Thinking Digital’s northern delights….

The north east has always been a hotbed of economic activity. Since it’s glory days as an industrial heavy weight it’s been a centre of economic enterprise, one way or another. Today the North-East’s new identity as a knowledge-led, high-end technology hub is attracting industry talent.

For Herb Kim, CEO of Codeworks and Thinking Digital’s conference organizer, the first event of its kind in the UK, was key for showcasing all that’s happening in digital innovation outside the mainstay of the capital.

From Caspar Berry who taught Daniel Craig to play poker to Jonathan Harris divulging the merits of creative freedom, the speaker list was certainly eclectic. There was a myriad of accents floating around over the three days too as delegates from far out with Tyne and Wear attended (Swedes and Danish, amongst others, if I remember rightly)

The Sage and The Baltic perfectly sum up the steps the north east has taken to prove itself an equal of London for talent and innovation; ten years ago the impressive riverside art gallery and conference centre were merely redundant warehouses.

It’s surprising, given the high overheads in the capital, that developments only a short train journey away, are being overlooked. With events like Thinking Digital pulling talent and business northward that could just be a thing of the past.