Announcing the shortlist for the Women in IT Excellence Awards 2019

With more categories and more entries than ever, the 2019 event will be the biggest yet

Now in its third year, the Women in IT Excellence Awards continues to be one of Computing's largest and most popular events, and we are pleased to recognise the women who impressed the judges enough to make the shortlist this year.

Women make up less than 20 per cent of the UK IT workforce, and schools and universities report little to no growth in the number of females taking STEM subjects.

Until we as an industry crack this problem, we will continue to miss out on the 50 per cent of the talent and ideas out there. With this in mind, we at Computing will continue to run events like the Women in IT Excellence Awards, as well as our upcoming Women in Tech Festival, in order to inspire more women to join the industry, and to promote and celebrate the many fantastic female success stories which exist within IT.

Women in IT Excellence Awards 2019 shortlist

Digital Leader of the Year

• Shazia Carr, Alzheimers Society
• Pamela Maynard, Avanade
• Kay Deacey-Coulton, Barnsley Council
• Radhika Bandarupalli, Centrica Plc.
• Sarika Soni, HSBC
• Elisha Deol, KPMG
• Bridget Glynn-Baker, Pearson PLC
• Deepa Sreenivasan, Telegraph Media Group
• Roxane Heaton, UKHO
• Chrissie Felthouse, University of Derby
• Jo Steel, Vodafone UK

Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year

• Lucia Adams, 10 Digital Ladies
• Anna Somaiya, KPMG LLP
• Joanne Miklo, Leeds City Council
• Camilla Trigwell, QA Consulting
• Rajvinder kaur, ReAssure
• Anushka Davies, Softcat plc
• Valentina Synenka, Symphony Solutions
• Ann Hawkins, Eric Sheley, Sue Hargreaves, Jo Mawdsley, Andrew Coe and Floriana Grigore, Walgreens Boots Alliance

Diversity Employer of The Year

• Atos
• IBM UK
• Microgaming
• Pearson Plc
• Puppet
• Redington
• Simitive
• Skanska

Diversity Project of The Year

• 10 Digital Ladies
• Atos
• Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
• Code First: Girls
• DIDFest
• Office for National Statistics
• QA
• Softcat plc

Entrepreneur of the Year

• Kim Aviv, Pathfinder Software Limited
• Rachel Jones, SnapDragon Monitoring Ltd

Graduate of the Year

• Mary Kirby, Atos
• Aine McCaughey, Civica
• Lalita Chopra, Cognizant
• Swetha Thanabalasingam, FDM Group
• Esmé Sullivan, Information System Services, Lancaster University
• Smruthi Chandrasekar, Just Eat
• Lucy Monaghan, Kainos Software Ltd
• Fionnuala Carr, Kx
• Alice Ashcroft, Lancaster University
• Shannon Holmes, Lead Tech
• Kate O'Loughlin, NuData Security, a Mastercard company
• Oishi Deb, Rolls-Royce
• Mollie Cooper, Unipart Group

Hero of the Year - (ENT)

• Jennifer Lam, Atos
• Katie Coleman, FutureLearn
• Storm MacSporran, FutureLearn Limited
• Joanne Cooper, Futures Housing Group
• Helen Brittain, Genting UK
• Helen Campbell, Hitachi Capital UK
• Elena Klokova, Insight
• Jayne Davies, Office for National Statistics
• Kayleigh Charlton, Softcat
• Holly Steele, Sweaty Betty
• Sylvia Lu, u-blox Cambridge Ltd

Hero of the Year - (SME)

• Shazia Carr, Alzheimer's Society
• Alyssa Grindstaff, Fitrzrovia IT
• Hella Williams, Hitachi Capital
• Catherine Bond, Lancaster University
• Sophie Xuefei Lu, Lancaster University
• Madeleine Neil Smith, Mind Foundry Ltd
• Laura Turner, Mudano
• Lynsey Taylor, Mudano
• Aimee Garner, University of Derby
• Diane Bannister, Worldline UK IT Services Ltd

