Gillian Docherty
{{short description|British computer scientist and CEO}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gillian Docherty
{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}}
| image = Gillian Docherty at UK Data Service Data Impact 2016.jpg
| caption = Docherty at the UK Data Service Data Impact 2016 event
| alma_mater = University of Glasgow
| employer = University of Strathclyde
| website =
}}
Gillian Docherty {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} is a British computer scientist. She is Chief Commercial Officer at the University of Strathclyde and President of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. From 2015 to 2022 she was the CEO of The Data Lab, the Scottish innovation centre for data science and artificial intelligence. She was appointed the first Chair of Scotland's AI Alliance in 2021, created to implement the activities of Scotland's AI Strategy.
Education
Docherty completed a computer science degree at the University of Glasgow and was awarded an honorary doctorate in technology from Robert Gordon University.{{cite web |title=Gillian Docherty OBE |url=https://www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com/about-us/meet-the-team/board/gillian-docherty-obe/ |website=Glasgow Chamber of Commerce : Gillian Docherty OBE |access-date=28 May 2024 |ref=Glasgow Chamber of Commerce |language=en}}
Career
Docherty joined IBM in 1993{{Cite news |url=http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Data-Lab-CEO-Gillian-Docherty-on-how-data-can-boost-Scottish-economy|title=Data Lab CEO Gillian Docherty on how data can boost Scottish economy|work=ComputerWeekly.com|access-date=2018-03-11|language=en-GB}} and spent 22 years working in technical sales, financial services, hardware and software.{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/eslb/2015/05/14/11967/|title=Promoting Digital Careers – IBM|date=2015-05-14|work=Education Scotland's Learning Blog|access-date=2018-03-11|language=en-US|archive-date=11 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611223210/https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/eslb/2015/05/14/11967/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://conferences.oreilly.com/strata/strata-ca-2017/public/schedule/speaker/228660|title=Gillian Docherty at Strata + Hadoop World in San Jose 2017|website=conferences.oreilly.com|access-date=2018-03-11}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dataiq.co.uk/dataiq100/2017/gillian-docherty|title=Gillian Docherty {{!}} www.dataiq.co.uk|website=www.dataiq.co.uk|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-03-11}} She became a UK senior executive and led the team responsible for driving IBM software propositions to Scottish clients.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insider.co.uk/special-reports/it-matters-security-9878624|title=Inspiring Change Makers: Speaker Biographies|website=EQ Accountants|date=15 July 2016|access-date=2018-03-11}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.insider.co.uk/special-reports/it-matters-security-9878624|title=IT Matters: Security|last=Admin|first=Ascot|date=2016-07-15|work=businessInsider|access-date=2018-03-11}}
Docherty became CEO of The Data Lab in June 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedatalab.com/news/2015/the-data-lab-welcomes-gillian-docherty-as-our-new-ceo|title=The Data Lab welcomes Gillian Docherty as our new CEO - The Data Lab|website=www.thedatalab.com|date=25 July 2015 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-10}} The Data Lab was established in 2014, and by 2018 had completed over 100 data science projects in Scotland, estimating that it had generated more than £100 million extra revenue for Scotland's economy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotlandis.com/news/2017/april/stars-of-scotland-s-tech-sector-recognised-at-digital-tech-awards/|title=Stars of Scotland's tech sector recognised at Digital Tech Awards {{!}} ScotlandIS|website=www.scotlandis.com|language=en|access-date=2018-03-10|archive-date=1 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101175754/https://www.scotlandis.com//news/2017/april/stars-of-scotland-s-tech-sector-recognised-at-digital-tech-awards/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite video
