PyData Leeds: June meet-up

PyData Leeds returns on Tuesday 16 June 2026 with two presentations covering practical AI architecture and the realities of leading data science teams during the current wave of generative AI interest.

The first talk comes from Obinna Iheanachor, Senior AI/Data Engineer at Rotork and founder of Wisabi Analytics. His session, 'Local-First AI: Reducing Cloud Cost and Latency in Document Pipelines', draws on a real production case study: processing 4,700 engineering PDFs using a hybrid architecture that handles predictable documents locally with Python tools including PyMuPDF, then routes only uncertain cases to cloud LLMs. The result was reduced runtime, lower API usage and improved operational reliability. If you work on document processing pipelines and have been defaulting to cloud APIs for everything, this is a concrete alternative worth hearing.

The second talk is from Fay Churchill, Head of Data Science at ITV. Her session, 'Data Science Leadership in the GenAI Gold Rush', addresses what happens when AI moves from niche to boardroom priority almost overnight. Churchill's focus is on maintaining technical integrity when everyone suddenly wants to talk about AI but conflates ML, GenAI and agentic workflows in the same breath. She describes it as part strategic deep-dive, part group therapy.

The event runs from 17:30 to 20:30 at Hippo Event Space on Aire Street, behind Brew Society in Leeds city centre. Doors open at 17:30 for networking and refreshments before the talks begin at 18:15. The format is in-person and free to attend.

PyData Leeds brings together engineers, data scientists and Python practitioners for regular evening meetups focused on learning and peer networking. The group operates as a chapter of PyData, the educational programme run by NumFOCUS, and follows the NumFOCUS Code of Conduct. It is a professional event and professional behaviour is expected throughout.

Why attend

Obinna Iheanachor's talk is grounded in a real production system — 4,700 PDFs, measurable cost and latency reductions — rather than a toy example. If you're building or maintaining document AI pipelines, the hybrid local/cloud routing pattern he describes is directly applicable.

Fay Churchill leads data science at ITV, a team operating at scale under real commercial pressure. Her perspective on cutting through GenAI hype while still delivering value is the kind of thing that doesn't often make it into conference talks. Networking starts at 17:30, so there's time to talk to both speakers and the wider Leeds data community before the evening wraps up with drinks at 19:45.

Agenda

• 17:30 — Networking and refreshments
• 18:00 — Welcome and icebreaker
• 18:15 — Obinna Iheanachor: 'Local-First AI: Reducing Cloud Cost and Latency in Document Pipelines'
• 19:00 — Fay Churchill: 'Data Science Leadership in the GenAI Gold Rush'
• 19:45 — Wrap-up and drinks

Speakers

• Obinna Iheanachor — Senior AI/Data Engineer at Rotork; founder of Wisabi Analytics
• Fay Churchill — Head of Data Science at ITV