Mid Dorset and North Poole MP, Vikki Slade, visited Squire Technologies to see the impact the Dorset powerhouse is having internationally. During her visit she chatted to CEO, Sanjeev Verma, about UK Government support for tech companies.

Here is what they discussed during Vikki Slade MP’s visit to Squire Technologies’ head office.

Sanjeev Verma, CEO: We have spent some time talking about what Squire Technologies has been doing in the telecom space in the last two decades and we also gave you a little sneak peek into different departments.

How’s the experience and do you have any takeaways from these interactions, Vikki?

Vikki Slade, MP: I’ve been fascinated by what I’ve seen here and one of the things that strikes me is you’ve got such incredible reach and it’s such a diverse talent pool, that you’ve got all of these people working in a little tiny town in Dorset.

You would not believe that this was going on just here.

So, in your opinion, what do you think the UK government can do for companies like Squire Technologies to enhance its profile as a British engineering company in the market?

Vikki Slade, MP: I think it’s difficult because, you know, it’s very difficult for the British government to directly be backing individual businesses.

I think it goes a bit deeper in terms of what the brand Britain is.

The Made in Britain brand is worth a huge amount, and I think that the recent UK-EU trade deal that’s coming, is a sort of more outward facing view that the government needs to take to make sure that British companies are in the market, whether it’s in telecoms or whether it’s in other sectors.

So, I think there is a message about what makes a British brand different, whether it’s a brand that’s a public facing brand or a private facing brand.

And I think that integrity, that rules based, democratic decency that we stand for in this country; I do think it’s valued around the world and the more that the government can do to promote those values that the more opportunities there will be for British companies that live by those values.

Sanjeev Verma, CEO: If I may sneak in one last question; we talked about, on the national level, about the UK government, how do you feel about what Dorset as a place could do for technology companies like Squire Technologies?

Vikki Slade, MP: So, there are some amazing things going on in Dorset.

You know, I mean, our universities are specialising in some of the sort of skills which I think are really good for organisations like this.

I think that the role of Dorset within the Southwest of England is really important and underplayed.

The Southwest has talked very much about security, energy security, food security, military security; and I think that tech companies like Squire have an opportunity to feed into some of those areas because of data security and, stability around you being able to access tech and being able, to make sure that your tech works and it’s got to feed into that security piece.

So, working with the Dorset Chamber of Trade and Commerce, and working with the Great Southwest, those sorts of organisations are certainly ones which, you know, feeding into those would definitely be an advantage.

Sanjeev Verma, CEO: Thank you so much Vikki for taking your time and we count on your continued support.

Find out more about Vikki Slade MP by visiting www.vikkislade.uk

You can learn more about Squire Technologies by visiting www.squire-technologies.co.uk