Sponsored by Howden, SSE, Accenture, HSBC, American Express amongst others, the awards have celebrated over 500 role models to inspire and attract women and young girls into STEM careers and close the gender gap within technology where women still only occupy 26% of roles and even fewer at senior levels.

These awards highlight the diverse, fulfilling, and exemplary careers that women can, and are having in technology. However, a study of the everywoman in Tech community, in collaboration with Bupa, found that for 39% of women working in technology, the female role model deficit was a top challenge in achieving their career ambitions, with entry-level women recognising this in equal measure to women who have made it to the C-suite.

Maxine Benson MBE, Co-Founder of everywoman comments: “Role models serve not just as beacons of achievement, but also 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. That’s’ why we need every one of these impressive finalists, and this year’s winners, to be seen and celebrated if we want to attract more female talent – now more than ever.”

The 2025 Bupa everywoman Woman of the Year Award was presented to Carla Brackstone, Senior Partnerships Manager at Kheiron Medical Technologies, from London. Carla is a true game-changer, using AI-powered breast cancer detection to save lives and has played a key role in introducing this technology to the NHS, detecting early-stage cancer in 11 women in Aberdeen alone. In under three years, she has helped expand AI screening to nearly 20% of the UK’s healthcare system and is now bringing it to the US. Thanks to her, more women around the world are getting the early detection they need. In an industry still dominated by men, she hasn’t just carved out a space for herself, she’s kicked down the door and held it open for others. She’s a mentor, a champion for women in tech, and a leader who makes sure that when she speaks, people listen.

The judges praised her passion, determination, and hands-on approach, ensuring patients remain at the heart of her work. Her contributions to AI in healthcare are extraordinary, setting a new standard for medical technology and saving lives worldwide. She is not just a leader in her field – she is an inspiration to all.

 The 2025 category winners

AI Champion Award – sponsored by ARM – awarded to Dr. Maryleen Amaizu, Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Redgate, from Chesterfield

Dr. Maryleen Amaizu developed a Trust Index for news publishers, which uses AI to build trust online. She leads a research team, using machine learning and statistics to improve transparency, combat fake news, and foster a more trustworthy online environment. A passionate advocate for STEM accessibility, she has mentored and trained 400+ data professionals and created a six-chapter AI coursebook to improve STEM access for underrepresented groups. The judges described her as an innovative thinker making an extraordinary contribution to humanity.

Apprentice Award – sponsored by SSE – awarded to Grace Thomas, Management Consulting Associate at Accenture, from London

Grace brings fresh thinking and leadership to every project and her ability to drive agile change, and foster collaboration has delivered tangible business impact. Beyond her role, she is the Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead for junior staff and is passionate about DEI, having organised wellbeing events for over 150 participants and championed initiatives that strengthened community, fostering a more inclusive workplace. The judges praised her results-driven approach and commitment to applying her learnings to support others. Grace’s achievements demonstrate her positive impact on the business and its people.

CTO/CIO of the Year Award – sponsored by Accenture – awarded to Amanda Barker, CTO & VP – IS Strategy & Architecture at Centrica, from Windsor

Amanda is transforming Centrica’s technology landscape – simplifying 1,400 systems down to 700 and delivering over £120 million in savings. She has also built an Innovation Community of Practice that is streamlining processes and improving productivity company-wide. Beyond her strategic leadership, Amanda is shaping the future of tech talent, mentoring nine women and creating a graduate program supporting over 200 future leaders. The judges were impressed by her vision, impact, and commitment to building an inclusive, high-performing team.

Cyber security award – sponsored by BAE Systems – awarded to Sarah Rench, Global Generative AI Security Director at Avanade, from London

Sarah is at the forefront of AI security, building Avanade’s Generative AI Security offering and leading a team that safeguards businesses against evolving cyber threats. Her technical expertise has strengthened security operations, enabling clients to leverage AI for greater efficiency. Beyond her technical impact, Sarah is a driving force for equity in tech, holding roles such as European Executive Sponsor of Prism Avanade’s LGBTQ network, Interbank Committee member, Chair of British Computer Society Pride network. She also founded DiverseCxO, a 3,000+ member platform dedicated to executive mentorship and increasing representation for women, LGBTQ+, and minority groups. The judges commended her industry influence, from corporate boardrooms to government advisory roles, and her unwavering commitment to inclusion.

