Good coffee, cake, connectivity, and company, are the four things that Nicola Millard needs to be able to work.

She is BT’s head of future and customer insights, and part of a new breed of digital workers that have broken free from the constraints of the traditional office.

Nicola took time out to speak to us about her fascinating job, ahead of the in-Cumbria digital business breakfast she is speaking at this month.

Her job is a very interesting one - heading up an innovation ecosystem including universities and tech scouts that seek out the latest digital developments and start-ups.

A unique skill set combining psychology and digital development mean Nicola has the intriguing task of researching how trends like working from home and in coffee shops (the coffice) are impacting businesses.

She fronted BT’s biggest change programme in the 90s, transforming it from a traditional office environment to a high-tech digital adopter, as the business sold off buildings and demanded more for less.

According to the workplace guru, she only needs cake, coffee, connectivity and company (not necessarily colleagues, just humans) to work productively.

We believe her. We interviewed her over the phone whilst she was working from Heathrow Airport - probably in a coffice - before jetting off to Dublin.

Nicola said: “I’m a psychologist interested in technology and usability. I look at why we employ technology and the impact it can have.

“A lot of the time the most important thing for businesses to look at is culture - the technology is the easy part but changing culture and using it is the difficulty.

“The first ever project I worked on at BT was on of the most interesting and was on artificial intelligence and introducing it to contact centres. We introduced the first ever AI system to a contact centre.

“25 years on I am again working on AI. Robots could take over some aspects of our job but not everything.

“I think I have outsourced most of my brain to Google!”

Nicola normally works with big multi-national companies on their strategy, but is coming to Cumbria to show how smaller firms can benefit as well.

Big companies can struggle to adapt quickly because changing the culture and mindset of the staff can take so long, whereas small agile SMEs can adjust quickly.

Running an ‘innovation ecosystem’ - a network of universities and research hubs from Boston to China - has given Nicola a wealth of knowledge about what offices will look like in the future, and what measures you need introduce.

She added: “As well as working with universities, we have tech scouts, looking out for start-ups and new technology. There is not a normal week in my job.

“I want to show that SMEs can level the playing field and show the latest trends.”

To hear more about Nicola’s fascinating role, and the future of the workplace, book your place at our digital business breakfast.

The free event will also feature a debating panel of local digital experts and the opportunity for networking with a room full of likeminded businesses.

It takes place on Feb 23 at Tullie House in Carlisle. The event starts at 8.30am and will last approximately 80-90 minutes. Guests are invited to arrive from 8am for breakfast.

Email dan.mason@cnmedia.co.uk or call 01228 612746 to book a place.