Erika Lewis is the CEO of Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation agency for transport, construction, data infrastructure and local growth. She is responsible for setting and delivering a strategy that helps UK SMEs test, trial and commercialise innovations at scale, and fuels business growth and investment in these sectors. 

Before joining the Catapult, Erika was CEO of the UK Government’s AI Safety Summit, and worked for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). 

Erika’s career has focused on leveraging innovation to drive economic development and national impact. As a Director in cyber security, digital identity, and data policy for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), she delivered the National Data Strategy and led the development of the Covid response package for the voluntary sector. She previously held positions at the Competition and Markets Authority, Greater London Authority and London Development Agency. 

Erika is a non-executive director of AIRTO, the Association for Innovation, Research and Technology Organisations. She formerly served as a Board Member of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, and on the Audit and Risk committee at the Open University.