Celebrating Women’s Impact in Technology: Everywoman in Tech Awards 2025
In a prestigious event honoring female talent in the tech industry, Everywoman has unveiled the winners of the 2025 Everywoman in Technology Awards, sponsored by Bupa. This year marks a significant milestone: the 15th anniversary of these awards that have consistently aimed to illuminate the accomplishments of women in technology.
Significance of Role Models in Tech
The awards focus on highlighting female role models, a critical element in the ongoing conversation about improving gender diversity in the UK’s technology sector. Experts argue that when young individuals see others like them thriving in tech roles, they are more likely to envision such careers for themselves.
Maxine Benson, co-founder of Everywoman, emphasized the importance of representation, stating, “Role models serve not just as beacons of achievement, but as tangible proof that success is attainable. Authentic role models provide the roadmap and the encouragement to navigate a successful career in an industry that needs diversity in all forms – thought, approach and lived experience.”
The Current Landscape for Women in Tech
Despite advancements, challenges remain. Research by BCS indicated that as of 2024, women made up only 17% of IT specialists in the UK, marking a mere 1% increase over the last five years. In addition, Everywoman’s findings, in collaboration with Bupa, revealed that nearly 40% of women in tech perceive a lack of role models, particularly in senior positions, as a barrier to career progression.
2025 Awards Ceremony Highlights
This year, 16 outstanding women were recognized from a competitive pool of nearly 90 finalists, covering various career stages from apprentices to executives. Their commendable achievements are intended to inspire future female tech aspirants.
Category Winners
- AI Champion Award: Maryleen Amaizu, Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Redgate
- Apprentice Award: Grace Thomas, Management Consulting Associate, Accenture
- CTO/CIO of the Year Award: Amanda Barker, CTO and VP – IS Strategy and Architecture, Centrica
- Cyber Security Award: Sarah Rench, Global Generative AI Security Director, Avanade
- Digital Star Award: Shahzadi Awan, Front-end Software Engineer II, Booking.com
- Digital Transformation Leader: Rosanne Kincaid-Smith, former Group COO, Northern Data Group
- Entrepreneur Award: Payne MBE, CMO, Open Bionics
- Innovator Award: Laurence Levy, Founder and CEO, MeditSimple
- Leader Award: Sandra Stanley, Chief Data Science Officer, dunnhumby
- Male Agent of Change Award: Ashar Khan, Chief Data Officer, SSE
- One to Watch Award: Joey Lin, Student, The Maynard School
- Rising Star Award: Jemima Abu, Front-end Developer, WeMakeWebsites
- Software Engineer Award: Anna Wilde, Senior Engineer, American Express
- Team Leader Award: Maddie Clingan, Principal Agile Coach, ControlPlane
- Tech for Good Award: Sue Black OBE, Professor of Computer Science, Durham University
Outstanding Achievement Featured
The prestigious Woman of the Year award was presented to Carla Brackstone, Senior Partnerships Manager at Kheiron Medical Technologies. Brackstone has made significant advancements in using AI for breast cancer detection, successfully identifying early-stage cancer in 11 women in Aberdeen. She is dedicated to implementing this innovative technology across both the NHS and the US healthcare systems.
Reflecting on her journey, Brackstone noted, “Technology has continually opened new doors and provided me with a platform for growth, innovation and impact.”
Conclusion
The Everywoman in Technology Awards continue to play a vital role in promoting female representation in tech. By spotlighting the achievements of these remarkable women, the initiative not only honors individual success but also paves the way for future generations to join and thrive in the technology sector.