Digital Star Award – sponsored by AWS – awarded to Shahzadi Awan, Front End Software Engineer II at Booking.com, from Manchester

Shahzadi is redefining security awareness at Booking.com through her work on a Threat Modelling application. But her impact extends far beyond her role. She goes above and beyond to support others, promoting the Return to Tech initiative and co- organising a live panel on career challenges for women for International Women’s Day. The judges were deeply inspired and moved by her journey from a gold-medallist computer science graduate in Pakistan to a respected engineer. While overcoming personal adversity, including domestic violence and asylum-seeking, Shahzadi remains dedicated to technology and inspiring others

Digital Transformation Leader Award – sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group – awarded to Rosanne Kincaid-Smith, former Group Chief Operating Officer at Northern Data Group, from Frankfurt

After more than two decades of leading change at the intersection of finance and technology, Rosanne joined Northern Data Group’s in 2022 and has driven transformation from a niche crypto-mining firm into a full-scale AI solutions provider, delivering eight time share price growth and three times revenue growth. As COO, she is expanding the business into supercomputing, fostering talent worldwide. Rosanne champions women in tech, creating opportunities and building confidence through inclusive hiring practices. Committed to sustainability, she ensures energy efficiency remains central to operations. The judges were inspired by her strategic vision, industry impact, and dedication to empowering women in technology.

Entrepreneur Award – sponsored by Howden – awarded to Samantha Payne MBE, Chief Marketing Officer at Open Bionics, from Bristol

With no prior engineering background, Samantha identified a gap in the market and co-founded Open Bionics, redefining perceptions and revolutionising prosthetic design, by creating life-changing bionic arms for people with limb differences. The 3D printing has delivered 1,000+ custom prosthetics and generated over £4 million in revenue. Her partnership with Disney, designing prosthetics featuring beloved characters, turns medical devices into empowering accessories. The judges loved her passion for wearable tech, her advocacy for working-class women in tech and her commitment to making a positive social impact.

Innovator Award – sponsored by American Express – awarded to Laurence Levy, Founder & CEO at MeditSimple, from London

Laurence’s journey into healthtech was profoundly shaped by her own health challenges. In 2015, after experiencing vision problems and navigating a fragmented healthcare system over two years, she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a rare autoimmune disease. This inspired her to create MeditSimple, a platform designed to simplify healthcare navigation for patients while avoiding unnecessary healthcare costs and improving efficiency for practitioners. Under her supportive leadership, the company developed an all-in-one interface that streamlines healthcare navigation, achieving a 99% patient satisfaction rate. Committed to DEI, Laurence actively recruits diverse talent, with 60% of leadership roles and 75% of all roles being held by women. Her fearless approach and belief in innovation through diverse perspectives has driven the company’s success.

Leader Award – sponsored by HSBC – awarded to Sandra Stanley, Chief Data Science Officer at dunnhumby, from London

Sandra has been instrumental in shaping dunnhumby's strategy and transforming the retail industry, using her analytics expertise to deploy data science-backed solutions for more than 70 grocery retailers and thousands of CPG brands globally. As a thought leader in retail data science, she is a vocal advocate for women in tech, championing initiatives that foster growth and inclusion within the global data science community. The judges were inspired by Sandra’s ground-level impact, innovative AI deployments, and unwavering commitment to enriching the professional lives of others whilst driving meaningful industry-wide change.