Innovator of the Year

• Stacey Birkett, BrightHR
• Jasmina Mularska, British Telecoms Plc
• Sarah Hibbert, Civica UK Ltd
• Gill Holloway, Insight Direct UK Ltd
• Emily Foges, Luminance
• Sarah Tayler, Office for National Statistics
• Laura Bengescu, Pathfinder Software
• Victoria Nicholson, QA Ltd
• Patty Kostkova, University College London

IT Leader of the Year

• Lorraine Campbell, Al-Futtaim
• Jayne Sayer, Aviva PLC
• Elsa Chen, Entanet
• Leanne Allen, KPMG
• Keren Wild, North Yorkshire County Council
• Jane Stack, Paddy Power Betfair
• Hayley Johnson, Pickr
• Nimisha Patel, RSA
• Carol Johnson, The Telegraph
• Tamara Castelli, UNiDAYS
• Julia Veall, Vodafone UK

Outstanding Returner Award

• Tracey Webb, Atos
• Elizabeth Valentine-House, FutureLearn
• Kelly Bretherton, Iress
• Lyndsey Parry, Keoghs
• Catherine Askam, Mudano
• Pav Shergill, nimbl Ltd
• Joanna Goodwin, Office for National Statistics
• Holly Steele, Sweaty Betty
• Sumedha Asnani-chetal, University of Dundee

Outstanding Transformation

• Shazia Carr, Alzheimer's Society
• Anne Marie Couper, ATOS IT Services
• Pallavi Swaroop, Capgemini Invent
• Helen foster, First Direct
• Christine Percival, Lancaster University
• Sarah Schofield, Mudano
• Alessia Mancini, Paddy Power Betfair
• Emmy Lippold, SysGroup PLC
• Lina Oleszek, Telegraph Media Group
• Jo Kearley, University of Derby
• Jo Steel, Vodafone UK

Rising Star of the Year - (ENT)

• Monique Ho, BAE Systems Applied Intelligence
• Rosalind Whittam, BBC
• Tracey, FutureLearn
• Kate Hunter, Genting UK
• Laura Harries-Ward, Genting UK
• Becki Hobson, Insight
• Isabel Holden, Insight
• Sureya Udin, Insight
• Johanna Sergent, Just Eat
• Ruth James, Office for National Statistics
• Iraide Ruiz, Paddy Power Betfair
• Erica Allan, Paddy Power Betfair
• Allegra Dellafrana, Pearson Plc
• Amna Askari, Reach Plc
• Juliet Eysenck, Telegraph Media Group
• Joyce Adetula, The Telegraph
• Nikki Dowding, Travis Perkins PLC
• Krittika D'Silva, University of Cambridge
• Claire Newbold, Walgreens Boots Alliance
• Cara Reaston, Walgreens Boots Alliance

Rising Star of the Year - (SME)

• Charlie James, Basingstoke College of Technology
• Alice Rose Little, CENTURY Tech
• Megan Warren, ComputerWorld Systems Ltd
• Janine Gill, CyberCrowd Limited
• Tani Flower, Derivco Isle of Man
• Samantha Lawler, Government Digital Service, Cabinet Office
• Roisin Hunter, Heliocor
• Laura Forster, Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust
• Martyna Wilk, Microgaming
• Beatrice, Mudano
• Laura Bengescu, Pathfinder Software
• Naomi Stanley, QA Consulting
• Lucy Winifired Hamilton, QA Consulting
• Svetla Stoyanova, RockIT
• Peppa Wise, Senseon
• Cecilia Lai, Snapdragon Monitoring Limited
• Ashlee Barnard, Westmin

Rising Star of the Year (ENT) - Financial Services

• Yemi Oluseun, Barclays
• Pakeeza Hussain, Barclays Wealth
• Siobhan Stevenson, First Derivatives
• Laura Kerr, First Derivatives
• Sarika Soni, HSBC
• Rachel Davies, Legal & General
• Donna Wayman, Zurich Insurance

