FEATURE
Teching care of business
David Dixon , the newly crowned winner of the Tees Tech Awards Ambassador title , talks to Peter Barron about his local roots – and his hopes for the sector
PICTURES BY GRAEME ROWATT
D uring an award-winning career , David Dixon has worked alongside an array of impressive business leaders . But he has no hesitation in naming his biggest inspiration – his mum .
“ She showed me the way – made me see the importance of helping other people and changing lives ,” he says .
Ann Dixon has just retired after a 47-year career as a frontline nurse – most recently as a sister on a ward treating Covid-19 patients – and tears well up in her son ’ s eyes as he pays tribute to the influence she ’ s had on his life .
“ There ’ s nothing better than helping other human beings and she dedicated her life to helping others – patients and those she worked with . It wasn ’ t until I grew up that I fully appreciated the power of what she did ,” he adds .
In the two decades he ’ s spent supporting the business community on Teesside , David has tried to follow his mother ’ s example – albeit in a very different working environment – by helping others : from startups to large , established companies .
“ It ’ s such an amazing feeling to be able to help people to achieve their dreams ,” he says .
In David ’ s current role as digitalisation , scale and investment manager at tech business support organisation , DigitalCity , he ’ s guided hundreds of companies through their digital journeys , passionately advocating the advantages of embracing technology .
And he believes that the Tees tech sector has developed a strong foundation for further growth : “ We have an amazing opportunity to compete with some of the big cities in the north because we have some great companies and talent that is genuinely world-beating ,” he says .
“ But to achieve our full potential we need to shout louder about what we ’ ve got to offer , raise aspirations in our schools , attract more external expertise and investment , and work in a more collaborative way .”
His support of the sector was deservedly recognised at the end of April when he was named Tech Ambassador of the Year at the Tees Tech Awards , in front of a 300-strong audience at Hardwick Hall Hotel , near Sedgefield .
Described as “ a driving force between DigitalCity and local businesses ”, it was a proud night for David and his parents , who instilled a strong work ethic in him and his brother , Chris , when they were growing up in Thornaby .
While his mum ’ s vocation was nursing , he inherited his entrepreneurial spirit from his dad , Dave , who ran his own construction business .
“ He had a unit at Cannon Park , in Middlesbrough , and I enjoyed going there as a kid . I loved the smell of the freshly cut wood and the fact that it was Dad ’ s place ,” he recalls .
“ I was brought up to work hard , right from having a paper round at 14 , and never expected anything on a plate .”
At 16 , he was stacking shelves at Safeway , and he credits that job with teaching him people skills and understanding the value of customer service . Even then , it was an opportunity to be like his mum and point others in the right direction .
“ When you work in a supermarket , you can sense when people are lost and can ’ t find what they want ,” he smiles .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 29