Vote: Who must be named the 2026 most influential lady in UK tech?
This 12 months marks the fifteenth time Pc Weekly is placing collectively its record of the 50 Most Influential Ladies in UK Expertise, and voting is now open to provide readers a possibility to specific who they really feel deserves the highest spot.
Launched in 2012, the highest 50 record goals to make position fashions within the tech sector extra seen and accessible, within the hope that doing so will encourage extra ladies and underrepresented teams to think about a task within the trade, and finally result in a extra numerous and inclusive expertise sector.
This 12 months’s longlist, that includes greater than 850 ladies, was assessed by a gaggle of professional judges to decide on the shortlisted 50 under.
The winner of this 12 months’s “most influential lady in UK tech” accolade shall be introduced at an occasion in London in October, deliberate in partnership with recruitment specialist Harvey Nash.
Corridor of Fame
Alongside the highest 50, every year, the judges select a number of ladies for the Pc Weekly Ladies in Tech Corridor of Fame to recognise their lifetime achievements and ongoing contributions to the expertise sector. This 12 months’s additions are:
- Naomi Timperley (Final 12 months’s winner)
- Charlene Hunter, CEO and founder, Coding Black Females
- Anna Brailsford, CEO, Code First Women
- Melanie Dawes, chief government, Ofcom
- Janet Collyer, chair, Quantum Cube
- Alice Bentinck, co-founder, Entrepreneur First
- Toni Scullion, computing science instructor; founder, dressCode
- Edwina Dunn, commissioner, Geospatial Fee; founder, The Feminine Lead
- Emma Wright, director, Institute of AI; companion and world co-chair of the privateness and cyber group, Crowell & Moring
- Beckie Taylor, founder, Voices in Tech; co-founder, WIT North; co-founder, Tech Returners
- Anne Keast-Butler, director, GCHQ
- Arfah Farooq, scout, Ada Ventures; founder, Muslamic Makers; founder, Muslim Tech Fest
- Sian John, companion – cyber safety, EY
- Bindi Karia, enterprise companion, Molten Ventures; digital leaders of Europe, World Financial Discussion board
- Gill Whitehead, non-executive director
- Jess Wade, Royal Society College analysis fellow, Imperial School London
- Carolyn Dawson, CEO, Founders Discussion board Group
Vote now
Pc Weekly readers can now vote for the individual they take into account to be essentially the most influential lady in UK expertise in 2026.
Click on in your selection under after which on the “submit” button (or the arrow button on cell) on the finish of the record, and your vote shall be registered. Notice that the record seems in randomised order.
Voting closes at midnight on 21 September 2026.
Editor’s word: The ultimate record of the Most Influential Ladies in UK Tech shall be chosen by combining the choice of the judging panel with the votes of our readers. The mixed reader vote will carry the identical weight as that of 1 choose, and can present the UK IT skilled enter into the order of the record. The editor’s resolution on the record shall be closing.
The shortlist
The shortlisted 50 (in alphabetical order) are as follows:
Akua Opong, senior EUC engineer, infrastructure and cloud engineering, London Inventory Alternate; STEM advisor
In addition to her work as senior EUC engineer, infrastructure and cloud engineering on the London Inventory Alternate Group, Akua Opong is a freelancer and science, expertise, engineering and maths (STEM) advisor.
Till final 12 months, she was a part of the Metropolis of London Company volunteer advisory group for equality, variety and inclusion, and was beforehand an advisory board member for Neurodiversity in Enterprise, and a mentor on the TechUp mentor programme for Durham College.
Opong was a contributor for Voices within the shadows, the e-book of black feminine position fashions created by the 2022 Pc Weekly most influential lady in UK tech, Flavilla Fongang.
Presently, Opong is an award choose for WeAreTheCity, a volunteer for the Competition of The Lady, and till November 2025 was a task mannequin and mentor for the STEMazing mentorship programme.
She spent two years as a non-executive director for Genius Inside CIC.
Alex Depledge, founder and CEO, Resi; entrepreneurship advisor to the chancellor of the exchequer
Alex Depledge is a serial entrepreneur who based home cleansing market Trouble.com and residential structure agency Resi, the place she was CEO for nearly 10 years earlier than turning into government director in 2025.
She has beforehand been a board member for the London Financial Motion Partnership (Leap) and a non-executive director for retail analytics agency Edited.
