The @FIAFarnborough #FIAConnect discussions have been interesting but I’m disappointed at the lack of diversity in speakers. So I did a crude analysis, using the published programme, on the number of women and BAME speakers throughout the week. A thread: /1

Disclosure: I've based this on names & photos of speakers; I cannot ascertain other diversity aspects just from this data. I've included spotlight conversation speakers but not counted them as ‘panel sessions’ and I've tried my best not to count speakers twice.. /2

Day 1: out of around 50 speakers, only 14% were female and 0.8% BAME speakers. Not a great start. Nearly half of the sessions were all-male panels.

Day 2: out of around 60 speakers, 16% female, 12% BAME. A bit better, but again, a third of sessions were all-male. /3

Day 3: nearly 80 speakers and we have our first WoC in the programme ; 18% female, 10% BAME.
What struck me was the large session with 15 speakers, and only two were female? /4

Day 4 (today): around 50 speakers again,! 18% Female, 12% BAME. Today includes a Women in Aviation & Aerospace Charter session. There is also a 10-speaker all-male panel. Hard to believe there are no women or people of colour who are experts on Supply Chain? /5

Day 5: the redeeming day, and includes a variety of diversity topics, such as Inspirational Women, BAME Perspectives, and Insights from Young Professionals. 50% women, 6% BAME (though these may be higher, the speakers for the BAME panel session did not have bios published) /6

So what's the point of this? I’m not disappointed at the speakers, they have given and will give great talks. But considering there were nearly 280 speakers over the week, surely there was scope for the organisers to find a more diverse group of experts? They are out there! /7

This is also not an attack on ‘white men’ as some may perceive it to be. But how can you be sure that you are achieving ‘diversity of thought’ (and especially for panel discussions) when a large percentage of your speakers have a similar background and similar experiences? /8

TLDR Summary: #FIAConnect 280 speakers, 20% female, 8% BAME, less than 2% WoC. #RepresentationMatters /9