Winners announced for the 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology awards
Women’s network everywoman has announced the winners of the 2021 everywoman in Technology Awards, sponsored by FDM.
While “legacy” is a word which often carries negative connotations when relating to IT, this year’s everywoman in tech awards reframed it as powerful statement of building a tech-based future upon the foundations laid by the women in tech of the past – and celebrating the women building those foundations now.
A lack of visible female role models has always been cited as an issue in the tech sector, and “you can’t be what you can’t see” was a theme often repeated as the everywoman in tech awards ceremony shone a light on some of the amazing women currently in the technology sector.
Emphasising how the coronavirus pandemic has made technology even more crucial than before, Maxine Benson, co-founder of everywoman, said: “During the past year everywoman, in common with many businesses, has had to leverage technology like never before. Our success with [the online awards] ceremony is a direct result of the contribution that women make to this sector.
“Each of our winners demonstrates the critical role that technology has played over the past year and how continuing advancements are transforming, improving and saving lives. Their achievements are remarkable, and we welcome them into the everywoman family where they will inspire the talent that will follow in their footsteps.”
The winners of this year’s FDM everywoman in technology awards were as follows:
Academic Award
- Heidi Christensen, senior lecturer, University of Sheffield
Rising Star Award – sponsored by SUSE
- Frida Nzaba, manufacturing engineer, Rolls-Royce Plc
CTO/CIO of the Year Award
- Wendy Redshaw, chief digital information officer, retail banking, NatWest Group
Male Agent of Change Award
- Hasani Jess, CTO, Simply Business
Digital Star – sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group
- Larissa Suzuki, data/AI practice lead, Google
Apprentice Award
- Prisha Bathia, digital marketing apprentice – EMEA Google Store, Google
Digital Transformation Leader Award
- Dionne Haynes, chief architect for B2B, BP
Innovator Award – sponsored by American Express
- Melissa Snover, CEO/founder, REM3DY Health / Nourished
Leader Award – sponsored by BP
- Jessica Colvin, global head of vulnerability management and assessments, JP Morgan Chase & Co
Software Engineer Award – sponsored by NatWest
- Nelly Kiboi, software engineer, American Express
International Inspiration Award
- Sofie Blakstad, CEO and co-founder, Hiveonline
Team Leader Award
- Louise Richardson, engineering director, American Express
One to Watch Award – sponsored by Computacenter
- Jana Jhaveri, founder and CEO, World Can Code
Tech For Good Award
- Amanda Obidike, executive director, STEMi Makers Africa
Entrepreneur Award – sponsored by The Howden Group
- Hannah Dawson, CEO and founder, Futrli
The pandemic has had a disproportionately negative affect one some groups and populations, including women, who in many cases have lost work hours due to childcare, or due to industries which employ women in overwhelming numbers being forced to close as a result of lockdowns.
This year’s everywoman in tech Woman of the Year, Asel Sartbaeva, an interdisciplinary chemist at the University of Bath, as been using her skills to contribute towards the world’s eventual return to “normal”.
Sartbaeva’s work in stabilising vaccines without the need for refrigeration not only ensures infants worldwide have access to vaccines for diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis but may also contribute towards ensuring low-income countries will have access to the Covid-19 vaccine.