Till March 2016, Depledge was a board member for lobbying physique The Sharing Financial system, and till January 2017, acted because the enterprise companion for startup capital agency Ignite 100. Depledge was additionally beforehand the chair of not-for-profit The Coalition for a Digital Financial system (Coadec) and began her tech profession as a administration advisor for Accenture.
Presently, Depledge is an entrepreneurship advisor to the chancellor of the exchequer at HM Treasury.
Alison Kay, vice-president and managing director, AWS UK and Eire
In her position at Amazon Internet Companies (AWS), Alison Kay makes use of her background in enterprise mannequin transformation to drive innovation by way of utilising rising traits and applied sciences, whereas additionally specializing in creating an inclusive tradition.
She additionally makes use of her 25 years of expertise in enterprise and expertise to mentor and sponsor others inside the sector.
Alongside her position at AWS, Kay is a non-executive director at Lloyd’s Register, government chairman for the Birmingham Panthers, and a board member of the UK Funding Council.
Beforehand, she has held roles reminiscent of senior government at Accenture, and spent greater than 18 years at EY in roles reminiscent of world sector chief for energy and utilities, world vice-chair for trade, and managing companion and senior advisor for EMEIA.
Amanda Brock, CEO, OpenUK
Amanda Brock’s position at OpenUK sees her main the sustainable and moral improvement of open applied sciences within the UK, together with expertise reminiscent of open supply software program, {hardware} and information.
She additionally sits on the boards of the Mojaloop Basis and US cyber safety agency Mimoto, in addition to appearing as an advisory board member for Scarf and The Stack.
In summer season 2025, she grew to become an Professional Community of the Digital Innovation Board member for the Worldwide Telecommunication Union, and is an honorary professor on the College of Bristol Sensible Web Lab.
Previous expertise noticed her as a member of the Cupboard Workplace Open Requirements Board, and an advisory board member for Tech All Stars and FerretDB.
Amy Low, CEO, AbilityNet
Amy Low has been chief government of AbilityNet since August 2024, a charity aimed toward utilizing expertise to scale back limitations to inclusion in work, schooling and life.
Previous to her present place, she held different roles inside the charity, together with service supply director and chief working officer.
She can also be a group board member for the Digital Poverty Alliance, in addition to an Inclusive On-line Companies subcommittee member on the Digital Inclusion Motion Committee and a strategic professional companion at digital inclusion coalition the Connection Mission.
She was named a Pc Weekly Rising Star in 2025.
Angela McLean, chief scientific advisor, UK authorities
Since 2023, Angela McLean has been the federal government’s chief scientific advisor, answerable for offering scientific recommendation to the prime minister.
McLean has a background in mathematical biology and zoology, and goals to make use of this information, in addition to her curiosity in mathematical fashions, to assist the federal government perceive the unfold of infectious ailments.
She has been on the receiving finish of many awards and accolades for her work, and in 1994, she established Mathematical Biology on the Biotechnology and Organic Science Analysis Council’s Institute for Animal Well being.
Avril Chester, co-founder, The Human Intelligence Circle; founder, Most cancers Central
Award-winning entrepreneur Avril Chester is at present chief working officer and advisory board member at synthetic intelligence (AI) enterprise studio AINAD.
She additionally co-founded the Human Intelligence Circle, a motion to encourage people to “lead with humanity” within the wake of AI. As a part of this undertaking, she authored a e-book, bringing collectively 30 leaders to share their perspective on the best way to obtain this purpose.
She was beforehand the chief expertise officer (CTO) of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, CTO of RIBA, and has had a long-standing profession in expertise and undertaking administration.
In 2018, she based expertise charity platform Most cancers Central to assist help individuals with most cancers.
Beverly Clarke, founder and CEO, Expertise Books for Youngsters; member and advisor, Digital, AI and Expertise Process and End Group, Division for Schooling
Beverly Clarke is a expertise professional who consults on expertise schooling. She is the founder and CEO of Expertise Books for Youngsters, which goals to encourage kids to examine expertise matters.
She is at present advising the Division for Schooling’s Digital, AI and Expertise Process and End Group on how the schooling system may be tailored to raised present digital abilities to kids.
She has beforehand been an expert improvement chief for the Nationwide Centre for Computing Schooling, and a nationwide group supervisor for the BCS.
She obtained an MBE for her work in 2024.
