Most Influential Women in UK Tech: The 2020 Longlist
COMPUTER WEEKLY
By Clare McDonald
Each year, during its search for influential women in UK technology, Computer Weekly asks the tech industry to nominate who it thinks should be considered for the top 50 – here is the longlist for 2020.
“Who are the most influential women in UK tech?” is a question we ask every year as we seek out to name the top 50 most influential women in the UK’s tech sector.
Each year, the number of nominations grows as the industry tells us who it thinks should be considered for the top 50 list.
As part of its commitment to shining a light on the female technology role models throughout the UK, Computer Weekly started publishing the longlist in 2017 when the number of nominations exceeded 160.
This number has grown year-on-year from 360 in 2019 to more than 430 women this year, each of which has made a significant contribution to the technology sector.
Among the 2020 nominees is Merian Ventures’ Priya Guha, Venture Partner.
When Computer Weekly launched its list of influential women in UK IT in 2012, it only featured 25 women. It was later expanded to include 50 women to ensure as many as possible are recognised each year.
Each year, we aim to ensure the nominations for the 50 Most Influential Women in UK Technology are as diverse and inclusive as possible, regardless of age, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation, including trans women and those who identify as non-binary.
The shortlist of 50 names chosen by our expert judges will be published soon, allowing readers to vote on who they think should be chosen as the Most Influential Woman in UK Technology 2020 to help the judges make their final decision – but we also wanted to reveal all of the nominees who were considered. Congratulations to all.
A panel of expert judges used the following criteria to decide which of these women will be included in the top 50 shortlist:
Influence: What authority or ability does the person have – either through her personal position or the role she holds – to personally influence the development of UK IT, or to influence others in positions of authority?
Achievements: What has the person achieved in the past 12 months to help the development of UK IT?
Profile: Is the person recognised as a role model for aspiring leaders? How widely is she acknowledged by her peers as an authority and influence on UK IT?
Leadership: Does the person demonstrate the skills and experience necessary to be seen as a leader in the development of IT in the UK? Does she have a leadership role and does that help her to develop the role of IT in the UK?
Potential: How likely is it that the person will have a significant impact on UK IT in the next 12 months? Will her authority and responsibility grow?
Community: Has the person contributed to the women in technology community? To what extent has she used her influence to help other women progress in IT?
The voting for the 50 women in this year’s shortlist will soon open to allow readers to vote on who they think should be named the Most Influential Woman in UK Technology 2020.
Women considered to have made a lifetime contribution to the technology sector, as well as past winners, have been added to our Hall of Fame, and so do not appear on the annual nominations list.
The winner will be announced at Computer Weekly’s annual diversity in tech event, run in partnership with Spinks, which this year will be held online on 1 October 2020 during National Inclusion Week.
Congratulations to all nominees! Good Luck Priya!
Merian Ventures is a venture firm founded by Alexsis de Raadt St. James that invests in women-founded and co-founded tech innovation in the US and UK.