Rising Star of the Year (ENT) - Tech Industry

• Priya Kanda, Atos
• Louise Lawrey, Atos
• Katie Kirwan, Atos Consulting
• Beth Price, Atos IT Services UK Ltd
• Emma Hudson, Civica
• Swetha Thanabalasingam, FDM Group
• Chloe McAteer, Kainos
• Bronagh Smyth, Kainos
• Faye Koukia-Koutelaki, Kainos Software Ltd
• Ran Jiang, KPMG LLP
• Shannon Holmes, Lead Tech
• Amy Bain, Softcat PLC
• Sylvia Lu, u-blox Cambridge Ltd

Role Model of the Year - (ENT)

• Jo Wilson, Allianz Insurance Plc
• Pamela Maynard, Avanade
• Mivy James, BAE Systems
• Sarah Cockrill, Coventry University
• Lyndsey Charlton, Daisy Corporate Services
• Juliet Parab, Deutsche Bank
• Nabila Aydin, FDM Group
• Lucy Blackwell, FutureLearn
• Clair Hall, Genting Casinos
• Suzanne Viant, Hargreaves Lansdown
• Corina Sas, Lancaster University
• Lorraine Rimmer, Matalan
• Nimisha Patel, RSA
• Susan Binns, RSA
• Alina Tomczak, Skanska UK
• Rima Amin, The Telegraph

Role Model of the Year - (SME)

• Rebecca Harrop, Barnet and Southgate College and Open University
• Joanna Cooper, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
• Radhika Bandarupalli, Centrica Plc.
• Lydia Barbara, Department for Enterprise, Isle of Man Government
• Clare Young, dxw
• Ash Haind, Fitzrovia IT
• Siân Thomas, Food Standards Agency
• Shivvy Jervis, FutureScape 248
• Victoria Hancy, Keoghs LLP
• Michelle Bellwood, North Yorkshire County Council
• Allison Nau, Test Learn Iterate Group Ltd
• Pauline Brown, University of St Andrews
• Dr. Mabrouka Abuhmida, University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Role Model of the Year (ENT) - Tech Industry

• Zoe Wilson, Agilisys Ltd
• Nikki Kelly, Atos
• Nicoleta Raportaru, Atos
• Gemma Emmett, Bluewolf - an IBM Company
• Julie Phelan, Civica UK
• Emily Douglin, Civica UK Ltd
• Jody Stockford, HP inc
• Josephine Farr, Kainos
• Janette Isiguzo, KPMG
• Lizzie Nairn, KPMG LLP
• Kaila Bloomfield, KPMG LLP
• Shalini Thirunilathil, LexisNexis
• Alix Whiteway, Softcat
• Jo Steel, Vodafone UK

Role Model of the Year (SME) - Tech Industry

• Laura-Jane Turner, Centerprise International Limited
• Maria Ward, Creative Virtual Ltd
• Gemma Wooden, Entanet
• Cherie Howlett, Jola
• Ranjani Devarajan, Mudano Ltd
• Anthee Merichovitis, Sitecore
• Gaia Caruso, Sparta Global
• Meera Rao, Synopsys, Inc.
• Sabrina Castiglione, Tessian
• Eileen O'Mahony, WM Promus

Security Leader of the Year

• Anne-Marie Balfour, Atos
• Rebecca Harrop, Barnet and Southgate College and Open University
• Ash Haind, Fitzrovia IT
• Katy Hinchcliffe, Littlefish (uk) Ltd
• Sara Vecchini, Pearson
• Jennifer Williams, Practical Vision Network
• Dee Deu, The British Land Company PLC
• Beverley Robinson, Waterstons

