Women in IT Excellence Awards 2019 - here are your winners

Another night celebrating the amazing women smashing biases - and the glass ceiling - in tech

The technology industry has a problem with gender. That fact is, finally, starting to be widely acknowledged - although not by the Steve-Daves of the world: a term that Holly Brockwell, who hosted last night's incredible Women in IT Excellence Awards, uses to describe all the men who tell her that sexism is over.

Now in its third year, the Women in IT Excellence Awards aim to raise the profile of all women working in the technology industry, whether they are personally shortlisted for the event or not. Only by speaking up and showing that women are perfectly capable of coding, innovating and leading can we dispel some of the archaic notions that still waft around the industry.

Our charity partner PEAS builds self-sustaining schools in Uganda and Zambia

With an inspiring message shared by our charity partner, PEAS (Promoting Equality in African Schools), and uplifiting comedy from Suzi Ruffell - who got her start from misreading the word "organism" out loud - the night was a great success.

So, who were the winners?

Women in IT Excellence Awards 2019 winners

Digital Leader of the Year

Winner: Sarika Soni, HSBC

Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year

Winner: Joanne Miklo, Leeds City Council

Highly Commended: Anna Somaiya - KPMG

Diversity Employer of the Year

Winner: Microgaming

Diversity Project of The Year

Winner: Faye Pressly - Vanti/DiD Fest

Highly Commended: Code First: Girls

Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner: Kim Aviv, Pathfinder Software Ltd

Graduate of the Year

Winner: Mary Kirby, Atos

Runner up: Smruthi Chandrasekar, Just Eat

Hero of the Year - (ENT)

Winner: Holly Steele, Sweaty Betty Ltd

Hero of the Year - (SME)

Winner: Laura Turner - Mudano

Innovator of the Year

Winner: Patty Kostkova, University College London

Highly Commended: Jasmina Mularska, BT

IT Leader of the Year

Winner: Tamara Castelli, UNiDAYS

Outstanding Returner Award

Winner: Holly Steele, Sweaty Betty

Highly Commended: Lyndsey Parry - Keoghs

Outstanding Transformation

Winner: Jo Steel, Vodafone UK

Rising Star of the Year - (ENT)

Winner: Krittika D'Silva, Cambridge University

Rising Star of the Year - (SME)

Winner: Alice Little - CENTURY Tech

Rising Star of the Year (ENT) - Financial Services

Winner: Siobhan Stevenson, First Derivatives

Highly Commended: Donna Wayman, Zurich Insurance

Rising Star of the Year (ENT) - Tech Industry

Winner: Priya Kanda - Atos

Role Model of the Year - (ENT)

Winner: Juliet Parab, Deutsche Bank

Role Model of the Year - (SME)

Winner: Rebecca Harrop, University of Bedfordshire and Open University

Role Model of the Year (ENT) - Tech Industry

Winner: Gemma Emmett, Ladies be Archtect & The Architech Club

Role Model of the Year (SME) - Tech Industry

Winner: Gaia Caruso - Sparta Global

Security Leader of the Year

Winner: Katy Hinchcliff, Littlefish

Software Engineer of the Year

Winner: Yuliya Maksimchyk, Godel Technologies

Team Leader of the Year - (ENT)

Winner: Sarah Cockrill, Coventry University

Team Leader of the Year - (SME)

Winner: Kathy Bloomfield, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust

Transformation Leader - (ENT)

Winner: Lesley Bunting, Pearson Plc

Transformation Leader - (SME)

Winner: Naseem Golamgouse - Westminster City Council

Woman of the Year - (ENT)

Winner: Sue Lees, Agilisys

Woman of the Year (SME)

Winner: Jacqueline de Rojas CBE, techUK

Highly Commended: Sabrina Castiglione, Tessian

CIO of the Year

Winner: Nimisha Patel, RSA

Sustainability Leader of the Year (Special Award)

Winner: Mattie Yeta, DEFRA