Chief Operating Officer (DPUK Data Portal) and Head of Programmes and Innovation (SeRP)

Emma Squires leads the operational delivery, data governance and innovation underpinning the BrainWaves hub, ensuring that sensitive youth mental-health data is managed within robust, ethical and trusted research environments.

Drawing on her experience overseeing national platforms such as the DPUK Data Portal, she operates scalable data models that enable secure access, multimodal analysis and high-quality research while meeting regulatory and public-trust expectations. Her focus is on translating strategy into durable infrastructure, governance and delivery mechanisms that allow the BrainWaves programme to generate meaningful, real-world impact.

Contribution to BrainWaves
Through this role, Emma has been central to establishing BrainWaves as a trusted national hub for youth mental-health data, aligning technical delivery with ethical governance and stakeholder expectations. By embedding robust operational and governance frameworks from the outset, she has helped ensure BrainWaves can deliver sustained, real-world impact for young people.