Blaise Metreweli, chief, Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
The one publicly named member of employees for MI6, Blaise Metreweli, known as “C”, heads up the organisation tasked with maintaining the UK secure, and reviews on to the overseas secretary.
Metreweli joined MI6 in 1999, and has held many roles inside the organisation up to now, together with director normal for expertise and innovation, a task sometimes called “Q”.
Caroline Bellamy, government director, Strider Applied sciences
Caroline Bellamy is at present the manager director at Strider Applied sciences, and is an advisory board member for the ONS information science campus.
Till not too long ago, she was the primary chief information and synthetic intelligence officer for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), a task she held for six years.
She has had a protracted profession in expertise, holding roles reminiscent of database advertising and marketing supervisor at Sainsbury’s, director of perception and information at Centrica, director – information transformation, huge information, analytics, data structure, enterprise intelligence at Vodafone, and chief information officer for Ordnance Survey.
She has been named on Truata’s record of International Knowledge Visionaries, in addition to the Ladies in Knowledge & Tech prime 20.
Caroline O’Brien, CEO, Compound Semiconductor Purposes (CSA) Catapult
With a background in semiconductors, Caroline O’Brien at present heads up the Compound Semiconductor Purposes (CSA) Catapult.
Earlier roles have seen her as CEO of Kubos Semiconductors, normal supervisor of Ultrahaptics and managing director of Tectonic Components Ltd.
Casey Calista, director and advisory board chair, Labour Digital; public coverage, Meta
The chair of Labour Digital, Casey Calista has a historical past in each expertise and the general public sector.
Alongside her position at Labour Digital, she is answerable for UK youth and AI governance public coverage at Meta, and has co-founded the community Ladies in Tech Coverage.
She has beforehand headed up coverage and public affairs at UK scaleup Vorboss, and based the UK public affairs tech follow at Hill+Knowlton Methods.
She volunteers as a steering committee member for the Metropolis of London Company’s Ladies Pivoting to Digital Taskforce, and till not too long ago was an advisor for digital citizenship charity Glitch and a coverage board member for OpenUK.
Claire Reid, chief expertise and innovation officer and head of PwC Ladies in Tech, PwC UK
Claire Reid has been with PwC for greater than 25 years, holding a number of roles together with regional chief for Scotland, UK forensics companies chief and UK Administration Board head of threat.
She is at present the agency’s chief expertise and innovation officer and head of PwC Ladies in Tech within the UK.
She’s enthusiastic about creating inclusive environments the place the correct individuals can have interaction with the correct expertise.
Claire Thorne, advisor and enterprise companion, Deep Science Ventures; council member, The Basis for Science and Expertise
Claire Thorne is at present a enterprise companion at Deep Science Ventures, in addition to a council member at The Basis for Science and Expertise, and an trade advisory board member for TechSkills (a part of TechUK).
Till not too long ago, Thorne was co-CEO of Tech She Can, a charity aimed toward rising the variety of ladies within the expertise sector.
She has a background within the schooling sector, beforehand holding roles as director of innovation technique for the College of Surrey and government officer to the vice-president (innovation) at Imperial School London.
She has additionally been a variety and inclusion advisory board member for the Institute of Coding, and sat on the principal companion board at Tech Expertise Constitution.
Danielle George, chief scientific advisor for nationwide safety, GCHQ; professor and vice-dean on the College of Manchester
With greater than 25 years as a lecturer in radio frequency engineering on the College of Manchester, Danielle George was appointed chief scientific advisor for nationwide safety at GCHQ in 2025.
She can also be the vice-president on the College of Manchester and vice-president of BCS.
Prior to now, George has been president of the Establishment of Engineering and Expertise (IET), and in 2016 was appointed an OBE for companies to engineering by way of public engagement.
Debbie Weinstein, president, Google EMEA
Presently the president of Google in Europe, the Center East and Africa (EMEA), Debbie Weinstein has been at Google for nearly 13 years, holding numerous roles reminiscent of vice-president of worldwide promoting options, Google and YouTube, and vice-president and managing director within the UK and Eire.
Previous to her present position, she was vice chairman of worldwide media at Unilever, and vice-president of promoting gross sales at Viacom, now referred to as Paramount.
Deborah O’Neill, companion and head of expertise innovation UKI and Nordics, Oliver Wyman
Deborah O’Neill was appointed head of expertise innovation for the UK, Eire and the Nordics at Oliver Wyman in early 2025.
