Everywoman announces 2023 tech awards finalists

Business Editor

The finalists for the 2023 FDM everywoman in Technology Awards have been announced prior to the awards ceremony in March.

Each year the professional women’s network, in partnership with FDM, highlights the achievements of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) through its Everywoman in Technology Awards and Forum.

The number of women in the UK’s technology sector, while improved recently, has stayed relatively low and unchanged over the last five years, and women are avoiding or leaving the technology sector for a number of reasons, including a lack of support, a lack of role models, and toxic work culture.

With the aim of celebrating women and allies at all stages of their career, Everywoman’s judges have selected more than 80 finalists who have made a difference to their fields in the hope that showcasing these role models will inspire others to pursue their own careers in technology.

Maxine Benson, co-founder of Everywoman, said: “Addressing this gender gap is why these awards were originally established in 2010. The ongoing requirement to both attract and advance more women in this industry has never been more urgent.

“The past 14 years has produced so many stories that demonstrate the impact of this programme in achieving that goal. These awards showcase the diverse, fulfilling, and exemplary careers that women can have in technology and how they really can make a difference to people’s lives.”

The finalists for the 2023 Everywoman in Tech Awards are as follows:

Apprentice Award – sponsored by SSE

Joanna Crane, undergraduate engineer, Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology
Ziana Butt BEM, business and technology delivery new associate, Accenture
Amy Porter, technology degree apprentice, PwC
Asha Bachetta, technology apprentice, cybersecurity and technology controls, JP Morgan Chase
Amy Groves, software engineer, Lloyds Banking Group
Bec Sun, software engineer, American Express

CTO/CIO of the Year Award – sponsored by Accenture

Paula Carey, CTO, Carbon8 Systems Ltd
Nicki Clegg, former CTO and interim head of engineering and DevOps, Irwin Mitchell
Josie Dressendofer, president / CIO, Slice Wireless Solution
Nadine Thomson, CTO, GroupM – MediaCom

Cyber Security Award – sponsored by BAE Systems

Kerry Craven, sales capture, Accenture
Katy Hinchcliffe, head of security operations, M&G plc
Stephanie McKeown, senior security policy specialist, Lloyds Banking Group
Saba Mohammed, vice president – global cybersecurity education program manager, JP Morgan Chase
Elaine Shepherd, cloud compliance lead, Willis Towers Watson
Eleanor Sim, director cyber security strategy and architecture, Bupa

Digital Star Award – sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group

Heather Campbell, principal architect, Kainos
Cherry Ko, digital experience lead, NatWest Group
Shelina McAlees, cloud engagement consultant, Willis Towers Watson
Vibhusha Raval, scrum master, Haleon
Karolina Szafranek, software engineer, American Express
Alina Timofeeva, associate partner, Oliver Wyman

Digital Transformation Leader Award – sponsored by Bupa

Irene Acedo-Rico Gonzalez, emea lenovo channel sales executive director, Lenovo
Nikki Briant, management consultant, Oaklin
Caroline McDowall, head of delivery, M&G plc
Joanna Peller, health lead, Palantir
Rachel Rubenstein, director, PwC
Li Qun Taylor, head of digital channels technology, retail digitech, NatWest Bank

Entrepreneur Award – sponsored by Howden Group Holdings

Liz Ashall-Payne, founding CEO, ORCHA
Alison Ettridge, CEO and chief believer, Stratigens (from Talent Intuition Ltd)
Janthana Kaenprakhamroy, CEO, Taploy Ltd
Vinita Rathi, CEO, Systango
Fiona Roach Canning, CEO, Pollinate

Innovator Award – sponsored by American Express

Francesca Rosella, co-founder and chief creative officer, Cute Circuit
Issy Yeung, software engineer, Lloyds Banking Group
Jasmine Dhiman, managing director, Accenture
Shabnam Wazed, founder and CEO, AGAM International
Rajvant Nijjhar, CEO, BankEnergi

Leader Award – sponsored by Twilio

Kaj Bansal, Manager, agile delivery lead, Capital One
Lindsey Bateman, chief information security officer, M&G plc
Pamela Maynard, CEO, Avanade
Nikki McCall, Director, finance automation and change, Centrica plc
Michelle McDaid, senior director of engineering, Workhuman
Mridula Ranjan, head of international and complex payments technology, NatWest Group
Jane Ashworth, global retail programs director, Lenovo

Male Agent of Change Award – sponsored by Centrica PLC

Russell Sloan, digital services director, Kainos
Declan O’Gorman, head of engineering, NatWest Group
Rob McCargow, technology impact leader, PwC
Paul Forster, community manager, SETsquared Bristol
Mick Burn, partner – EMEA head Infosys consulting talent and organisation practice, Infosys Consulting
Ewen McPherson, senior director, Discover Financial Services
Tom Ilube CBE, CEO, Crossword Cybersecurity Plc

One to Watch Award – sponsored by Computacenter

Alexandra Gentry, student at Bedford Girls School
Olivia Gibson, student at Manchester High School for Girls
Catherine James, student at Lady Eleanor Holles School
Alice Smith, student at Samuel Ryder Academy
Anna Wake, co-founder, Mission Encodeable

Rising Star Award – sponsored by SUSE

Shannon Burgess, project manager, Shared Services Connected Ltd
Bethany Clarke, former advanced consultant engineer, Capgemini Engineering
Emily Cross, customer success associate, JP Morgan Chase
Chloe Donaldson, information service engineer, ModUK – British Army
Joanna Kelly, senior software engineer, Leonardo
Harshitha Shivakumar, senior technical consultant, IBM

Software Engineer Award – sponsored by Discover

Duygu Cakmak, R&D director, Creative Assembly
Janine Luk, developer evangelist, R3
Andreea Monu, lead engineer, NatWest Group
Zeinab Sarmadi, senior software engineer, American Express
Monisha Waghmare, senior principal engineer, REPL Group
Sandra Koetter, senior test engineer, Booking.com
Sim Suri-Maun, head of digital technology, Bupa

Team Leader Award – sponsored by Fujitsu

Noreen Buckley, director of product delivery and integration, global consumer services technology, American Express
Natalie Donohue, senior producer, Sports Interactive
Charlie Dacke, head of geospatial technology and standards, Office for National Statistics
Bamidele Farinre, pathology quality lead, HALO
Becky Ferraro, inclusive design lead, Deloitte Digital
Priyanka Naik, principal product owner, Discover Financial Services

Tech For Good Award – sponsored by RS Group

Konstatina Bethani, founder and CEO, Tenebra Studios
Christiane Demgenski, chief product officer, Awina
Bonnie Molins, inclusive design principal, Kainos
Helen Roland, global forensic accountant, Accenture
Emma Smith, director of talent and social impact, Creative Assembly
Jane Govindsamy, executive assistant and corporate social investment champion, Lenovo SA

Academic Award

Pippa Bostock, director of development, engagement and marketing, The Mary Rose Trust and PhD candidate at CCIXR, University of Portsmouth
Jackie Carter, professor in statistical literacy, University of Manchester
Beverley Gibbs, chief academic officer, New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE)
Cathryn Mitchell, professor and royal society research fellow, University of Bath
Nicole Melzack, PhD candidate, University of Southampton/The Faraday Institution

Winners of the FDM everywoman in Technology Award will be announced at a ceremony in London on 9 March 2023.