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This is the first time the FT and Inclusive Boards, a recruitment agency that helps organisations to diversify, have published a Top 100 list of black and minority ethnic leaders in technology. Did we miss somebody in 2018? If so, please nominate candidates for 2019 using this form.

The tech sector has long suffered from a lack of diversity, including a low rate of ethnic minorities that hold leadership positions.

In the UK almost three quarters of boards and 71 per cent of senior executive teams in the top tech firms have no BAME members, according to a report being released today by Inclusive Boards.

This 2018 list highlights those making a positive change. Candidates were initially identified by Inclusive Boards, a recruitment agency that helps organisations to diversify. Researchers scanned the leadership of the top 500 tech companies by revenue and the top 50 fastest-growing tech companies in the UK and Europe.

The criteria used for nominees included their holding a senior role, having a sphere of influence within their organisation — or across a community — and driving progress in the sector outside their professional roles.

A call for nominations attracted additional candidates beyond Inclusive Boards’ research. After the researchers interviewed individuals on a long list, the judges picked the top 100, presented here in alphabetical order.

The judges also chose the top 10 most influential BAME tech leaders and named 10 highly commended disrupters.

Judges

  • Tim Sawyer CBE, chief investment officer, Innovate UK
  • Sandra Kerr OBE, race equality director, Business in the Community
  • Catherine Muirden, director of HR, Co-Op Foods