She can also be head of efficiency transformation for the UK, Eire and the Nordics on the agency, and earlier than that was head of digital for Europe, the place she led digital transformation and new proposition launches at firms everywhere in the world.
Alongside this, she can also be a strategic companion at FutureDotNow and a board trustee for Girlguiding.
She was a co-author on the current Lovelace Report, which detailed causes ladies go away the expertise sector.
Elizabeth Anderson, CEO, Digital Poverty Alliance
In her position as CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, Elizabeth Anderson manages the not-for-profit’s programmes, operations and stakeholders concerned in its purpose to finish digital poverty by 2030.
She has had a protracted profession within the charity and not-for-profit sector, having been CEO of the British Interplanetary Society and authorities liaison officer for the UK Youth Local weather Coalition, in addition to strategic tasks lead and Kensington Academy director at The Aldridge Basis and company affairs enterprise supervisor at Openreach.
Emily Middleton, director normal, digital transformation (interim), Authorities Digital Service
Emily Middleton is at present the interim director normal, digital transformation for the Authorities Digital Service, and was beforehand director normal, digital centre design for the Division for Science, Innovation and Expertise.
She is a trustee for Plan Worldwide UK, and has beforehand been a companion at Public Digital, in addition to Sensible London undertaking supervisor for the Larger London Authority.
Erin Platts, CEO, Octopus Ventures; member, board of trustees, Founders Pledge
Erin Platts is at present the CEO of enterprise capital and personal enterprise agency Octopus Ventures, in addition to a member of the board of trustees for Founders Pledge.
Prior to now, she has been CEO of HSBC Innovation Banking within the UK, and a board member for UK Finance and the ScaleUp Institute.
She is outspoken concerning the significance of variety and inclusion in tech and finance, and is a UK trustee at Founders Pledge, an advisory board member for London Tech Week and a member of the Capital Markets Business Taskforce.
She has been named an Innotribe Energy Lady in Fintech, and was named in Administration As we speak’s High 35 Ladies underneath 35.
Francesca Carlesi, CEO, Revolut UK
Francesca Carlesi’s background is in finance, having spent 15 years within the trade. She is at present CEO of fintech agency Revolut, the place she’s been since 2023.
In addition to appearing as a non-executive director for UK Finance, she volunteers as a younger world chief for the World Financial Discussion board, and is a member of the Italian members organisation Valore D.
She was beforehand co-founder and CEO of digital mortgage lending platform Molo Finance, and has labored at different giant monetary corporations and banks, reminiscent of Barclays and Deutsche Financial institution.
She has been nominated for Pc Weekly’s Most Influential Ladies in UK Tech a number of instances, showing on the longlist in earlier years.
Helen Wylie, director normal, digital and transformation group, Division for Work and Pensions
Helen Wylie has been with the Division for Work and Pensions (DWP) for the final eight years, initially as digital supply director earlier than turning into CTO, then CDIO, and he or she is now director normal of the digital and transformation group.
Previous to becoming a member of DWP, she had been head of expertise supply on the Financial institution of England, software program improvement director at Experian and expertise supervisor at Experian Funds.
Irene Graham, CEO, Scaleup Institute
Alongside many non-executive and advisory roles, Irene Graham is at present CEO for not-for-profit organisation the Scaleup Institute.
She can also be visiting professor of entrepreneurship at Strathclyde College, in addition to a board member for Artistic UK.
Beforehand, she labored as managing director of the British Bankers Affiliation and managing director of the Normal Chartered Financial institution.
Jade Leung, chief expertise officer, AI Safety Institute; prime minister’s AI advisor
In addition to CEO of the UK’s AI Safety Institute, Jade Leung is the prime minister’s AI advisor, answerable for working alongside the prime minister on the usage of rising AI applied sciences to attain the UK authorities’s Plan for Change.
Prior to now, she was governance lead of OpenAI and head of analysis and partnerships for the Centre for the Governance of AI (GovAI).
Janine Hirt, CEO, Innovate Finance
Janine Hirt joined Innovate Finance in 2015 because the trade physique’s head of group, earlier than finally turning into its CEO six years later. She now heads up the organisation, aiming to drive innovation and transformation within the fintech sector to make it extra inclusive.
