Kathryn sits within tech leadership at Sainsbury’s as a Senior Technical Programme Manager.

She leads multi-million pound cross-functional technology programmes driving innovation sponsored by Sainsbury’s Chief Information Officer and the Chief Executive Officer’s Board. She joined Sainsbury’s over four years ago from Deloitte. She has a strategy consulting background including time spent at Gartner working on FTSE 100 companies transformation programmes. Kathryn joined Sainsbury’s from Deloitte in 2016 to lead a series of transformation programs, notably digitally integrating the company’s clothing and cosmetic beauty verticals into Argos after its acquisition, enabling new multi-million-pound revenue streams.

Promoted to the technology leadership team at the end of 2020, she brings along her unwavering focus on business and customer value and ensures the route towards it is as agile and efficient as possible. The digital and tech integration of Sainsbury’s clothing line, Tu Clothing, into Argos was the first major commercial project post-acquisition and earmarked as a unique customer and commercial opportunity. Both businesses brought substantial legacy technology and historical ways of working with them. Multiple disparate systems had to be integrated from end-to-end. For example, Sainsbury’s supply chain systems would need to show up on Argos’ network and financial reporting systems needed to be synced. Substantial integration and automation work was required to bring thousands of new products from one organisation to another while ensuring a seamless customer experience. Kathryn was at the heart of this large scale change, working with cross functional teams, unlocking issues. Kathryn was central to getting this programme over the line which now contributes to the bottom line revenue. Kathryn has now been recognised as “Top 20 Digital Transformation Innovators: Europe 2021” by Contino and TLA for this work.

Kathryn is the founder of “Non-techies Journey to Tech” which showcases trailblazers within tech who have come from a non-technical background. Kathryn is passionate about equalising access to tech for all, especially girls and women. Having a non-technical background and therefore not knowing how to code or not holding a STEM degree, comes up as a barrier for many girls and women when wanting to launch a tech career. Kathryn is committed to busting this myth and showing there’s room for all to have a thriving tech career, if they choose.