Computer Weekly has introduced the 16th annual UKtech50, our definitive checklist of the movers and shakers in UK technology – the CIOs, business executives, public servants and enterprise leaders driving the position of technology in the UK financial system.
For the primary time in the UKtech50’s 16 years, this 12 months’s winner has been topped the most influential particular person in UK technology not simply as soon as, however twice earlier than. Unprecedented in UKtech50 historical past, Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO of DeepMind, emerged on prime for the third time.
In a world the place synthetic intelligence (AI) is turning into an integral a part of our lives, Hassabis’s work on utilizing AI for the good thing about society, and his effort to maintain technology homegrown on UK soil, made it a unanimous resolution among the many judges, together with the reader vote.
Our intention was to establish the 50 most influential leaders in UK IT. An knowledgeable judging panel representing each side of the IT career helped to resolve the outcomes, together with a reader vote, to find out who holds the most affect over the way forward for the UK tech sector – and of IT professionals throughout the nation.
While Hassabis took the coveted prime spot, your complete checklist displays the extremely onerous work of organisations and people in a 12 months the place, regardless of challenges, technology is flourishing.
The judges’ selection of the top 50 was influenced by a number of vital tech developments – not least the expansion and growth of AI. The judges had been eager to advertise range in the tech neighborhood, in phrases of gender, ethnicity, geography, business sector and firm dimension.
This 12 months noticed a file variety of nominations, which made the judging robust, with all nominees being of top of the range with lengthy lists of achievements.
Our due to the staff at Harvey Nash for his or her help with this 12 months’s UKtech50.
Here is the checklist of the 50 most influential people in UK technology for 2026:
1. Demis Hassabis, founder and CEO, Google DeepMind
Demis Hassabis based synthetic intelligence firm DeepMind in 2010. The firm, which was purchased by Google in 2014 for about £400m, is concerned in a number of AI tasks throughout sectors, together with the NHS. Before founding DeepMind, Hassabis accomplished a PhD in neuroscience at UCL. He is a two-time previous UKtech50 winner.
2. James Wise, chair, Sovereign AI Fund
James Wise was appointed chair of the federal government’s Sovereign AI Unit in November 2025. The unit, which is backed by almost £500m in funding, goals to show British AI analysis into firms that may stoke financial progress. The unit acts like a enterprise capital fund, bringing collectively authorities, business and traders to develop UK AI firms.
3. Kanishka Narayan, minister for AI and on-line security, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Kanishka Narayan was appointed to his position in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) in September 2025 and is accountable for AI alternatives, the AI Security Institute, authorities semiconductor technique, on-line security and tech for progress. He can be the MP for the Vale of Glamorgan.
4. Alison Kay, vice-president and managing director, AWS UK and Ireland
Alison Kay took on her position at Amazon Web Services (AWS) in November 2024 after an 18-year stint at EY. In her position at AWS, she has labored to assist firms from startups to giants with their digital enterprise transformation. She additionally sits on the board of the UK Investment Council.
5. Rob Thompson, chief digital, information and technology officer, Department of Health and Social Care
Former Home Office digital chief Rob Thompson joined the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in May 2026. He is accountable for driving digital, information and technology transformation throughout the division and NHS England. Prior to his almost decade-long stint on the Home Office, Thompson held a number of senior management roles, each in the private and non-private sectors.
6. Zoe Kleinman, technology editor, BBC News
Zoe Kleinman has been technology editor at BBC News since September 2021. She has been protecting technology information for almost 20 years on radio and tv.
7. Sarah Turner, CEO and co-founder, Angel Academe
Sarah Turner based Angel Academe, a pro-women and pro-diversity angel funding group targeted on technology, and is presently CEO of the group. Until 2023, Turner was additionally an advisory board member of tech recruiter Spinks, and in 2007 co-founded consultancy Turner Hopkins, which helps companies create digital methods. Previously, Turner was an exterior board member and chair of the funding committee for enterprise capital fund the Low Carbon Innovation Fund and a board member of the UK Business Angels Association, the commerce affiliation for early-stage funding.
