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Computer Weekly’s annual search for the 50 most influential people in UK IT is back – let us know who you would like to nominate for this year’s list
Computer Weekly has launched its 12th annual UKtech50, our search for a definitive list of the movers and shakers in UK technology. We want to recognise the CIOs, industry executives, public servants and business leaders who are driving forward the digital agenda in the UK economy.
This year, Computer Weekly is once again partnering with Harvey Nash, and together, our aim is to identify the 50 most influential leaders in UK IT. Whoever comes top of the list will be the person who, in the opinion of our expert judging panel and a reader vote, holds the most influence over the future of the UK tech sector in the next 12 months – and hence the future of IT professionals across the country.
Last year, the 11th annual UKtech50 saw Sarah Wilkinson crowned the winner. As the CEO of NHS Digital during the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic, Wilkinson led a team that was at the heart of the digital response to coronavirus in the health service.
Teams across NHS Digital had to deliver a vast array of products at a huge scale, very fast. Wilkinson said a lot of the work of the executive team during the pandemic was about “getting directly involved in actually getting the digital and data products built and deployed”.
“Almost none of the Covid programmes we did followed anything like a standard project lifecycle. The changes in direction, timeframe and approach were an absolute constant. Sometimes, it felt like huge new requests were landing on the desk every day,” she told Computer Weekly at the time.
Later in 2021, Wilkinson moved on from NHS Digital after four years in the role, and she is now CIO at Thomson Reuters, based in Switzerland.
So who will follow in Wilkinson’s footsteps to feature in this year’s top 50? There will be plenty of candidates from every UK sector. With changes aplenty in digital government, and new roles and leaders emerging and making their mark, will a digital leader from Whitehall come out on top?
As the digital revolution transforms businesses and the world battles with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, will a CIO with game-changing IT strategies come to the fore? Or as startups grow across the country, is this the time to recognise a technology entrepreneur?
This is where we need your help. If you would like to nominate anyone you feel deserves recognition as one of the 50 most influential people in UK IT, simply complete the form below and submit your suggested individual. Nominations must be received by 15 April 2022 to be eligible for the 2022 list. The winner will be announced in June.
Judging the UKtech50
The UKtech50 list will be decided by a judging panel representing every area of the UK IT profession – and we will ask readers to vote on who they think should top the list.
Our judging panel will select the top 50 candidates based on the following criteria:
- Influence: What authority or ability does the person have – either through their personal position or the role they hold – 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 are they acknowledged by their 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? Do they have a leadership role and does that help them 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 their authority and responsibility grow?
