laptop Weekly has introduced the 10th annual UKtech50, our definitive list of the movers and shakers in UK technology – the CIOs, industry executives, public servants and business leaders using the position of technology in the UK economic climate.
Our intention turned into to identify the 50 most influential leaders in UK IT. an expert judging panel representing each aspect of the IT career helped decide the results, along with a reader vote, to determine who holds essentially the most influence over the future of the uk tech sector – and of IT gurus throughout the country – as we enter a brand new decade.
here is the record of the 50 most influential americans in UK know-how for 2019:
1. Demis Hassabis, founder & CEO, DeepMind
Demis Hassabis established synthetic intelligence (AI) business DeepMind in 2010. The business, which became purchased by means of Google in 2014 for roughly £400m, is worried in a couple of AI initiatives across sectors, together with the NHS. earlier than founding DeepMind, Hassabis completed a PhD in neuroscience at UCL. he is a Fellow of the Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society of Arts, and in 2018 turned into awarded a CBE for capabilities to science and technology. DeepMind is a British pioneer in a container that is determined to dominate the IT scene in the decade to come back.
2. Cindy Rose, CEO, Microsoft UK
Cindy Rose was appointed CEO of Microsoft UK in July 2016. As a part of her role, she is answerable for all of Microsoft's choices and items in the UK. earlier than joining Microsoft, Rose spent three years heading up Vodafone's UK purchaser division, following her role as government director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media. She has additionally held a couple of senior govt positions at the Walt Disney company. In 2019, she was awarded an OBE for features to UK expertise.
3. Elizabeth Denham, UK tips commissioner
As assistance commissioner for the uk, Elizabeth Denham is accountable for guaranteeing counsel rights are within the public hobby and leads the office dealing with the uk information protection Act, the uk's implementation of the eu's conventional records coverage rules (GDPR). Her position is taking ever enhanced prominence as know-how heightens public concerns around privateness and facts insurance policy. before becoming advice commissioner, Denham become the tips and privacy commissioner for British Columbia, responsible for compliance with public and personal sector privacy law and entry to counsel law.
four. Matthew Gould, CEO, NHSX
Matt Gould grew to be CEO of a new health service digital unit, NHSX, in July 2019, tasked with leading the NHS know-how vision added by means of secretary of state Matt Hancock. Gould prior to now worked for Hancock as director normal of the digital economic climate unit in the branch for Digital, culture, Media and game (DCMS) from October 2016. earlier than joining DCMS, Gould turned into the united kingdom's ambassador to Israel, the place he launched the UK Israel Tech Hub. He has in the past led the cyber security unit at the cabinet office.
5. Jacqueline De Rojas, president, TechUK
Jacqueline de Rojas has 25 years' adventure in main expertise groups. In 2015, she took over as president of IT business alternate affiliation TechUK, the place she is also board champion for ladies. The identical 12 months, she was voted the "most influential girl in UK IT" in desktop Weekly's annual poll, and in 2016 she entered probably the most Influential women in UK IT hall of repute. during the past 12 months, she has been one of the crucial main voices merchandising the united kingdom tech sector and has advised the govt on digital coverage. She also chairs the board of Digital Leaders.
6. Anne Boden, CEO, Starling bank
Tech entrepreneur Anne Boden headquartered mobile-only Starling bank in 2016. As CEO, she oversees the bank's management team and drives forward her imaginative and prescient of building the superior bank account in the world. before setting up Starling financial institution, Boden labored in a number of roles in the banking industry, together with a stint as COO for Irish Allied financial institution.
7. Philip Jansen, CEO, BT
Philip Jansen became CEO of BT in 2019, replacing lengthy-time period chief govt Gavin Patterson. Jansen changed into in can charge of Worldpay since 2013, overseeing both its 2015 flotation and a merger with e-commerce enterprise Vantiv. before that, he hung out in the catering change at Brakes and Sodexo neighborhood, in addition to a spell managing the consumer operations of Telewest, a predecessor of Virgin Media.
8. Ciaran Martin, CEO, country wide Cyber protection Centre
Ciaran Martin turned into director widely wide-spread for executive and trade cyber safety at GCHQ before becoming head of the national Cyber protection Centre (NCSC). The centre, which became formally launched in October 2016, aims to bring together the uk's cyber knowledge to transform how the country tackles cyber safety issues. Martin is also a member of the GCHQ board. He joined GCHQ in 2014, following a job as constitution director at the cupboard workplace. He additionally spent three years as head of safety and intelligence on the cabinet office.
