UKtech50 2023: The longlist of the UK’s influential tech leaders

Finding the top 50 most influential people in UK IT is a mammoth task, with so many deserving candidates, particularly in a year when the country as a whole is facing huge challenges, including economic turmoil.

Each year, the list of nominations grows, as the tech industry tells us who it thinks deserves a place in the top 50. Now in its 13th year, the UKtech50 list continues to recognise the technology leaders driving the digital economy.

The past year has brought new and different types of challenges, and leaders in all parts of the tech industry, from startups to government, have shown incredible spirit, drive and determination to ensure the industry and its people continue to thrive.

The shortlist of 50 names chosen by our expert panel of judges will be published shortly, allowing readers to vote for who they think should be recognised as the most influential leader in UK IT to help the judges make their final decision. The winner will be announced in June.

It has been a year that has demonstrated amazing talent and resolve among the country’s technology leaders, which is why Computer Weekly has decided to reveal all of the nominees who were considered for the top 50 list for 2023.

Huge congratulations to everyone who has made it onto the longlist. It is a great achievement and shows the depth of capability across the UK tech industry.

A big thank you also to our partner in the UKtech50 programme, global talent and technology solutions provider Nash Squared.

The 2023 nominations for the most influential leaders in UK IT are (in alphabetical order):

• Abadesi Osunsade, founder and CEO, Hustle Crew
• Abbie Morris, CEO and co-founder, Compare Ethics
• Adam Leon Smith, chair, BCS Fellows Tech Advisory Group; CTO, Dragonfly
• Adrian Blundell, CDIO, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
• Adrian Joseph, chief data and AI officer, BT Group
• Aidan Hancock, CIO, Johnson Matthey
• Alex Bazin, CTO, Lewis Silkin
• Alex Chisholm, permanent secretary, Cabinet Office
• Alex Davies-Jones, shadow minister for tech, gambling and the digital economy
• Alice Bentinck, co-founder of Entrepreneur First
• Alison Davis, CIO, GE Healthcare
• Alison McLaughlin, chair, ScotlandIS
• Alistair Forbes, CEO, Scottish Tech Army
• Amanda Brock, CEO, OpenUK
• Andrea Palmer, chair, BCS Women
• Andrew Pakes, deputy general secretary, Prospect Union.
• Andrew Roughan, managing director, Plexal
• Andy McLintock, CDIO, Social Security Scotland
• Ann Marie Gallacher, CIO, NHS 24 Scotland
• Anna Brailsford, CEO, Code First Girls
• Anne Boden, CEO, Starling Bank
• Anne Keast-Butler, director, GCHQ
• Anne Marie Neatham, COO, Kindred System, Ocado
• Anne-Marie Imafidon, CEO, Stemettes
• Antony Walker, deputy CEO, TechUK
• Arfah Farooq, angel investor, Ada Ventures’ founder, Muslamic Makers
• Beckie Taylor, CEO and co-founder, Tech Returners
• Belinda Finch, CIO, Three
• Bella Abrams, director of IT, University of Sheffield
• Ben Roome, CEO, Digital Mobile Spectrum Ltd
• Bev White, CEO, Nash Squared
• Bindi Karia, venture partner, Molten Ventures
• Brent Hoberman, entrepreneur; chair of Founders Factory and Founders Forum
• Brian Hills, CEO, The Data Lab
• Brian Reid, director of corporate transformation and workplace, Scottish Government
• Bruce Daisley, managing director, Twitter UK
• Carl Dawson, CIO, Asda
• Carlos Selonke, CIO, Revolut
• Carly Kind, director, Ada Lovelace Institute
• Caroline Gorski, co-founder, the Emergent Alliance
• Carrie Anne Philbin, director of educator support, Raspberry Pi Foundation
• Catherine Breslin, founder, Kingfisher Labs
• Catriona Campbell, chair, the Scottish AI Alliance; CTIO, EY UK&I,
• Charlene Hunter, CEO and founder, Coding Black Females
• Charles Ewen, director of technology and CIO, Met Office
