Finalists announced for the 2021 FDM everywoman in tech awards
The finalists for the 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology Awards have been announced prior to the awards ceremony in March 2021
Each year professional women’s network everywoman, in partnership with recruitment firm FDM, announces its everywoman in Technology Awards to shine a light on exceptional people in the science, technology, engineer and maths (Stem) sector.
Judges have chosen 88 finalists for this year’s awards, after considering hundreds of applications.
Maxine Benson, co-founder of everywoman, said: “We are thrilled to announce the 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology Awards finalists. From supporting front-line efforts against Covid-19, to managing systems and software that have kept the country moving, these individuals showcase the critical role that technology has played over the past year.
“The vital advancements technology is making towards saving, transforming and improving lives is more evident now than ever before, making our mission to supply a strong future pipeline of technological talent of the utmost importance.”
The theme for the 2021 awards is ‘creating a legacy’, with the finalists all being chosen for creating tech that aims to “[leave] the world in a better place than they found it”.
The awards, now in their 11th year, features a number of people at all stages in their tech journeys, including young people just starting their careers and women in leadership positions.
The finalists for the 2021 everywoman in tech awards are as follows:
Academic Award
- Lauren Ward, research associate in spatial audio, University of York
- Maria Liminou, lecturer in digital education and innovation, Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool
- Alina Andronache, information security analyst, Simply Business
- Saadeqa Khan, Baluchistan correspondent; science journalist; founder; CEO; chief editor Duetche Welle; BBC Urdu; Scientia Pakistan
- Asel Sartbaeva, lecturer in chemistry, University of Bath
- Heidi Christensen, senior lecturer, University of Sheffield
Rising Star Award – sponsored by SUSE
- Frida Nzaba, manufacturing engineer, Rolls-Royce Plc
- Nino Sarishvili, CEO and co-founder, SimpleStudying Ltd
- Tamika Kalule, software engineer, JP Morgan
- Oriana Halford Guerra, sustainability specialist, technical architect, Fujitsu
- Siobhan Hartnoll, APAC sales manager, Featurespace
- Allyson Kouao, associate solution architect, Red Hat
CTO/CIO of the Year Award
- Marieke Saeij, CEO, Visma|Onguard
- Julie Chapman, CTO retail, Entain
- Colette Wyatt, CEO and former CTO, Evolve IT Consulting Limited
- Colette Mullan, CTIO fibre network delivery, Openreach
- Deborah Haworth, CISO, Penguin Random House UK
- Wendy Redshaw, chief digital information officer, retail banking, NatWest Group
Male Agent of Change Award
- Dan Zinkin, managing director and head of global investment and digital banking technology, JP Morgan
- Rob Leggatt, head of tech services EMEA and risk management, BNY Mellon
- Hasani Jess, CTO, Simply Business
- Ramiz Amad, innovation engineer, Natwest Group
- Steve Prest, deputy director Navy acquisition (equipment and systems), Royal Navy
- Jason Smith, group chief operations officer, Inmarsat
Digital Star – sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group
- Frances Wu, software engineering manager, user experience and product design, HSBC Software Development
- Egle Vinauskaite, director, Skillbright Labs
- Shruti Gupta, principal portfolio manager, BP
- Larissa Suzuki, data/AI practice lead, Google
- Ronda Železný-Green, global head, training and eLearning, Internet Society
- Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy, senior digital product manager (vice president), Barclays
Apprentice Award
- Chloe Crutchlow, analytical measurement technologies engineer – degree apprentice, Jaguar Land Rover
- Prisha Bathia, digital marketing apprentice – EMEA Google Store, Google
- Zoe Higgins, data science apprentice, Santander
- Lauren Alie, technology degree apprentice, PwC
- Allanah Green, digital and technological solutions degree apprentice, BT
- Julia Jones, apprentice software developer, Makers Academy / Credit Suisse
Digital Transformation Leader Award
- Tamara Carpintero Perez, manager, Santander
- Bee Hayes-Thakore, senior director of marketing and partnerships, Kigen
- Debra McCabe, partner, Northcott Global Solutions
- Dionne Haynes, chief architect for B2B, BP
- Aishling Finnegan, digital transformation officer, Conga
- Helene Kubon Skulstad, partner and global leader data and analytics for insurance, PwC
Innovator Award – sponsored by American Express
- Connie Wilson, senior systems engineer, BAE Systems
- Melissa Snover, CEO/founder, REM3DY Health / Nourished
- Veronica Chang, CMO and Product Owner, FavourUp
- Chantal Epp, founder and CEO, ClicknClear
- Alina Timofeeva, senior manager, KPMG UK
- Martha Silcott, inventor/CEO, FabLittleBag
Leader Award – sponsored by BP
- Jessica Colvin, global head of vulnerability management and assessments, JP Morgan Chase & Co
- Kaushalya Kularatnam, head of quantitative surveillance and technology, London Stock Exchange Group
- Pinar Alpay, SVP, global payment solutions and transformation, Worldpay from FIS
- Bethan Hughes, head of HR and finance systems, Sodexo
- Sarah Cunningham, vice president technology operations services group and Cambridge site lead, Arm Ltd
- Helen Campbell, director: digital development, Arup
Software Engineer Award – sponsored by NatWest
- Cathy Zhou, software engineering manager, HSBC Software Dev(GD) LTD
- Tania Bhatia, associate, JP Morgan
- Visnja Drinjovski, engineering manager, MVF
- Shweta Patil, senior software engineer, IRIS Software Group
- Nelly Kiboi, software engineer, American Express
- Kavitha Rajasekharan, senior software engineer, BP
International Inspiration Award
- Marie Weijler, investment manager, Cottonwood Technology Fund
- Neha Mehta, founder, FemTech Partners
- Neela Nataraj, professor, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Sofie Blakstad, CEO and co-founder, Hiveonline
- Nikolina Zidar Finska, CEO, Unicorn Pirates Studio
- Karima-Catherine Goundiam, founder and CEO, Red Dot Digital Inc. & B2BeeMatch
Team Leader Award
- Adrienne Hipkin, global cloud delivery lead, Willis Towers Watson
- Lynda Fox, senior operations manager, Openreach NI
- Louise Richardson, engineering director, American Express
- Joanne Whipps, head of employee technology adoption, M&G PLC
- Carolina Hickey, product owner, BP
One to Watch Award – sponsored by Computacenter
- Summer McNamee, student, LaSWAP Sixth Form
- Toni MacKenzie and Clara O’Callaghan, Turing Testers 2.0, dressCode
- Jana Jhaveri, founder and CEO, World Can Code
- Ramneek Ahluwalia, undergraduate student, City, University of London
Tech For Good Award
- Charlene Hunter, CEO, Coding Black Females
- Amanda Obidike, executive director, STEMi Makers Africa
- Elena Sinel, founder and CEO, Teens In AI
- Lucy Mullins, co-founder, StepLadder
- Joy Foster, founder and CEO, TechPixies Limited
- Sarah Fatchett, CEO and founder, 365 Response Ltd
Entrepreneur Award – sponsored by The Howden Group
- Elin Haf Davies, CEO, Aparito
- Hannah Dawson, CEO and founder, Futrli
- Victoria Usher, founder and CEO, GingerMay
- Melinda Nicci, founder and CEO, Baby2Body
- Fidelma McGuirk, founder and CEO, Payslip
- Trinny Woodall, founder and CEO, Trinny London
The finalists for the ninth annual FDM everywoman in Technology Awards will be announced at an online awards ceremony on 4 March 2021.