FDM everywoman in Technology Awards: 2019 winners announced

Everywoman has announced the winners of its 2019 everywoman in Tech Awards, an event that showcases women in the technology industry.

Sponsored by professional services provider FDM Group and run in partnership with the Tech She Can Charter, the annual awards aim to raise awareness of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

With a lack of industry role models often cited as a reason young girls do not choose careers in the technology industry, many believe it is becoming increasingly important to give women in tech a platform by which to make themselves more visible and accessible.

Co-founder of everywoman, Maxine Benson, said: “This year showcased yet another selection of talented individuals from all around the world, across different sectors and from all walks of life. Their phenomenal achievements within the technology industry make us proud to announce them as everywoman ambassadors.”

PwC research has found only 3% of British female schools students would consider a career in technology, and young women have said they want more encouragement from those already in the technology industry to pursue a career in STEM.

The 2019 woman of the year was Felicia Meyerowitz Singh, CEO and founder of Akoni, a cash management tool for smaller businesses, investors and charities. She has also set up a female founder group to help young female entrepreneurs access the right mentors and role models.

Sheila Flavell, group chief operating officer of FDM Group, said: “It’s fantastic to be part of an event that focuses on promoting and celebrating the incredible achievements of women in technology. This is an important platform to recognise and inspire gender diversity within such a dynamic and fast-growing sector.”

The FDM everywoman in Technology 2019 Award winners:

One to Watch Award: Leslie Sarango Romero, student at Harris Academy Bermondsey. Romero has created a smartphone-based virtual reality game to increase teens’ interest in maths.

Apprentice Award: Tiffany Cooksley, software engineer at CGI. Cooksley has earned three promotions in a four-year period, and has helped her company achieve a client satisfaction score of 9.8/10.

Rising Star Award: Mahek Vara, founder and CEO of Code Camp. Vara founded the Code Camp charity when she was 16 to give children from every background access to coding experience.

Digital Star Award: Esther Kieft, former product owner at Lloyds Banking Group. Keift is responsible for designing the mobile and banking experience for 10 million Lloyds customers.

Software Engineer Award: Pae Natwilai, CEO and founder of Trik. Natwilai designed a piece of software which turns photos taken by drones into 3D models to help engineers inspect large structures.

Academic Award: Apala Majumdar, reader at The University of Bath, and OCIAM visiting fellow at the University of Oxford. Majumdar is a teacher and researcher who specialises in Liquid Crystals.

Team Leader Award: Sally Bogg, head of service management at Leeds Beckett University. Bogg became a mature student at 25 after dropping out of school at 17. She leads Leeds Beckett University’s Unified Service Delivery Model, which delivers support services to 2,900 staff members and 28,000 students.

Entrepreneur Award: Joanne Smith, CEO and founder of Recordsure, which collects and reviews customer conversations to help firms improve customer service.

Innovator Award: Maureen Biney, software engineer at American Express. Biney developed software for storing patient data, which has been rolled out across four hospitals in Ghana.

Leader Award: Amy Chalfen, global service and delivery director at Experian. Chalfen’s team is responsible for implementing software for financial institutions, insurance providers and telecoms firms.

International Inspiration Award: Mudje Esin, founder of KizCode, a social enterprise which gives young women from underprivileged backgrounds access to education technology and coding workshops.

Male Agent of Change Award: Jim Bichard, UK insurance leader at PwC UK. Bichard was responsible for introducing a returners programme into the firm, as well as mentoring programmes to help women progress into more senior roles.