• Charles Forte, CIO, Ministry of Defence
• Charlie Muirhead, founder and CEO, CogX
• Charlotte Light, chief digital officer, Aztec Group
• Check Warner, co-founder, Diversity VC; partner, Ada Ventures
• Cheryl Stevens, director of shared channels experience, DWP
• Chi Onwurah, shadow minister for science, research and innovation, Labour
• Chris Ashworth, group CIO, Evri
• Chris Bowman, head of IT development, Registers of Scotland
• Chris Howes, group CDIO, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
• Chris Meah, founder and CEO, School of Code
• Chris Williamson, global director of technology, TUI
• Christina Scott, chief product and technology officer, Ovo
• Cijo Joseph, chief technology and information officer, Mitie
• Cindy Rose, president, Microsoft Western Europe
• Claire Thorne, co-CEO, Tech She Can
• Clare Barclay, CEO, Microsoft UK
• Clare Lansley, CIO, Aston Martin Formula One
• Clifford Cohen, CTO, Asos
• Colin Birchenall, chief digital officer, Glasgow City Council; chief technology officer, Digital Office for Scottish Local Government
• Conor Whelan, chief information and operations officer, Experian
• Craig Bright, group CIO, Barclays
• Craig Melson, associate director – environment and sustainability, TechUK
• Cynthia Davis, CEO and founder, BAME Recruitment Ltd; board chair, Pop Up Projects
• Daljit Rehal, chief digital and information officer, HM Revenue and Customs
• Dame Wendy Hall, professor of computer science, University of Southampton; UK’s AI skills champion
• Dan Bailey, vice-president public sector, IBM
• Daniel Korski, CEO and co-founder, Public
• Daniel Vocke, founder and CTO, Ohme
• Danny Gonzalez, chief digital and innovation officer, London North Eastern Railway
• Darren Atkins, CTO – automation, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
• Darren Scates, director of technology and CTO, Metropolitan Police
• David Henderson, chief technology and product officer, Global
• David McColl, deputy director – digital, NHS Education for Scotland
• David Turner, Group CTO, Virgin Active
• David Watson, CEO, Ohme
• Debbie Forster, CEO, Tech Talent Charter
• Debbie O`Shea, group CIO, National Express
• Deborah Okenla, founder and CEO, Your Startup, Your Story (YSYS)
• Demis Hassabis, founder and CEO, Google DeepMind
• Diana Kennedy, CTO, Bupa
• Dom Hallas, executive director, Coadec
• Donald Patra, CIO Europe, HSBC
• Dr Edward Challis, head of AI atrategy and general manager for communication mining, UiPath
• Dylan Roberts, CDIO, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
• Eben Upton, founder, Raspberry Pi Foundation
• Eddie Copeland, director, London Office of Technology and Innovation
• Efua Akumanyi, co-CTO, Coding Black Females
• Eileen Burbidge, partner, Passion Capital
• Elena Sinel, founder, Acorn Aspirations and Teens in AI; business mentor, Microsoft for Startups
• Elizabeth Vega, group CEO, Informed Solutions
• Emma Sinclair, co-founder, Enterprise Alumni
• Emma Taylor, head of digital safety, RazorSecure
• Emma Wright, director, The Institute of AI
• Euan Blair, CEO, Multiverse
• Flavilla Fongang, managing director, 3 Colours Rule; founder, TLA Black Women in Tech
• Franziska Bell, senior vice-president of digital technology, BP
• Freddie Quek, CTO, Times Higher Education
• Garry Fingland, CIO, The Weir Group
• Gary Balmer, CIO, Tesco Bank
• Gary Delooze, CIO, The Co-operative Bank
• Geoff Huggins, digital director, Scottish Government
• George Freeman, minister for science, research and innovation, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Georgie Henley, head of justice and emergency services, TechUK
• Georgina Maratheftis, associate director, Local Public Services, TechUK
• Gerard Grech, former CEO, Tech Nation
• Gill Whitehead, group director of online safety, Ofcom