9. Matthew Postgate, chief expertise & product officer, BBC
In his function as chief expertise and product officer, Matthew Postgate is in cost of the BBC's expertise and systems. he is also led the BBC's assignment to consolidate the know-how teams for BBC Digital, BBC Engineering and BBC global. earlier than becoming the BBC's CTO, Postgate was a part of the management group that launched iPlayer and worked with BBC mobile to construct the company's cell capabilities for valued clientele.
10. Joanna Shields, CEO, BenevolentAI
Joanna Shields is CEO of BenevolentAI, a frontrunner within the construction and software of AI and machine studying to bear in mind the underlying motives of ailment, speed up drug discovery, and boost new and extra beneficial drug treatments. She previously served because the UK's first minister for internet defense and security, as a government special adviser on the digital economic system, and become chair and CEO of TechCityUK.
11. Tom Blomfield, CEO, Monzo
A serial entrepreneur in economic capabilities know-how, Tom Blomfield situated challenger financial institution Monzo in 2015 after working for rival Starling financial institution. In 2013, he turned into co-founding father of one other fintech, GoCardless. The cell-handiest Monzo has gathered greater than three million clients and has proved particularly typical among younger people and millennials.
12. Sarah Wilkinson, CEO, NHS Digital
Sarah Wilkinson joined NHS Digital as its CEO in 2017. In her function, she is answerable for main on digital transformation start throughout health and social care. in the past, Wilkinson became chief expertise officer on the home office, the place she led many of the most vital IT techniques aiding UK borders and policing. She changed into up to now managing director and head of company methods technology at credit Suisse for over two years, having previously worked at HSBC, united states of americaand Deutsche bank in a considerable number of senior IT roles.
13. Russ Shaw, founder, Tech London Advocates and global Tech Advocates
Russ Shaw situated Tech London Advocates in April 2013, as a non-public sector community promoting London's expertise sector and connecting startups with organisations. He has headquartered identical firms beneath the world Tech Advocates banner in 16 locations international. He has since been appointed a London tech ambassador through the Mayor's office and a member of the Tech city Advisory neighborhood, as well as being part of the London expertise Week steerage group and a member of the uk Digital capabilities Taskforce.
14. Debbie Forster, CEO, Tech talent constitution
Debbie Forster is CEO of executive-backed initiative Tech skill constitution, which aims to enhance range and inclusion within the tech sector. She is also director at consultancy Novel Design, and director for international construction at NCSSS. She was voted computing device Weekly's most influential woman in UK expertise for 2019.
15. Andy Isherwood, EMEA managing director, Amazon web capabilities
Isherwood is a UK IT business veteran who took over working the european arm of Amazon web capabilities in March 2018. He prior to now held an identical role at Hewlett Packard business, and become head of HP's UK and eire company unless April 2016. He labored for HP since 2001.
16. Joanna Davinson, chief digital, statistics and know-how officer, domestic workplace
Joanna Davinson grew to become chief digital, information and technology officer at the home office in November 2017. She oversees IT across the branch, which comprises UK borders, immigration, biometrics, security and legislation enforcement. She prior to now led IBM's cognitive consulting, technique consulting and company method outsourcing agencies in Europe, part of a 28-yr career with IBM and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
17. Marta Krupinska, head, Google for Startups UK
Marta Krupinska has run Google's UK startup help company on the grounds that December 2018. in the past, she co-situated fintech startup Azimo in 2012, to make sending funds effortless and available for everyone. She has additionally been entrepreneur in residence for govtech accelerator Public and co-established FreeUp.io, an "moral fintech" enterprise that changed into received through fintech investor Greensill in October 2019.
18. Julian David, CEO, TechUK
Julian David turned into appointed director popular of expertise change physique intellect in March 2012 and led its relaunch as TechUK in November 2013. He has delivered a methodology for TechUK that aims to set up the enterprise because the main consultant of the IT sector to government and a huge have an impact on over the function of technology within the UK economy. during the past year, David has been one of the most main voices representing the tech sector's views on Brexit, and has suggested the executive on tech policy.