She has labored all over the world in quite a lot of roles, together with appearing head of company relations for Chatham Home within the UK, head of membership for the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce in New York, and head new rent coach for an English language coaching programme in Japan.
Jemma Davis, founder and managing director, Tradition Gem; founder, DECID:R
With a longstanding profession in cyber, Jemma Davis based Tradition Gem in 2017 with a give attention to safety tradition, cyber resilience and disaster preparedness. She is at present managing director.
She additionally based DECID:R, a simulation platform that enables specialists reminiscent of incident managers, enterprise continuity managers or disaster groups to check the end result of their choices ought to an incident happen.
Presently, Davis is a cyber transformation advisor for Holland and Barrett, and up to now, she has held cyber and consultancy-based roles in organisations such because the UK Well being Safety Company, NHS Check and Hint, and Photobox.
Joanna Cavan, board member, GRIIT – Gender Fairness Analysis and Inclusive Innovation in Expertise; managing director, UK Telecoms Lab
As managing director of the UK Telecoms Lab, Joanna Cavan is answerable for the organisation’s technique, efficiency and development because it checks and researches the safety and resilience of UK telecoms.
She can also be a board member for analysis community GRIIT (Gender Fairness Analysis and Inclusive Innovation in Expertise) and is on the board of the West Midlands Defence and Safety Cluster.
She has a long-standing background within the public sector, having labored for West Mercia Police, the UK House Workplace and GCHQ up to now.
Karen Blake, co-author, the Lovelace Report; head, EDIS; member, Ladies in Tech Taskforce; technique steering board member, Ladies Pivoting to Digital – Metropolis of London Company
Karen Blake is at present head of Equality, Range and Inclusion in Science and Well being (EDIS), a coalition of organisations from the science and well being sectors seeking to construct a extra inclusive analysis system for well being within the UK.
She can also be on the technique steering board of Ladies Pivoting to Digital on the Metropolis of London Company and is a Ladies in Tech Taskforce member for the Division for Tradition, Media and Sport.
Till it was disbanded, she was co-CEO of the Tech Expertise Constitution, the place she led the organisation’s development and headed up the implementation of a few of the instruments it supplied, reminiscent of its benchmarking platform and annual benchmarking reviews.
She was a co-author of the current Lovelace Report, and till November 2025, was head of inclusive workforce technique and advisory at Powered By Range.
Beforehand, Blake has been a senior researcher for the Home of Commons, wanting into digital inclusion insurance policies and a contract inclusive follow enterprise advisor.
Katie Gallagher, managing director, Manchester Digital; chair, UK Tech Cluster Group
Katie Gallagher heads up Manchester Digital, and in addition co-founded the Cyber Resilience Centre for Larger Manchester, each of which help companies within the Manchester space.
Alongside this, she is chair of the UK Tech Cluster Group, which commonly discusses the expertise points affecting explicit areas within the UK.
Katie King, co-founder and CEO, Bio Orbit
Katie King co-founded Bio Orbit in 2023, an organization centered on creating medication in a microgravity manufacturing unit to develop higher therapies for most cancers, main her to win the Innovator Award on the 2024 Everywoman in Tech awards. She is at present CEO of the corporate.
King can also be at present a tech ambassador for Tech She Can, and has a number of previous roles within the area and science sectors at organisations together with Frontier Area Applied sciences and The Bare Scientists.
Laura Gilbert, senior director of AI, Tony Blair Institute
Laura Gilbert is the senior director of AI on the Tony Blair Institute for International Change, in addition to a visiting professor in follow for the London College of Economics and Political Science.
Till not too long ago, she was head of AI for presidency on the Ellison Institute of Expertise Oxford, and director of the Incubator for AI at 10 Downing Road.
Lila Ibrahim, chief AI readiness officer, Google DeepMind
Lila Ibrahim has been within the tech sector for greater than 30 years, and have become Google DeepMind’s first chief working officer (COO) in 2018, taking care of groups in disciplines reminiscent of engineering, digital environments, programme administration and operations.
Previous to this position, she was COO of on-line abilities platform Coursera, and has additionally acted as normal supervisor for rising markets platforms in China for Intel.
Margherita Della Valle, CEO, Vodafone
Initially from Italy, Margherita Della Valle’s profession at Vodafone has spanned greater than 30 years, and has included roles reminiscent of European chief monetary officer (CFO), group CFO, and now group chief government.
