Everywoman has announced the winners of its 2024 Everywoman in Technology Awards, sponsored by Bupa.
Beginning in 2011, each year careers network Everywoman has announced a number of women deemed role models in their job and sector to attract other women into the technology roles.
This year, 16 winners were chosen from a list of almost 90 finalists, each at different levels from students and apprentices, to women in executive-level roles.
With a focus this year on the mental and physical health of women in tech, Everywoman and its Tech Awards partner Bupa found almost 40% of women in the technology sector claimed imposter syndrome, with a lack of female role models are some of their biggest barriers in pushing onwards and upwards with their careers.
Maxine Benson, co-founder of Everywoman, said: “As Everywoman celebrates its 25th anniversary, we are reminded that the impact role models have remains as powerful today as when we started. Role models serve not just as beacons of achievement, but also as tangible proof that success is attainable, providing a roadmap that others can use to navigate their career progression.
“We congratulate this year’s winners, who are a powerful group of role models that embody what women in tech want to see more of and our male allies who have a critical role to play in changing the landscape of technology.”
‘Empower. Transform. Thrive’ was the theme this year, with much of the conversation surrounding the importance of increasing the visibility and accessibility of female role models in the tech sector to encourage others into tech.
Young women and those outside of the sector are often deterred from seeking tech careers because they don’t see others like them already in the industry, solidifying the misconceptions about the type of people who are “suitable” for tech careers.
The winners of this year’s FDM Everywoman in Technology Awards were as follows:
AI Champion Award
- Nicola Martin, head of quality engineering at Adarga
Apprentice Award – sponsored by SSE
- Roisin Goodman, QA engineer at Kainos
CTO/CIO of the Year Award – sponsored by Accenture
- Sarah Cunningham, CIO at ARM
Cyber Security Award – sponsored by BAE Systems
- Lisa Ventura MBE, founder of Cyber Security Unity
Digital Star Award
- Rose Ulldemolins, Embark Tech school lead at Lloyds Banking Group
Digital Transformation Leader Award – sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group
- Jo Tanner, business consultant at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence
Entrepreneur Award – sponsored by Howden
- Victoria Johnson, CEO at VetCT
Innovator Award – sponsored by American Express
- Katie King, CEO at BioOrbit Ltd
Leader Award – sponsored HSBC
- Kate Bohn, CIO at KateBohn.com
One to Watch Award – sponsored by Computacenter
- Jiya Mehta, student at Watford Grammar School for Girls
Male Agent Of Change Award – sponsored by Centrica
- Ian Black, head of technology change and digital practices at The Coventry Building
Rising Star Award – sponsored by Booking.com
- Hafsa Hersi, management consulting analyst at Accenture
Software Engineer Award – sponsored by Discover
- Shalini Jain, senior software engineer at Preqin
Team Leader Award – sponsored by DS Smith
- Lydia Balogun-Wilson, regional engineering authority at BP
Tech for Good Award – sponsored by RS Group
- Keisha Garcia, vice-president of technical programme management and digital foundations at BP
The Woman of the Year award was given to Asia Sharif, software engineer, public speaker, engineering mentor at NatWest.
Speaking about pushing for diversity in the tech sector despite previously battling stage four hodgekins lymphoma, Sharif hoped her background would prove to others that “anything is possible if you put your mind to it”, adding: “As long as it inspires one person, then I guess I’ve done my job. That’s what matters.”