The event, presented by Information Age and sponsored by Bae Systems, Frank Recruitment, SailPoint and Zena, was attended by hundreds of the UK’s top business and technology leaders at a time when technology is an increasingly disruptive force in the world.
The UK has been identified as a stand-out digital economy characterised by high levels of digital development and a fast rate of digital evolution. According to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond the UK’s tech sector is now worth over £116 billion and a new digital job is created every 50 minutes.
The Tech Leaders Awards recognise the leading figures at the forefront of this innovation, playing a central role in helping organisations use technology to its full potential as a driver of business value, both at the top line and bottom line.
>See also: Tech Leaders Awards 2017 – winners revealed
“Tech Leaders Awards is a flagship awards programme for the UK’s tremendously important tech industry,” said Michael Baxter, editor of Information Age, introducing the event.
“The awards celebrate the highest-achieving business, IT and digital professionals. Together they are helping to create what is surely the greatest wave of creative disruption this country has ever seen – at least in such a short timescale.”
The theme of diversity featured heavily on the night. While diversity in digital tech is on a slowly improving trajectory, Baxter called on the industry to do more.
“Figures show more black, Asian and ethnic minority workers employed in tech than across the UK in general, with the ratios for tech standing at 15%, but just 10% for the UK as a whole,” explained Baxter.
>See also: Diversity targets: Challenge your assumptions, widen your teams
“We do have a challenge, however – there is relatively little progress with improving the levels of gender diversity within tech. Given this incredibly dynamic scene, choosing the leaders is a tough challenge.”
“It is an honour too. The awards recognise the leading figures in this ongoing tale of disruption. The men and women who are helping drive this market, who are leaders in the application of this technology.”
Winners
Cloud Leader of the Year
Joao Rufino, Google
Young Leader of the Year
Kari-Anne Clayton, Deutsche Bank
AI Leader of the Year
Natalia de Miguel, formerly GSMA
Security Leader of the Year
Matt Palmer, Willis Towers Watson
Data Leader of the Year
Tim Lum, Virgin Atlantic
Transformation Leader of the Year
James Munson, DVSA
Business Leader of the Year
Alison Fitzgerald, London City Airport
Diversity Leader of the Year
Barbara Harvey, Accenture
Disruptive Leader of the Year
Carl Burton, The Co-Op
Digital Leader of the Year
Aaron Powell, NHS Blood and Transplant
Future Leader of the Year
Akama Davies, Xaxis
Employer of the Year
Sophos
CIO of the Year
Wendy Redshaw, Deutsche Bank
CTO of the Year
Dave Perry, DVLA
See more photos here.