Most influential BAME leaders in technology

Name Position and Organisation Gender
Abadesi Osunsade Founder, speaker and mentor, Hustle Crew Female
Abdul Haseeb Basit Co-founder, Elipses | Chairman, Yielders Male
Adah Parris Coach, Djembe Consulting | Facilitator, #IamRemarkable Female
Ade Akin-Aina Talent acquisition leader, Hostmaker Female
Adnan Ebrahim Founder and chief executive, Car Throttle Male
Adrian Joseph Head of AI for financial services UK and EMEIA, EY Male
Akosua Annobil Founder, AB2020 | Founder, Tech in Ghana Female
Alex Fefegha Co-founder and head creative technologist, Comuzi Male
Amali de Alwis Chief executive, Code First: Girls Female
Andrew Ko Co-founder and chief executive, Personalyze Male
Andy Ayim Managing director, Backstage Capital Accelerator Male
Anish Patel Digital transformation lead, NatWest Markets Male
Anjali Ramachandran Director, Storythings Female
Anouska Ruane Communications director, Facebook UK, Ireland and Africa Female
Anushka Sharma Founder, Naaut | Product manager, Nasa's FDL Female
Aseem Sadana Executive vice-president, IMImobile Male
Ashleigh Ainsley Founder, Colorintech Male
Baz Khuti Founder and chief executive, QiO Technologies Male
Bill Liao Founder, CoderDojo | Trustee and chair, Social Tech Trust Male
Chai Rajebahadur Head of Europe, Zensar Technologies Male
Chantelle Bell Co-founder, Syrona Women Female
Chelsea Chen Co-founder, Emotech Female
Dara Nasr Managing director, Twitter UK Male
Deborah Okenla Founder and community lead, YSYS Female
Dee Sellayah Enterprise account director, LinkedIn Female
Dhruv Ghulati Chief executive and co-founder, Factmata Male
Dhruv Patel Chief executive, Nisai Group Male
Dupsy Abiola Head of global innovation, International Airline Group Female
Eileen Burbidge Partner, Passion Capital | Fintech envoy, UK Treasury Female
Einstein Ntim Founder, Enabled AI | Partner, GSE Male
Eric Collins Chief operating officer, Touch Surgery Male
Founding Members, UKBlackTech Abrar Akhtar, Alex Addae-Brobbey, Dara Kirton, David McQueen, Dionne Condor-Farrell, Imran Adan, Julian Hall, Mark Martin, Ola Otaiku, Phil Benson, Rashada Harry, Yinka Ewuola M&F
Gautam Samanta Head of Europe and global head of BFS, NIIT Technologies Male
Geoffrey Williams Global head of Diversity and inclusion, Thomson Reuters Male
Gerald Charles Global IT operations and strategy vice-president, Under Armour Male
Hephzi Tagoe Co-founder and chief executive, GHScientific | Founder, HANAT Female
Husayn Kassai Co-founder and chief executive, Onfido Male
Ian Forrester Senior producer, BBC R&D Male
Ibrahim Kamara Co-founder and editor-in-chief, GUAP Male
Ishani Patel Co-founder, Lantum | Mentor, Royal College of GPs Female
Ismail Ahmed Founder and executive chairman, WorldRemit Male
Ismail Amla Managing partner, IBM services in North America Male
Ismail Jeilani Co-founder, Scoodle Male
Jacqueline de Rojas President, TechUK | President, Digital Leaders Female
Jag Singh Managing director, Techstars Male
Jan Sinclair Global immigration leader of MAO, IBM Female
Jeremy Boon Analytics and information management chief of staff, Deloitte UK Male
John Michael Chief executive, iStorage Male
Jonathan Akwue Executive vice-president, Publicis Groupe Male
Joyce Adeluwoye-Adams Global director of diversity and inclusion, King Female
June Angelides Founder, Mums in Technology Female
Karimah Campbell Forensic and integrity services assistant director, EY Female
Kayisha Payne Founder, BBSTEM | Associate Scientist II, MedImmune Female
Kike Oniwinde Founder and chief executive, BYP Network Female
Kriti Sharma AI vice-president, Sage | Young leader, United Nations Female
Kush Kanodia Co-founder, Choice International | Trustee, CAFE Male
Kymberlee Jay Founder and creative director, DoodleDirect Female
Liz Ayto Head of finance, Fonix Female
Madhavi Reddy Head of digital business solutions, UK and Ireland, Fujitsu UK Female
Mahiben Maruthappu Co-founder and chief executive, Cera Male
Martin Ijaha Co-founder and chief executive, Neyber Male
Michael Berhane Co-founder and chief executive, People Of Color In Tech Male
Michael Olaye Chief executive, Dare Male
Michael Omoniyi Founder, The Common Sense Network Male
Mirra Sondhi Global head of technology risk, Schroders Female
Mitchell Fasanya Founder and chief technology officer, Fanbytes Male
Monica Kalia Co-founder and chief strategy officer, Neyber Female
Mursal Hedayat Founder, Chatterbox Female
Nadeem Raza Chief executive, Microlise Male
Nathaniel Peat Co-founder, GeNNex | Founder, The Safety Box Male
Neeta Patel Chief executive, New Entrepreneurs Foundation Female
Nneka Abulokwe Founder, MicroMax Consulting Female
Owen Pringle Co-founder and partner, Arc Male
Paul Asare-Archer Director of compliance, O2 Male
Pierre-Simon Ntiruhungwa Co-founder and head, Founders of the Future Male
Piers Linney Technology adviser, Swiftsure Partners | Trustee, Nesta Male
Raj Kalia Chief executive, Broadband Delivery UK Male
Regina Oladipo EU exit digital delivery adviser, Government Digital Service Female
Rioch Edwards-Brown Founder, So You Wanna Be In TV? Female
Roshni Goyate Co-founder, The Other Box Female
Rupal Karia Head of UK and Ireland, private and public sector, Fujitsu UK Male
Sameer Gulati Head of policy and regulation, Innovate Finance Male
Saritha Arunkumar Senior security architect and master inventor, IBM UK Female
Sheeza Shah Founder and chief executive, UpEffect Female
Shruti Ajitsaria Head of Fuse, Allen & Overy Female
Shwetal Shah Global Shaper, World Economic Forum Female
Silas Adekunle Co-founder and chief executive, Reach Robotics Male
Simi Awokoya Tech evangelist, Microsoft UK | Founder, Witty Careers Female
Sudhir Chaturvedi President, Larsen & Toubro Infotech Male
Suki Fuller Chief executive, Salaam Ventures | Founder, Miribure Female
Supriya Dev-Purkaystha Client and strategic partnerships director, Forward 3D Female
Tia Kansara Chief executive, Replenish Earth | Adviser, Economic Times Female
Tom Ilube Founder and chief executive, Crossword Cybersecurity Male
Tony Prophet Chief equality officer, Salesforce Male
Trevor Johnson Director of global agency development, Facebook Male
Tunji Akintokun Senior vice-president of sales, NSC Global Male
Victoria Everest Strategic account executive, telco and media, Microsoft Female
Vivian Chan Co-founder and chief executive, Sparrho Female
Wajid Ali Head of paid search, Forward3D Male
Zia Yusuf Founder and chief executive, Velocity Male
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