovate and accelerate.
There’s been a lot of buzz around C4DI and Eagle Labs partnership, but can you reveal a bit more on how it’s all going to work?
The Eagle Labs community and C4DI community are very similar.
Barclays has always been an innovative bank - that’s why I love working for them.
In 1966, the first real credit card was issued in the UK - it was a Barclaycard, branded under the Visa logo. A year later, Scottish inventor Shepherd-Barron created the first ATM machine in the world and installed it at a branch of Barclays in Enfield, North London.
Today, we’re interested in helping fledgling businesses scale up and traditional businesses to innovate - so we match perfectly with C4DI’s values.
You’ll see me and a few of my colleagues around the building; we’re here to share our skills and experience to help you to flourish.
On top of this, we’ll be organising some brilliant events - including December's Tesla Experience - to link people together and guide businesses from inception to hi-growth scaleups.
Working in the C4DI building is quite different from a bank environment. What are you most looking forward to?
Getting to know the community - I love meeting people who do something different. It’s what drives and excites me.
Also, meeting some new Arsenal fans? I’ve met one so far… Is there anyone else out there?
Football aside, I should also say that I’m looking forward to learning more about tech. I thought I knew a lot, until I visited this building. I’m a keen learner and have already attended this month’s CodePen to try and absorb as much as possible.
You can catch David on Slack @DavidSummerbell or via his email: ds@c4di.net. In the meantime, be sure to follow Eagle Labs Hull on Twitter to stay up-to-date with news, events and opportunities.