2024 Bupa everywoman in Technology Awards finalists announced

Now in their 14^th year, the awards shine a spotlight on and celebrate the tech industry’s most exceptional talent, from the UK and beyond, creating role models to inspire and attract women and young girls into STEM careers and close the gender gap within technology.

As an innovative industry, new sectors, and specialisms, and therefore career opportunities, continue to increase. The UK tech market has been valued at $1trillion making it the third most valuable in the world, confirmation that growth is not slowing. Despite this, women currently only occupy 24% of roles in the technology industry and recent research suggests that almost half experience burnout, with 7% adding that they have felt pushed to their physical and mental limits.

Maxine Benson MBE, Co-Founder of everywoman comments: “It is paramount that the technology industry not only attracts female talent to sustain the industry’s innovation and growth, but that this female talent is retained. Since 1999, everywoman has been supporting companies to attract, develop, retain, and advance women in business, delivering leadership development to over 200,000 women and today over 40% of all our learning content has a wellbeing related theme. Family responsibilities and health related issues play key roles in career progression; they are intrinsically linked. It is only by ensuring that female tech talent is empowered to live long, healthy lives enabling them to enjoy successful careers, that the gender gap can truly be addressed. Our partnership with Bupa will focus on gaining a deeper understanding of what more we can be doing to transform the workplace into one that enables that.”

The 2024 finalists are:

AI award

• Annika Grosse, Executive, Avanade Europe, and Middle East Centre for AI Lead at Avanade, from Hamburg
• Danijela Horak, Head of AI Research at BBC, from London
• Franny Hsiao, Principal AI Architect at Salesforce, from London
• Nicola Martin, Head of Quality Engineering at Adarga, from London
• Vinita Rathi, Chief Executive Officer at Systango, from London

Apprentice award – sponsored by SSE

• Dimitra Magklasi, Cyber Security Incident Response Analyst at Bupa from London
• Fatima Ceesay Lopez, Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase, from Glasgow
• Hollie Watson, Cloud Business Analyst at Willis Towers Watson, from Ipswich
• Poonam Ale, Software Engineer at American Express, from London
• Roisin Goodman, QA Engineer at Kainos, from Belfast
• Stephanie Somade, Software Engineer at News UK, from London
• Ziana Butt, Business & Technology Delivery Associate at Accenture from London

CTO/CIO of the year award – sponsored by Accenture

• Cecilia Harvey, Chief Operating Officer at City & Guilds, from London
• Charlotte Baldwin, Global Chief Digital & Information Officer at Costa Coffee, from London
• Jayne Showell, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Coventry Building Society, from Coventry
• Niamh McKenna, CIO at NHS Resolution, from London
• Nicola Emsley, Global Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Technology at HSBC, from London
• Renee Hunt, Chief Technology Officer at Compare the Market, from Peterborough/London
• Sarah Cunningham, CIO at ARM, from Cambridge

Cyber security award – sponsored by BAE Systems

• Deepanjali Goyal, Functional Safety Expert at Arm Ltd, from Cambridge
• Freha Arshad, Managing Director at Accenture, from Edinburgh
• Kai-Yun Tsao, Senior Cyber Security Analyst at Zoopla, from York
• Lisa Ventura MBE, Founder of Cyber Security Unity, from Worcester
• Rebecca Taylor, Threat intelligence Knowledge Manager at Secureworks, from London
• Shobitha Shivakumar, Cyber Security Consultant at IBM, from London

Digital star award – sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group

• Alisha Davis, Data Analytics Manager at Jaguar Land Rover, from Birmingham
• Aneesha Harindran, Managing Consultant at Clarasys, from London
• Arushi Madan, Assistant Vice President – Software Engineer at Barclays, from Birmingham
• Haneen Shariff, Digital Education Support Analyst at Imperial College London, from London
• Rose Ulldemolins, Tech School Lead at Lloyds Banking Group, from Edinburgh
• Sian Thomas, Product Manager at Lyst, from London
• Stacey Coffin, Senior Manager at Accenture, from London
• Suzanne Laporte, Marketing and Communications Lead at Tech She Can, from Glasgow

Digital transformation leader award – sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group

• Andrea Ghigo, Business Domain Architect at Royal Mail, from London
• Carolina Restrepo, Products, Technology & Innovation Manager at Vanderlande, from
• Giorgia Amici, Lead Software Engineer at RVU, from London
• Holly Toner, Senior AI Engineer at Kainos, from Belfast
• Jo Tanner, Business Consultant at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, from London

Entrepreneur award – sponsored by Howden Group Holdings Ltd

• Alison Ettridge, Chief Believer at CEO at Stratigens, from Cardiff
• Hannah Thomson, Founder CEO at The Joy Club, from Bristol
• Simi Lindgren, Founder and CEO at Yuty, from London
• Victoria Johnson, CEO at VetCT, from Cambridge