|author=The Data Lab |title=ScotlandIS DigitalTech Awards 2017: Gillian Docherty, CEO of the Year |via=YouTube |date=2017-06-13 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKfthNaUN2c |accessdate=2018-03-10}} The Data Lab has hubs in Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh and Glasgow{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedatalab.com/about-us|title=About Us - The Data Lab|website=www.thedatalab.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-11}} and as of 2018 had received over £25m in funding from Scottish Funding Council,{{Cite web|url=http://www.sciencescotland.org/feature.php?id=291|title=Science Scotland|last=Media|first=MTC|website=www.sciencescotland.org|language=en-UK|access-date=2018-03-11}} Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, and Highland and Islands Enterprise. In 2015 she launched The Data Lab's MSc programme{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedatalab.com/what-we-do/skills-and-training/the-data-lab-msc|title=The Data Lab MSc - The Data Lab|website=www.thedatalab.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-11}} and in 2016 doubled the cohort to meet the rising demand in big data.{{Cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/business/companies/tech/data-lab-to-double-size-of-master-s-degree-programme-1-4174379|title=Data Lab to double size of master's degree programme|access-date=2018-03-11|language=en}}
She has spoken at many events including the Big Data Analytics conference and the Glasgow Business Summit.{{Cite web|url=https://www.strath.ac.uk/business/glasgowbusinesssummit/speakers/|title=Speakers {{!}} University of Strathclyde|website=www.strath.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-03-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312083032/https://www.strath.ac.uk/business/glasgowbusinesssummit/speakers/|archive-date=12 March 2018|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitehallmedia.co.uk/bda/speakers/|title=Big Data Analytics - Previous Speakers|website=Whitehall Media|access-date=2018-03-11}} In June 2017 she delivered a TED
She is President of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, having previously served as Deputy President.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetechpartnership.com/about/the-partnership/leadership/|title=Leadership Boards {{!}} The Tech Partnership|work=The Tech Partnership|access-date=2018-03-10|language=en-GB}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com/about-us/meet-the-team/board/|title=Board|work=Glasgow Chamber of Commerce : Board|access-date=2018-03-10|language=en-GB}} In 2022 Docherty was appointed chief commercial officer of the University of Strathclyde. She is also a trustee of Beyonder Involve Charity, and works as a startup adviser.
Awards and recognition
In March 2017 Docherty was described as one of The Scotsman's most influential women in technology.{{Citation|last=Ayrshire College|title=Data Changes Everything - Gillian Docherty, The Data Lab #AyrshireBytes|date=2017-03-23|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAEbKQEuud4|accessdate=2018-03-10}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/business/companies/tech/5-of-the-most-influential-women-in-scottish-tech-right-now-1-4385450|title=5 of the most influential women in Scottish tech right now|access-date=2018-03-10|language=en}} In 2017 she was listed in the top 10 most influential data professionals in the UK.{{Cite news|url=http://futurescot.com/datalabs-chief-exec-top-10-uks-100-influential/|title=DataLab's chief exec in top 10 of UK's 100 most influential - FutureScot|date=2017-02-27|work=FutureScot|access-date=2018-03-11|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.dataiq.co.uk/dataiq100/2017/|title=The DataIQ 100 {{!}} 2017 {{!}} www.dataiq.co.uk|website=www.dataiq.co.uk|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-03-11}} In 2018 was named Digital Leader for the UK. She also received an Outstanding Achievement Award at Scotland’s Women in Technology Awards in 2019. Docherty was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to information technology and business.{{London Gazette|issue=62666|supp=y|page=B11|date=8 June 2019}} She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2024.{{Cite web |title=Ms Gillian Docherty |url=https://rse.org.uk/fellowship/fellow/ms-gillian-docherty-17283/ |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=Royal Society of Edinburgh |language=en-GB}}
Personal
Docherty is married with a daughter who appeared on stage with her during her TEDx talk.{{cite web |title=2037 - Who's leading? Who's following? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjXa7ROwgq8 |website=Youtube | date=7 June 2017 |publisher=TEDx Talks |access-date=7 September 2021}}
References
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Category:British computer specialists
Category:British computer scientists
Category:British computer programmers
Category:Scottish computer scientists
Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Category:British women chief executives
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:British women computer scientists
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:British chief executives
Category:People associated with the University of Strathclyde