She has been recognised in Fortune journal’s Most Highly effective Ladies record, in addition to within the Forbes record of the World’s 100 Most Highly effective Ladies.
Mary McKenna, co-founder, AwakenHub and AwakenAngels
Mary McKenna is a big supporter of entrepreneurship and startups, holding a number of roles as an advisor and investor. Her social enterprise, AwakenHub, the place she is co-founder, is concentrated on constructing a group of feminine founders in Eire.
In addition to being an professional advisor for the European Fee, she is an entrepreneurship professional with the Entrepreneurship Centre on the College of Oxford’s Stated Enterprise College, and a board member for Coinvest Capital, amongst many different board memberships and non-executive directorships.
In 2013, she was awarded an MBE for companies to digital expertise, innovation and studying.
Nikita Thakrar, co-founder and CEO, Included VC
Nikita Thakrar based and is CEO of Included VC, a enterprise capital fund devoted to creating certain numerous entrepreneurs achieve the funding they want.
It’s not her first time working with entrepreneurs – beforehand she headed up innovation and entrepreneurship in Deep Science Ventures at Imperial School London.
She was named a Pc Weekly Rising Star in 2024.
Phoebe Whitlock, barrister, Lamb Chambers; director, Mental Property Consciousness Community
Phoebe Whitlock is initially a barrister with authorized agency Lamb Chambers, the place she specialises in AI, mental property, expertise and business regulation.
She can also be the director of not-for-profit The Mental Property Consciousness Community, which is concentrated on the significance of understanding mental property as a part of enterprise.
In addition to being a trustee at Codebar, she is a lay-trustee of the Royal Microscopical Society and, till not too long ago, was on the agile administration group of the advisory board for the Society for Computer systems and Regulation.
Roni Savage, managing director, Jomas Associates (Engineering & Environmental)
As managing director of Jomas Associates (Engineering & Environmental), Roni Savage specialises in geotechnical and environmental engineering.
She can also be enthusiastic about matters reminiscent of ladies in engineering and social mobility, and is on the UK authorities’s Enterprise Development Discussion board (previously the SME Enterprise Council).
Sam Kini, chief digital and expertise officer, Unilever
Sam Kini is the chief digital and expertise officer at Unilever, earlier than which she had a twin position as world chief data officer (CIO) and chief data safety officer (CISO) on the agency.
She can also be a non-executive director at Verisure and was beforehand a sponsor and digital board advisor for a LEAD Community Digital Chapter centered on empowering ladies to develop their careers, and a non-executive director and member of the audit committee at Tele2.
She has beforehand been a CIO at easyJet and Telenet, and was the director of improvement and supply – expertise and transformation at Virgin Media.
Samantha Niblett, founder, Labour Ladies in Tech
Earlier than her time as an MP, Samantha Niblett had a protracted profession in expertise, holding roles reminiscent of trade gross sales chief at DXC Expertise and head of alliances, channel and ecosystem in EMEA at 1E.
Now alongside her position as an MP, she’s the founding father of the Labour: Ladies in Tech group, which campaigns to succeed in equal gender alternatives within the expertise trade. She’s additionally the co-chair of the All-Get together Parliamentary Group on FinTech, chair of the Interparliamentary Discussion board on Rising Applied sciences, and a member of the Ladies and Equalities Choose Committee.
Sarah Thomson, head of tech, UK, Postcode Lottery
In her decade-long profession on the Postcode Lottery, Sarah Thomson has held many roles, together with service and launch supervisor, course of supervisor and head of IT for information companies.
Now, she heads up the organisation’s tech within the UK, and is a frequent speaker at ladies in tech occasions.
Sarah Underhill, HR director, expertise and information (Group Chief Working Workplace), Lloyds Banking Group
Sarah Underhill has spent her total profession at Lloyds Banking Group, since becoming a member of the agency as a graduate in 1999.
She has held a number of roles at Lloyds, and is at present HR director for expertise and information, a part of the agency’s Group Chief Working Workplace, the place she is answerable for creating its individuals methods for expertise.
She has beforehand sat on the board of the now disbanded tech variety collective, Tech Expertise Constitution.
She was named a Pc Weekly Rising Star in 2024.