• Gina Gill, CDIO, Ministry of Justice
• Glenn Winteringham, CDO, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
• Graeme Fletcher, director of technology and engineering, mkodo
• Guus Dekkers, CTO, Tesco
• Guy Farley, co-founder and CTO, ManyPets
• Harvey Neve, director: digital, data and technology, HC-One
• Hassan Chaudhury, commercial director, DATA-CAN: The Health Data Research Hub for Cancer
• Hayaatun Sillem, CEO, Royal Academy of Engineering
• Heena Mistry, chief digital officer, United Utilities
• Helen Kelisky, managing director, Google Cloud, UK and Ireland
• Helen Milner, CEO, Good Things Foundation
• Helen Thomas, CEO, Digital Health and Care Wales
• Ian Bromwich, managing director and UK CIO, HSBC Retail, Private and Commercial Banking
• Ian Cohen, chief product and information officer, Acacium Group
• Ian Levy, distinguished engineer and vice-president, Amazon
• Ilan Gur, CEO, Advanced Research and Invention Agency
• Indro Mukerjee, CEO, Innovate UK
• Izak Oosthuizen, managing director, Zhero
• Jack Stockdale, CTO, Darktrace
• Jacqueline De Rojas, past president, TechUK
• Jacqui Taylor, CEO, Flying Binary
• James Donkin, CTO, Ocado Technology
• James Dunn, director of government and regulatory affairs, DXC Technology
• James Fleming, CIO, Francis Crick Institute
• James Matthews, CEO, Ocado Technology
• James Thomas, chief technology officer, Wellcome Trust
• Janet Coyle, managing director business growth, London & Partners
• Jeni Tennison, executive director, Connected by Data
• Jo Graham, CDIO, GHD
• Jo Twist, CEO, UKIE
• Joanna Drake, CIO, THG
• Joanna Shields, CEO, Benevolent AI
• Joe Baguley, CTO EMEA, VMware
• John Boumphrey, country manager, Amazon UK
• John Davison, CIO, First Central Group
• John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner
• John Elliott, CTO, Sainsbury’s Digital Tech and Data
• John Seglias, interim group CIO, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
• Johnny Boufarhat, founder and CEO, Hopin
• Juan Villamil, CIO, Imperial College London
• Julia Adamson, director of education and public benefit, BCS
• Julia Lopez, minister of state for data and digital infrastructure, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Julian David, CEO, TechUK
• June Angelides, venture capitalist, Samos Investments; founder, Mums in Technology
• Justin Lewis, vice-president of incubation, BP
• Kash Ghedia, CIO, Applegreen (Welcome Break)
• Kate Rosenshine, director of global cloud solution architecture, unicorns and scaleups, Microsoft
• Katherine Ainley, CEO, Ericsson UK and Ireland
• Kerensa Jennings, group director, Digital Platforms, BT
• Kike Oniwinde Agoro, founder, BYP network
• Kriti Sharma, vice-president product, GFK; founder, AI for Good UK
• Laura Foster, head of tech and innovation, TechUK
• Laura Hodkinson, group director of transformation, The Calico Group
• Lee Cowie, CTO, Merlin Entertainments
• Lee Foster, CTO, Correla
• Leontina Postelnicu, head of health and social care, TechUK
• Lila Ibrahim, chief operating officer, Google DeepMind
• Lindy Cameron, CEO, National Cyber Security Centre
• Lisa Heneghan, global chief digital officer, KPMG
• Liz Williams, CEO, FutureDotNow; chair, GoodThingsFoundation
• Lopa Patel, founder, Asians in Tech; chair, Diversity UK
• Louise Smith, chair, Innovate Finance
• Luciano Floridi, professor of philosophy and ethics of information; director of the Digital Ethics Lab, Oxford Internet Institute
• Lucy Cassidy, director of products and service, HBSUK
• Luke Robertson, CIO, Nationwide Building Society
• Maggie Philbin, CEO, TeenTech
• Maggie Van’T Hoff, vice-president, IT transformation and value, Shell
• Marc Warner, CEO, Faculty
• Marc Waters, UKI managing director, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
• Mark Dearnley, CDO, Inchcape
• Mark Logan, chief entrepreneurial advisor to Scottish Government
