Our Team
Eddie Copeland – Director
Eddie oversees LOTI’s activities, member relations and strategic direction. Previously he was Director of Government Innovation at Nesta, the innovation foundation. He is a Board Member of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI), a government unit dedicated to enabling the trustworthy use of data. He is also a member of the Smart London Board, a group that advises the Mayor of London on using technology and data for the benefit of those who live and work in the capital.
Genta Hajri – Delivery Lead: Digital Innovation
Genta is responsible for the design and delivery of LOTI’s digital innovation programmes, ensuring all activities lead to tangible outcomes and benefit members. Previously, she worked for six years in different roles within local government. More recently, she led the definition and delivery of two key business transformation programmes at Waltham Forest, focusing on outcomes for people and place.
Jay Saggar – Programme Manager: Data, Smart Cities & Cyber Security
Jay is responsible for the delivery of LOTI’s data, smart city and cyber security projects, working with members to identify areas for innovation, helping to scale up projects and share insights across London. Prior to joining the team, Jay was a co-creator of the UK Housing Data Standard. As part of his work at Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust (HACT), he helped housing providers across the UK to improve data systems and data quality to enable the delivery of better and safer homes for residents.
Sam Nutt – Researcher & Data Ethicist
Sam leads LOTI’s research efforts and serves as the first ever Data Ethicist for LOTI boroughs. As a researcher, he currently leads work on innovative participation methods and the future of work. As data ethicist, he provides hands on support and leadership for London boroughs, to help them become more responsible innovators with data. Prior to joining LOTI, Sam was a Public Sector Innovation Analyst at the Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI) in the OECD.
Polly Kwok – Communications and Engagement Manager
Polly leads LOTI’s Communications and Engagement work, helping to tell the LOTI story, build a strong brand, engage with partners and campaign for changes that can enhance our impact. Prior to joining LOTI, Polly worked as Project Manager at the Healthy London Partnership.
Sam Lupton – Team Administrator
Sam leads LOTI’s administrative work, helping the LOTI team to organise events, manage team processes and outputs, supporting our communities of practice and enhance the support for our LOTI members and the impact of our work as a team. Prior to joining LOTI, Sam was completing his Masters in Project Management at Middlesex University.
Victoria Blyth – Pan London Information Governance Lead
Victoria leads on designing and helping LOTI implement improvements to the tools and approaches that London’s public sector organisations use to share data with each other and other parties. This will include the creation and management of pan-London data-sharing agreements, supporting councils to adapt to legislative and policy changes, streamlining IG practices, and helping LOTI embed robust data ethics procedures. Prior to joining LOTI, Victoria worked as the Privacy & Data Protection Lead at the London Borough of Barnet and led the pan-London Data Sharing Project.
Edi Whitehead – Talent and Skills Manager
Edi is responsible for shaping and delivering a wide range of initiatives that help boroughs access the talent they need. This includes areas like establishing a cross-borough digital apprenticeship programme; hiring and overseeing the work of a pool of talented individuals in hard-to-fill roles that serve all LOTI’s members; setting up bespoke training programmes with major suppliers and much more besides.