Male Agent of Change Award – sponsored by Centrica – awarded to Ashar Khan, Chief Data Officer at SSE, from Oxfordshire

Ashar’s leadership is creating lasting change at SSE, ensuring diversity is embedded in its recruitment. This proactive approach has led to his department consistently ranks at the top for employee satisfaction and he has since launched a behaviour-focused awards programme, now in its third year and fully integrated into the company’s annual awards. Ashar supports growth opportunities for women by sourcing external resources, organising meetups, and providing access to training sessions and professional networks. His efforts have enabled employees to sharpen their skills and the recognised his leadership, and dedication to opening doors for women in tech.

One to Watch Award – sponsored by Computacenter – awarded to Joey Lin, Student at The Maynard School, from Exeter

Joey is a rising star in Materials Science who aims to change the narrative around the field to inspire more people to pursue it. Her dedication extends to mentoring students at her school and within the wider community, offering peer-to-peer tutoring across Maths and Science. Joey empowers her mentees, encouraging them to uplift others in turn, and leads outreach efforts with local state schools, coaching students to recognise their potential and help others. The judges praised her talent, ambition and commitment to education, and believe this award will enable her to reach even more people and inspiring the next generation of women in STEM.

Rising Star Award – sponsored by Booking.com – awarded to Jemima Abu, Frontend Developer at WeMakeWebsites, from London

Jemima is an award-winning self-taught front-end developer and public speaker; she started coding in 2017 during her Systems Engineering degree. She was one of 15 Nigerians selected for a European Union tech recruitment initiative, relocating to Lithuania before moving to London in 2021 to work at WeMakeWebsites. Passionate about diversity, intersectionality, and accessibility in tech, Jemima mentors those from minority backgrounds and volunteers with organisations like Girl Code Academy, Pearls Africa, and Coding Black Females. The judges were impressed by her dedication to increasing inclusivity and empowering others and noted that the contributions she has made at such a young age is truly inspiring.

Software Engineer Award – sponsored by NatWest – awarded to Anna Wilde, Senior Engineer at American Express, from Burgess Hill

Anna is shaping the future of talent in tech. Having joined American Express in 2018, her expertise and collaboration with American Express’s workforce strategy team has transformed the Early Careers recruitment programme by enhancing candidate selection by co-designing a bespoke coding test. As a key member of Amex Women in Technology UK, Anna mentors aspiring engineers, leads tech bootcamps, and has trained 250+ graduates. Her commitment to DEI ensures the next generation of tech talent is more diverse and empowered. The judges praised her passion for software engineering, DEI advocacy, and dedication to shaping future leaders in STEM.

Team Leader Award – sponsored by Haleon – awarded to Maddie Clingan, Principal Agile Coach & Agile People Manager at ControlPlane, from London

Maddie leads the Agile Delivery department at ControlPlane, driving growth, innovation, and a 100% team retention rate. With a Master’s from Peking University, she transitioned into tech, leveraging her skills to navigate uncertainty and bridge cultural gaps. She founded “Take the Mic” to empower women in public speaking and actively contributes to initiatives like UN Women UK. The judges praised her passion, energy, and dynamic leadership in fostering team identity and growth. A true rock star, Maddie’s commitment to diversity and continuous improvement makes her a standout leader in the industry.

Tech for Good Award – sponsored by RS Group – awarded to Dr Sue Black OBE, Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist at Durham University, from Durham

A pioneering advocate for diversity in tech, Dr Sue Black OBE’s work has changed lives. Sue co-founded Tech UP Women, a Durham University program transforming gender balance in tech by supporting women from underserved communities across Northern England. Her humility, despite numerous accolades, and her dedication to mentoring others make her an inspiring role model. Despite global recognition, Sue remains dedicated to mentoring and lifting others. Her impact in fostering self-belief and expanding access to technology education is truly transformative.

Zazie Carter, CIO Group Functions & CIO Platforms & Internal Products BGIUK at Bupa, adds: “Congratulations to the winners of the Bupa everywoman in Technology Awards! You should all be immensely proud to be recognised among such a distinguished group of women. The nominations showcased a tremendous amount of talent, innovation and so many amazing achievements. At Bupa, we’re proud to support these awards that celebrate the success of women in technology today, as well as inspiring the female leaders of the future.”

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