Innovator award – sponsored by American Express

• Amberle Gregory, Project Manager at SSEN – Transmission, from Glasgow
• Jo Hickson, Head of Innovation Lab at Tesco, from Hertfordshire
• Katie King, CEO at BioOrbit Ltd, from London/Bristol
• Priyanka Naik, Principle Product Owner at Discover Financial Services, from London
• Rajani Rao, Principle Technologist at AVEVA, from Cambridge
• Sinem Serap, AI Lead at Atos, from Poland
• Valentina Bonsi, Director of Cyber Security at Booking Holdings, from Italy

Leader award – sponsored HSBC

• Anne Gosal, Partner – Head of FS Tech Strategy and Transformation at KPMG, from London
• Annette Moody, Group IT Governance Director at Serco, from London
• Jessica Hall, Chief Product Officer at Just Eat Takeaway, from London
• Kate Bohn, CIO at KateBohn.com, from London
• Katrina Foster, Head of Strategy Development, Global Broking at Willis Towers Watson, from London
• Lisa Eckersley, Chief Architect at Capgemini, from London

One to watch award – sponsored by Computacenter

• Alexandra Gentry, Student at Bedford Girls School, from Beford
• Jiya Mehta, Student at Watford Grammar School for Girls
• Willow Griffith, Student at Lady Eleanor Holles School, from London

Male agent of change award – sponsored by Centrical PLC

• Ian Black, Head of Technology Change & Digital Practices at The Coventry Building, from Coventry
• Gareth Workman, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at Kainos, from Belfast
• Leigh Walters-James, Managing Director at Accenture, from London
• Sam Kirby-French, Head of Cyber Security Programmes at BAE Systems, from Frimley
• Saurabh Singla, Vice President – Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase, from Bournemouth

Rising star award – sponsored by Booking.com

• Afiba Annor, Data Scientist at PwC, from London
• Asia Sharif, Software Engineer, Public Speaker, Engineering Mentor at NatWest, from Manchester
• Annabel Ohene, Technical Support Engineer at Siemens, from Manchester
• Fatima Ceesay Lopez, Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase, from Glasgow
• Grace Y. Lin, Associate Software Engineer at Discover Financial Services, from Farnborough
• Hafsa Hersi, Management Consulting Analyst at Accenture, from London
• Sophie Bickerton, Software Engineer at American Express, from Brighton
• Zara Graham, Information Service Engineer at British Army, Royal Signals, from Andover

Software engineer award – sponsored by Discover

• Ellen Studer, Senior Associate, Equities Trading Technology at JP Morgan Chase, from London
• Joanna Kelly, Senior Software Engineer at Leonardo, from Edinburgh
• Mohini Dhumal, Senior Software Engineer at American Express, from Burgess Hill
• Sarah Elliot, Principal Software Engineer at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence, from Leeds
• Shalini Jain, Senior Software Engineer at Zero100, from London

Team leader award – sponsored by DS Smith

• Ana Gillan, Director of Field Specialists and Shared Services at Cloudera, from Reading
• Jennifer Myers, Test Manager at Bord Gais Energy, from Dublin
• Lydia Balogun-Wilson, Regional Engineering Authority at BP Plc, from London
• Lizzie Brown, Vice President Technology Workforce & Talent Excellence at American Express, from Brighton
• Namrata Rajyaguru, IT Programme Manager at Royal Mail, from London
• Sally Draper, COO UK & Ireland at Avanade, from London
• Wendy Burns, Senior Manager, Service Delivery at Dell Technologies, from Manchester

Tech for good award – sponsored by RS Group

• Fran Baker, Director of Sustainability & Social Impact at Arm Ltd, from Cambridge
• Keisha Garcia, VP Technical Programme Management and Digital Foundations at BP, from Houston
• Jeni Trice, CEO, Founder and Chief Coding Adventurer at Get with the Programme, from Fleet
• Omobolanle Banwo Osadolo, Brand Identity Consultant at Azari Women in Tech Africa, from Nigeria
• Shany Mizrahi Otero, Senior Sustainability Consultant at Fujitsu, from London

Yolande Young, CISO at Bupa Global & UK comments: “Technology is at the heart of everything we do, so we’re really pleased to see so many impressive finalists from across the technology sector. Recognising the achievements of these women through the everywoman in Technology Awards is so important, not only to shine a light on their accomplishments but to inspire others. That’s why we’re passionate about supporting women through every element of their technology career to unleash their full potential, push boundaries and be credited for their successes. Well done to every applicant and good luck to the finalists!”

With this year’s theme ‘Empower. Transform. Thrive.’, the 2024 Bupa everywoman in Technology Awards ceremony and dinner will take place at The Park Plaza in London on 14 March 2024, after the annual everywoman in Technology Forum.

To book your place at the awards ceremony and find more information visit www.everywoman.com/techawards.