19. Jane Moran, CIO, Unilever
Jane Moran, global CIO at Unilever, become the primary winner of computing device Weekly's Most Influential girl in UK IT when it become launched in 2012. on the time, Moran became CIO at Thomson Reuters, where she took part in the Thomson Reuters girls's community, ladies in technology international and the country wide Centre for girls in know-how. Alongside her obligations as CIO of Unilever, Moran is a non-executive director for JP Morgan Securities and Institutional money Distributors, actively taking part in the IT community, and is an recommend for leadership potential and making certain more women consider a expertise career. In 2014, Moran was positioned first on the annual computer Weekly UKTech50 list.
20. Bob Strudwick, CTO, Asos
In 2015, Bob Strudwick grew to be the primary-ever chief technology officer for online trend retailer Asos, following a number of different roles in the enterprise. In his function, he is each growing and using a expertise method throughout the business. This includes transforming the retailer's software design and building capabilities, guaranteeing it stays on appropriate of the swift transformation of the sphere.
21. Tabitha Goldstaub, co-founder, CognitionX; chair, government's AI Council
Goldstaub is the co-founder of CognitionX, a platform and community that helps to construct and accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and statistics-pushed programs. She is a serial entrepreneur, having co-centered a number of companies, and has also worked with organisations equivalent to Founders4Schools and teenagers in AI, and is the chair of the executive's AI Council.
22. Aidan Hancock, CIO, network Rail
Former BP technology chief Aidan Hancock became CIO of community Rail in may additionally 2019, the place he leads a £969m IT plan aiding the endured modernisation of the united kingdom's railway device. Hancock spent 12 years at oil and gasoline massive BP, where he held a number of senior know-how roles, together with chief network architect and, most recently, CIO and vice-president for BP center East.
23. Poppy Gustafsson, co-CEO, Darktrace
Gustafsson has had several roles at AI and cyber protection enterprise Darktrace, together with chief monetary officer and chief operating officer, before becoming co-CEO in 2016. She is known in the sector for her work throughout organisations comparable to HP Autonomy, Amadeus Capital partners and Deloitte, incomes her areas in lists such as the administration nowadays 30 beneath 35 listing, and become a winner in the Veuve Clicquot business lady Awards in 2019.
24. Alison Pritchard, director-usual, govt Digital service
Pritchard took over as interim director-well-known of GDS after the departure of predecessor Kevin Cunnington in summer 2019. She was prior to now director for eu exit and transformation at GDS. A career civil servant since 1987, prior to GDS, Pritchard was director of transformation on the branch for the ambiance, meals and Rural Affairs, and has worked across a variety of departments, including the Ministry of Defence, HM Treasury, the cabinet office, the home workplace and DCMS.
25. Paul Clarke, CTO, Ocado
Paul Clarke is chargeable for expertise approach at online grocer Ocado, a place he has held since 2012. Ocado runs generally in-apartment systems and sees know-how as a key differentiator. The know-how property contains real-time manage programs, robotics, computer getting to know, simulation, statistics science, forecasting methods, routing systems, inference engines and big facts.
26. Charles strong point, CIO, Ministry of Defence
Charles forte became CIO on the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in January 2018, changing Mike Stone, who left the department in March 2017. before taking over the MoD position, distinctiveness spent six months as intervening time CIO at Thames Water. up to now, he become CEO of neighborhood IT services at Prudential from March 2015 to the end of 2016, and before that, deputy community CIO and CIO of global operations at BP – in addition to spending time as an impartial consultant.
27. Jeni Tennison, CEO, Open statistics Institute
Tennison's career has been concentrated on the assortment and use of records, having been a technical architect and lead developer for law.gov.uk, a member of the Open data user neighborhood, and an government director for Open Addresses UK, as well as CEO of no longer-for-earnings the Open information Institute. In 2014, Tennison was awarded an OBE for services to expertise and open information.
28. Matt Brittin, president, EMEA company & operations, Google
Matt Brittin has been president of Google's EMEA enterprise and operations considering the fact that 2014, and first joined Google in 2007. all over his time working for the business, Brittin has defined himself as "fiercely supportive of the uk media panorama" and has located Google as a key participant in a brand new atmosphere where ordinary publishers are still working out the way to continue to exist within the digital age.
29. Robin Tombs, CEO, Yoti
Tombs is CEO and co-founder of Yoti, a free digital identification app. in the past, he turned into co-founder of Gamesys, an online gaming operator with greater than 1,one hundred team of workers and offices in six countries. He labored at PwC as a chartered accountant from 1993 to 1997 in London before co-founding IDM with Noel Hayden, an internet game enterprise which they offered in 1999.