Software Engineer of the Year

• Oliwia Komperda, Azuri Technologies
• Polly McEldowney, BBC
• Samantha Louise Hall, Derivco
• Emily Biggs, Digital Shadows
• Yuliya Maksimchyk, Godel Technologies
• Alina Ungureanu, Hargreaves Lansdown
• Amna Askari, Reach Plc
• Rachna Mehta, Telegraph Media Group
• Sarah Sharp, Telegraph Media Group
• Wendy Cocksedge, Telegraph Media Group

Team Leader of the Year - (ENT)

• Samantha Kite, Advanced
• Monique Ho, BAE Systems Applied Intelligence
• Sarah Cockrill, Coventry University
• Lynne Magennis, Daisy Corporate Services
• Sikhulile Dlamini, Derivco Isle of Man
• Elaine Bailey, First Derivatives
• Kate Richardson, Just Eat
• Louise Harte, Paddy Power Betfair
• Carola van der Sommen, Softcat
• Emmy Lippold, SysGroup PLC
• Tara Pathirana, Telegraph Media Group
• Amma Amosah, The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster City Council
• Louise Walker, Worldline

Team Leader of the Year - (SME)

• Radhika Bandarupalli, Centrica Plc
• Alice Rose Little, CENTURY Tech
• Melissa Rahilly, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• Zoe Jones, Practical Vision
• Katy Watson, Radius Payment Solutions
• Kathy Bloomfield, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
• Peppa Wise, Senseon
• Natasha James, Simitive
• Pauline brown, University of St Andrews
• Rebecca Davies, Worldline

Transformation Leader - (ENT)

• Samantha Kite, Advanced
• Caroline Gray, Agilisys
• Cheryl Allen, Atos
• Monique Ho, BAE Systems Applied Intelligence
• Radhika Bandarupalli, Centrica Plc
• Kate McSwiney, Flutter
• Helen Brittain, Genting UK
• Helenna Vaughan-Smith, Good Energy
• Michelle Loughlin, Pearson
• Lesley Bunting, Pearson PLC
• Emmy Lippold, SysGroup PLC
• Arabela Silva, Vodafone UK
• Julie Hillman, Worldline

Transformation Leader - (SME)

• Shazia Carr, Alzheimer's Society
• Pav Shergill, nimbl Ltd
• Naseem Golamgouse, Westminster City Council and Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
• Susan Brown, Zortrex Ltd

Woman of the Year - (ENT)

• Sue Lees, Agilisys
• Anu Koolothumkandi, Barclays
• Rebecca Harrop, Barnet and Southgate College and Open University
• Radhika Bandarupalli, Centrica Plc.
• Sophia Meola, Expandi Digital
• Suguna Venkataraju, Handelsbanken
• Rishu Sharma, IDC
• Devon Edwards Joseph, Lloyds Banking Group
• Lisa Harrington, QA Ltd
• Ewa Lacombe, Relyon IT Services
• Emmy Lippold, SysGroup PLC
• Louise Curtis, Telegraph Media Group
• Sylvia Lu, u-blox Cambridge Ltd
• Julia Veall, Vodafone UK
• Lisa Coleman, Worldline

Woman of the Year - (SME)

• Nina Lovelace, 10 Digital Ladies, Kandu
• Stephanie North, bChannels
• Nina Cicakova, BlueCat Networks Europe Ltd.
• Samantha Wessels, Elastic
• Nusrat Khondaker, Fitzrovia IT
• Elly Zhang, Heliocor
• Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon, Immuta
• Elena Yegorova, London Media Exchange (LMX)
• Emily Foges, Luminance
• Laura Bengescu, Pathfinder
• Bamidele Farinre, Public Health England, Colindale UK
• Frances Ritson, Senseon
• Jacqueline de Rojas CBE, techUK
• Sabrina Castiglione, Tessian
• Claire Cromie, Tourism Northern Ireland
• Jill Martin, University of Dundee
• Lorraine Meeks, Voip Unlimited

CIO of the Year

• Jennifer Anderson, incuto
• Nimisha Patel, RSA
• Elizabeth White, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Sustainability Leader of the Year

Special Award: Winner announced at the Awards