• Mark Maddocks, CIO, Cambridge University Press and Assessment
• Mark Martin, co-founder, UKBlack Tech; assistant professor in computer science and education practice, New College of the Humanities
• Mark McClennon, global CIO, Burberry
• Mark Sweeny, founder and CEO, de Novo Solutions
• Marta Krupinska, CEO and co-founder, CUR8
• Martha Lane Fox, entrepreneur
• Martha Spurrier, director, Liberty
• Martyn Wallace, CDO, Scottish Local Government Digital Office
• Mat Rule, CEO and founder, Toca.io
• Matt Brittin, president, Google EMEA
• Matt Clifford, chairman, Advanced Research and Invention Agency
• Matt Stanley, co-founder, Think Digital Partners
• Megan Lee Devlin, CEO, Central Digital and Data Office, UK government
• Melissa Di Donato, former CEO, SUSE
• Meryl Bushell, crown representative, Cabinet Office
• Michael Ahern, head of IT, Blackburn With Darwen Council
• Michael Cockburn, co-founder, Desana
• Michael Taylor, IT director, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team
• Michelle Donelan/Chloe Smith, secretary of state for innovation, science and technology, DSIT
• Mike Lynch, entrepreneur, angel investor
• Mike Potter, chief digital officer, UK government
• Milena Nikolic, CTO, Trainline
• Mohamed Hammady, group CTO, Sky
• Monir El Moudden, digital educator and computer science teacher
• Muttukrishnan Rajarajan, director of the Institute for Cybersecurity at City, University of London
• Nadine Thomson, CTO, GroupM
• Naomi Timperley, co-founder, Tech North Advocates; growth and innovation consultant, We Are GSI
• Nicky Tozer, senior vice-president, EMEA, Oracle NetSuite
• Nicola Blackwood, chair, Genomics England
• Nicola Hodson, CEO for UK&I, IBM; TechUK deputy president
• Nicola Martin, head of quality engineering, Adarga; BCS Women committee member and BCS Pride vice-chair
• Nicola Mendelsohn, vice-president, global business group, Meta
• Nigel Rodgers, group CIO, People’s Partnership
• Nigel Shadbolt, chairman, Open Data Institute
• Nigel Toon, CEO, Graphcore
• Nigel Verdon, CEO and co-founder, Railsbank
• Nimmi Patel, policy manager for skills, talent and diversity, TechUK
• Orpheus Warr, CTO, Everyone TV
• Paul Christie, head of IT service, Registers of Scotland
• Paul Fitton, director of information systems, Northern Powergrid
• Paul Fletcher, CEO, Nominet
• Paul Scully, minister for tech and the digital economy, DSIT
• Paul Willmott, non-executive chair, Central Digital and Data Office, UK government
• Penny Williams, vice-president of sales, CDW UK
• Pete Marsden, group CTO, Yoox Net-A-Porter Group
• Peter O'Kane, CTO, BBC
• Phil Swan, digital director, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• Philip Jansen, CEO, BT
• Pip White, senior vice-president and general manager, Slack EMEA
• Poppy Gustafsson, CEO, Darktrace
• Priya Guha, venture partner, Merian Ventures
• Priya Lakhani, founder and CEO, Century Tech
• Priyanka Gangishetty, senior Azure customer engineer; women in tech and mental health advocate; Women in CXP EMEA lead; STEM ambassador UK, Microsoft
• Professor Dame Angela McLean, chief scientific adviser, UK government
• Rachel Dunscombe, co-chair, OpenEHR; member, UK government AI Council; visiting professor, Imperial College London
• Rachel Hilliam, chair, Alliance for Data Science Professionals; professor of statistics, the Open University
• Rashik Parmar, group CEO, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
• Ravi Naik, legal director, AWO
• Rene Haas, CEO, ARM Holdings
• Reshma Sohoni, founding partner, Seedcamp
• Richard Corbridge, CDIO, DWP
• Rioch Edwards-Brown, founder, So You Wanna Be In Tech?
• Rob McCargow, technology impact leader, PwC UK and EMEA Consulting
• Robert Baugh, CEO, Keepabl
• Robert Elsey, group CTO, Co-op
• Robert Harding, chief operating officer, CapitalOne UK