30. Mohamed Hammady, neighborhood CTO, Sky
As group CTO, Hammady owns the Sky-broad know-how approach. His team oversees all of the technology programs underpinning Sky's European tv capabilities, broadband, cell and digital platforms, as neatly most important strategic programmes comparable to cyber protection. He joined Sky in 2007 as director of network functions, leading the team that built and operated the uk community, which now offers broadband and telephony to a number of million Sky UK valued clientele.
31. Reshma Sohoni, founding partner, Seedcamp
Reshma Sohoni is managing accomplice at Seedcamp, a task capital enterprise that specialises in early-stage investments in tech startups. She co-headquartered the company in 2007 after working for 3i and in business strategy for Vodafone. She is additionally a senior adviser to Anthemis neighborhood.
32. Rachel Coldicutt, CEO, Doteveryone
due to the fact that 2016, Rachel Coldicutt has been chief govt of Doteveryone, a UK think-tank working to make the cyber web, and digital society, a fairer vicinity. She is stepping down from the function via the end of this 12 months. Coldicutt has in the past worked for Microsoft, Encyclopaedia Britannica, the BBC, BT, the V&A, Endemol and the Royal Opera condominium. She has also worked as a expert in finance, power, healthcare and the third sector.
33. Adrian Joseph, partner, EY
Adrian Joseph is a accomplice at EY, the place he leads on synthetic intelligence in financial services throughout the united kingdom and Europe, and additionally sits on the consultancy's UK advisory executive committee. He joined EY in 2017 after 10 years working in lots of roles at Google. Joseph is also a non-government director to the domestic office on developing its information, digital and diversity concepts.
34. Jo Twist, CEO, UKIE
Jo Twist is CEO of UKIE, the video games industry trade physique that aims to make the uk the leader in games and interactive amusement. With a protracted profession within the entertainment industry, Twist turned into in the past commissioning editor for education at Channel 4, and changed into multi-platform commissioner of leisure and change for the BBC within the early 2000s. In 2016, she received an OBE for her contribution to the artistic industries.
35. Adam Banks, community CTIO, Maersk
Adam Banks joined Maersk in August 2015 as vice-president and head of simplification in Maersk Line, before being appointed CIO for the shipping firm in 2017. He became prior to now CTO at Visa Europe, where he labored for 16 years. he is primarily based in Copenhagen and spends time within the IT centres across Denmark, the uk and The Hague.
36. Damian Collins MP, chair, Digital, culture, Media & sport Committee
Damian Collins got here to prominence in know-how as chair of the Commons Digital, subculture, Media & recreation Committee, which has conducted a high-profile investigation of facebook and different tech giants. He has been Conservative MP for Folkestone and Hythe because 2010.
37. Eileen Burbidge, chair, Tech Nation; associate, passion Capital
Eileen Burbidge is a associate at passion Capital, the London-primarily based venture capital company she based with Stefan Glaenzer and Robert Dighero. She brings wide operational journey to her funding activities, gleaned from business and product building roles at Yahoo, Skype, PalmSource, Openwave, sun and Apple. She additionally serves as chair for Tech Nation and became special envoy for fintech for HM Treasury, in addition to a member of the top minister's enterprise advisory group.
38. Brent Hoberman, entrepreneur; chair, Founders manufacturing unit & Founders discussion board
Serial entrepreneur Brent Hoberman is the chairman and co-founder of Founders manufacturing unit, a London-primarily based accelerator and incubator. he's additionally a non-government director and co-founding father of Made.com and has sat on the board of a number of companies, including EasyCar and Shazam. In 1998, he co-founded Lastminute.com with Martha Lane Fox.
39. Phil Swan, CIO and digital lead, more desirable Manchester combined Authority
Phil Swan became appointed CIO for the new better Manchester metropolitan area in 2017, working for mayor Andy Burnham. He has been a number one figure in local executive IT for a long time, following a six-yr stint at Accenture.
forty. Nigel Toon, CEO, Graphcore
Toon is co-founder and CEO of Graphcore, a rapidly transforming into British semiconductor business that specialises in accelerators for AI and desktop researching. He become CEO of two undertaking capital-backed silicon corporations earlier than founding Graphcore – Picochip, which become bought to Mindspeed in 2012, and XMOS, by which Graphcore became incubated for two years before being dependent as a separate entity in 2016.