Sarah Winmill, digital useful chief, Royal Navy, Ministry of Defence; president and chair of trustees, BCS
In her position on the Ministry of Defence, Sarah Winmill is the digital useful chief for the Royal Navy, and has beforehand been the MoD’s head of software program merchandise and chief data officer of enterprise capabilities.
She can also be president and chair of trustees for the BCS.
Earlier than her present position, Winmill was with the British Transport Police between 2016 and 2019, initially as appearing CTO after which appearing CIO.
She has a historical past of working with not-for-profit organisations, having been head of IT on the Royal Academy of Arts, head of data techniques companies on the Victoria and Albert Museum, and chair of Charity IT Leaders.
Sharron Gunn, group CEO, BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT
In her position as Group CEO for BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT, Sharron Gunn is answerable for overseeing the organisation’s drive for guaranteeing expertise has a optimistic influence on society.
In 2019, she was awarded an Worldwide Alliance for Ladies World of Distinction Award.
Susan Langley, Lord Mayor, Metropolis of London
Susan Langley is Girl Mayor of the Metropolis of London, chair of Gallagher UK, in addition to senior impartial director of Northern Rock Asset Administration and Bradford and Bingley.
She was a founding member of the federal government’s Ladies’s Enterprise Council and has been on the receiving finish of numerous awards and accolades.
In 2015, she was awarded an OBE for companies to ladies in enterprise.
Tessa Clarke, co-founder and CEO, Olio
Tessa Clarke co-founded and is CEO of food-sharing app Olio, which helps customers share meals that might in any other case be wasted.
She is a fellow of enterprise fund Unreasonable, an advisory board member for Cease Ecocide Worldwide and, till not too long ago, was a enterprise companion for early-stage generalist influence fund Mustard Seed Maze.
She has beforehand been a enterprise mentor for Virgin StartUp, and works alongside the minister for small enterprise and the Division for Enterprise and Commerce, advising on SMEs.
Tristi Tanaka, chair, BCS Ladies
Tristi Tanaka is at present chair of BCS Ladies and is on the group help committee for BCS, and till not too long ago was head of the CMO Workplace for NHS Black Nation ICB.
Beforehand, she was a fellow, impartial audit of AI techniques, for ForHumanity, a part of the programme group for All4Health&Care, a group launched throughout the pandemic to attach digital healthcare suppliers with the general public sector, and BCS Ladies membership secretary.
Yvonne Gallagher, digital director, Nationwide Audit Workplace
With 30 years of tech and digital expertise behind her, Yvonne Gallagher is at present digital director on the Nationwide Audit Workplace and has beforehand been CIO for 2 authorities departments.
She is at present a fellow on the BCS, having beforehand been on the organisation’s public coverage and affairs board, and chair of the organisation and employer board.
Beforehand, she has held roles in organisations reminiscent of Community Rail, Prudential UK and Affinity Sutton.
Zahra Bahrololoumi, CEO UK and Eire, Salesforce
As CEO of Salesforce within the UK and Eire, Zahra Bahrololoumi is answerable for the workforce in these areas throughout all industries and capabilities, and is especially centered on guaranteeing its clients are prepared for digital transformation.
She sits on a number of boards, together with Enterprise within the Group, Motion to Work and Most cancers Analysis UK Company Partnerships, and is an impartial non-executive director on the TSB board.
In 2023, she was awarded a CBE for companies to the data expertise sector.
Zahra Shah, board advisor, NexaQuanta; chair and founding member, Ladies in AI Working Group, UKAI
Zahra Shah’s profession is deeply centered on AI – she is at present a board advisor for accountable AI consultancy and companies agency NexaQuanta, and can also be a founding member and chair of the UKAI Ladies in AI Working Group.
She can also be a co-founder, investor and non-executive director for AI privateness and consent administration platform Seers, in addition to a senior board advisor and funding committee member for Teamup Ventures.
Till not too long ago, she was an advisor on synthetic intelligence for the Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Community.
Zoe Kleinman, expertise and AI editor, BBC
Zoe Kleinman has been with the BBC since 2003, initially becoming a member of as a options editor of employees newspaper Ariel. She then grew to become an online producer for Working Lunch on BBC Two, and was a senior expertise reporter for the BBC, earlier than turning into a radio presenter on expertise and business-themed exhibits such because the BBC Tech Tent.
Now, she’s the expertise and AI editor for BBC Information, masking expertise information throughout BBC radio, TV and digital.

