Meet the Team

The Benchmark Iniative is delivered by Geovation with support from the Omidyar Network. 

Ben Hawes

Lecture Series Director

An experienced public policy specialist on smart cities and the digital economy, Ben is an Associate Director at the Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation body for smarter places, and manages the Catapult's URBAIN network for Artificial Intelligence applications for cities. Previously Ben worked on Government technology policy, leading DCMS's work on the 2017 Hall-Pesenti Review of Artificial Intelligence, as Smart Cities policy lead 2013-7, developing the IoTUK national internet of things programme, and previously in roles liaising with major tech companies, in energy innovation policy, and in delivering digital TV switchover. 

Denise McKenzie

Entrepreneur-in-Residence Programme Director

A global geospatial specialist Denise has worked in the industry for nearly 20 years evangelising the benefits, value and application of geospatial information across Government, Private Sector and Academia in domains including Smart Cities & IoT, Agriculture, Defence, Humanitarian, Insurance and many more. She has worked as a representative to the UNGGIM and lead the OGC's Communication and Outreach Program globally.  Denise is also a member of the Board of the Association for Geographic Information in the UK and the Global Advisory Board for the Location Based Marketing Association. Prior to her role with OGC, she worked for over 12 years with the Victorian Government (Australia) in areas of geospatial strategic policy, collaboration and innovation.