41. Alice Bentinck, co-founder, Entrepreneur First
Bentinck is the co-founding father of Entrepreneur First, an organization focused on supporting technology startups from round Europe. As a part of the Entrepreneur First initiative, Bentinck additionally co-situated Code First: girls, an employer that offers part-time coding lessons throughout college campuses. She was on the advisory board of Founders4Schools for two years, and is on the laptop Science branch Industrial Liaison Board for Imperial faculty London.
42. Mark Holt, CTO, Trainline
Holt is chief technology officer for Trainline, the instruct ticketing app that floated on the London stock exchange this year. he is liable for the systems that guide eighty million individuals each month from 173 diverse international locations purchasing 204 tickets every minute. After spending his working existence pleasurable roles in various entrepreneurial organizations, Holt grew to be CTO Trainline in 2014.
forty three. Shashi Verma, director of method and CTO, Transport for London
Verma is director of strategy and chief technology officer at Transport for London (TfL). He has been CTO due to the fact that March 2016, liable for the IT techniques that run public transport across the capital, together with the Oyster card scheme. He has worked at TfL when you consider that 2002. He was previously at consultancy McKinsey.
forty four. Sarah Burnett, vice-president, research, Everest neighborhood; chair, BCS women
Burnett is the executive vice-president and special analyst at Everest community, where she uses her capabilities to guide the community on international carrier birth automation analysis and European apply throughout its global services analysis areas. earlier than becoming a member of Everest, Burnett changed into vice-president of research at Nelson hall, covering areas similar to infrastructure IT outsourcing, cloud, and government company manner outsourcing. Burnett is now chair of BCSWomen and in 2017 launched the BCSWomen AI Accelerator.
45. Alexandra Bolton, govt director, Centre for Digital constructed Britain
Alexandra Bolton has been CDBB's govt director because the centre moved to Cambridge in August 2017. Most these days, she has held roles within the department of Engineering at the university of Cambridge. previously, she has labored in industry and the city. CDBB is a partnership between the branch of business, power & Industrial method and the school of Cambridge to carry a sensible digital economy for infrastructure and building.
forty six. Sherry Coutu, angel investor; founder, ScaleUp Institute; founder, Founders4Schools
The 2017 winner of desktop Weekly's Most Influential girl in UK Tech title, Coutu is a serial entrepreneur, having founded or co-based organizations such as Founders4Schools, Workfinder, the Scaleup Institute and Silicon Valley comes to the united kingdom. She now chairs these corporations, is an angel investor, and sits on the boards of a number of corporations, charities and universities. Coutu is a non-executive member of Pearson, DCMS, the Royal Society, Raspberry Pi trading and the London inventory exchange.
47. Dame Wendy corridor, professor of computer science, university of Southampton; UK's AI skills champion
corridor holds a couple of positions at the university of Southampton, including professor of computer science and professional vice-chancellor (overseas engagement), and is an govt director of the university's net Science Institute. She turned into named a Dame CBE in 2009, and is a fellow of the Royal Society. as well as being a member of the top minister's Council for Science and technology, corridor was co-chair of the united kingdom executive's 2017 AI evaluate, and was appointed as the UK's first competencies champion for AI.
forty eight. Gerard Grech, CEO, Tech Nation
Gerard Grech succeeded Joanna Shields as CEO of Tech city in February 2014, having up to now held a worldwide advertising position at BlackBerry. In his current job, he leads the promotion and support of UK startups now that Tech metropolis's remit has multiplied past its usual east London base. He has supported expertise entrepreneurs for several years.
49. Theo Blackwell, chief digital officer to the Mayor of London
Theo Blackwell turned into appointed London's first chief digital officer in August 2017, where he is helping to improve a wise London Plan. he is also working to advertise pan-London collaboration on connectivity, digital inclusion, cyber protection and open information, and make a contribution to plans for a London workplace for know-how and Innovation. Blackwell has spent 15 years as a councillor within the London Borough of Camden, the place he has led the implementation of an ambitious digital strategy for the borough.
50. Matt Warman, digital minister, DCMS
Warman became appointed minister for digital and broadband in July 2019, responsible for govt policies equivalent to on-line harms, digital potential and cyber protection. He grew to become a Conservative MP within the 205 election, having up to now labored as a technology journalist on the Telegraph.