• Robin Tombs, CEO, Yoti
• Roger Halliday, CEO, Research Data Scotland
• Romina Savova, founder and CEO, Pension Bee
• Russ Shaw, founder, Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates
• Ryan Edwards, founder and CEO, Audoo
• Sabina Ciofu, associate director – international, TechUK
• Sandra Wachter, professor and senior researcher, Oxford Internet Institute
• Sarah Armstrong-Smith, chief security advisor, EMEA, Microsoft
• Sarah Burnett, founding partner, Emergence Partners; chief technology evangelist, KYP.ai
• Sarah Cardell, CEO, Competition and Markets Authority
• Sarah Luxford, partner (DDaT), GatenbySanderson; co-founder, TLA Women in Tech
• Sarah Turner, CEO and co-founder, Angel Academe
• Sarah Wilkinson, COO, Virgin Money
• Shadi A. Razak, CTO and co-founder, Angoka
• Sharon Moore, CTO for public sector, IBM UK
• Sharon Prior, CIO, Card Factory
• Shashi Verma, director of strategy and CTO, Transport for London
• Shaun Pearce, CTO, Gousto
• Sheila Flavell, COO, FDM Group; president, TechUK
• Sheree Atcheson, global director of diversity and inclusion, Valtech
• Sheridan Ash, technology innovation leader, PwC UK; co-CEO and founder, Tech She Can
• Sherry Coutu, angel investor; founder, ScaleUp Institute; founder, Founders4Schools
• Sian Jones, CEO, Correla
• Silkie Carlo, director, Big Brother Watch
• Simon Bourne, chief digital, data and technology officer, Home Office
• Simon Wardley, researcher, Leading Edge Forum
• Sonia Patel, system CIO, NHS England
• Sophie James, head of telecoms and spectrum policy, TechUK
• Stephanie Peacock, shadow minister for media, data and digital infrastructure
• Stephen Campbell, CIO, Student Loans Company
• Stephen Flockhart, director of digital and security – CIO, NHS National Services Scotland
• Steve Barclay, secretary of state for health and social care
• Steve Nolan, CIO, Boohoo.com
• Storm Fagan, chief product officer, BBC
• Stuart Birrell, CDIO, easyJet
• Stuart Houlston, CIO EMEA and ANZ, Fleetcor
• Sudhir Chaturvedi, president and executive board member, Larsen & Toubro Infotech
• Sue Black, professor of computer science and technology evangelist, Durham University
• Sue Daley, director of technology and innovation, TechUK
• Suki Fuller, founder, Miribure
• Suresh Viswanathan, COO, Nationwide Building Society
• Susan Bowen, CEO and president, Aptum Technologies
• Susanne Baker, partner – technology sector, ERM; chair of Climate Council, TechUK
• Tabitha Goldstaub, co-founder, CognitionX; chair of government’s AI Council
• Tanuja Randery, EMEA managing director, Amazon Web Services
• Tara Donnelly, founder, Digital Care Ltd
• Tara McGeehan, president, CGI UK and Australia
• Teodora Kaneva, head of smart infrastructure and systems, TechUK
• Tessa Clarke, co-founder and CEO, Olio
• Theo Blackwell, chief digital officer to the Mayor of London
• Tim Berners-Lee, World Wide Web inventor; director of Open Data Institute
• Tim Ferris, national director of transformation, NHS England
• Tom Read, CEO, Government Digital Service
• Toni Scullion, computing science teacher and founder, dressCode
• Trish Quinn, digital programme director, directorate for social care and national care service development, Scottish Government
• Tristi Tanaka, BCS Women committee member; fellow of ForHumanity; technology change programme leader, currently at NHS
• Trudy Norris-Grey, chair, WISE
• Vanessa Vallely, CEO, WeAreTheCity
• Vickie Allen, founder, DevelopHer Awards; senior software developer, Certua
• Victoria Higgin, CDIO, CityFibre
• Vivian Hunt, senior partner, McKinsey
• Will Smart, global director external relations, Dedalus Group
• William Hewish, CIO, Pets at Home
• Yanna Winter, CIO, Generali
• Yinka Makinde, director of digital workforce, NHS England
• Zahra Bahrololoumi, CEO, Salesforce UK
• Zara Nanu, CEO, GapSquare