Karen is the Director of Technology at The R&A, where she leads four teams (Technical Delivery, Change, Operations & Support, and Data) in delivering and enabling Technology & Data across The R&A, The Open, and the AIG Women’s Open.

Over the last 4 years, Karen has led The R&A through technology transformation. She has restructured and expanded The R&A’s Technology Department and operating model, introduced portfolio management and project governance practices, and built a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning. Her work focuses on aligning innovation with strategic objectives, empowering teams, and delivering secure, scalable solutions that support the organisation’s ambitious strategy.

Karen was in the first cohort of The R&A’s Women in Golf Leadership Development programme, which forms part of The R&A’s ongoing commitment to the Women in Golf Charter. The Leadership Programme is designed to build confidence, enhance communication and strategic thinking skills as well as build participants understanding of effective leadership in a sporting context.

Keynote summary

In this opening keynote, Karen will reflect on her leadership journey as a woman working in golf and technology. She will share how she has brought her style and creativity to her role at The R&A, guiding both the organisation and technology department through a period of technology transformation. She will share practical takeaways for delegates to consider in their own roles, setting the tone for thoughtful discussion and ambitious conversations throughout the conference.