8. Alex Kendall, CEO, Wayve
Alex Kendall is the CEO and co-founder of Wayve, the UK startup utilizing synthetic intelligence to construct a next-generation autonomous driving system. Under Kendall’s management, Wayve has shortly grown from a small startup to a real competitor and disruptor in the autonomous automobile business.
9. Melanie Dawes, chief govt, Ofcom
Melanie Dawes has headed up Ofcom since 2020, following her earlier position as everlasting secretary on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, in addition to many different roles throughout the civil service. She has beforehand been a trustee at Patchwork Foundation, which goals to encourage underrepresented younger people to take part in democracy, and a non-executive director of client group Which?
10. Danielle George, chief scientific advisor for nationwide safety, GCHQ; professor and vice-dean on the University of Manchester
Danielle George was appointed scientific advisor for nationwide safety firstly of 2025 and took on the position in April that 12 months. She performs an important position in offering recommendation and supporting the supply of science and technology for the UK intelligence neighborhood.
11. Richard Horne, CEO, National Cyber Security Centre
Richard Horne was appointed CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in 2024. He joined from PwC UK, the place he chaired the organisation’s cyber safety observe. He can be a GCHQ board member.
12. Daljit Rehal, chief digital and data officer, HM Revenue & Customs; previous BCS president
Former Centrica IT chief Daljit Rehal was appointed chief digital and information officer (CDIO) at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in September 2020. He is accountable for a funds of greater than £1bn and oversees a few of the highest-profile IT methods in authorities, comparable to taxes, nationwide insurance coverage and the customs functions on the UK’s advanced post-Brexit borders. He sits on the board of HMRC. He has additionally taken on the position of senior accountable officer at Civil Service Live to advertise technology and innovation throughout all departments. Rehal can be a previous president of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.
13. Sonia Patel, interim chief technology officer, DSIT
Sonia Patel grew to become DSIT’s interim chief technology officer (CTO) in March 2026 on a hard and fast 12-month contract. The CTO position was held by David Knott since autumn 2023, nevertheless, on the finish of 2025, he stepped down from the place because of household causes. Prior to taking up the position at DSIT, Patel was instrumental in the NHS technology house. Patel joined authorities because the CIO of NHSX in 2020, proper in the center of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022, she grew to become the system CIO of NHS England earlier than taking up the position of CTO in April 2024.
14. Greg Jackson, CEO, Octopus Energy
Greg Jackson based and launched Octopus Energy in 2016. The firm’s inexperienced tech platform sits on the coronary heart of its success, and it has gone from energy to energy through the years. Octopus Energy is now the most important vitality supplier in the UK.
15. Robin Tombs, CEO, Yoti
Robin Tombs based Yoti, which created a digitally native identification app, in 2014. The firm and its product has grow to be more and more standard in the digital ID market, and now has greater than 30 million downloads worldwide. He can be a thought chief throughout the technology business, significantly round digital ID.
16. Julian David, CEO, TechUK
Julian David is the CEO of technology trade association TechUK. He was appointed because the director common of Intellect in March 2012 and led its transformation to TechUK in November 2013. David has spent greater than 30 years in the technology business, largely working for IBM in varied roles, together with vice-president for small and medium enterprise in the UK, Ireland, Netherlands and Africa, after which for 5 years as vice-president for public sector in the UK, Ireland and South Africa.
17. Liz Kendall, science, innovation and technology secretary, DSIT
Former pensions secretary Liz Kendall grew to become the secretary of state at DSIT in September 2025. Kendall, who has been an MP since 2010, was beforehand on the helm of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) after Labour got here to energy in 2024.
18. Rene Haas, CEO, ARM Holdings
ARM announced in February 2022 that it had appointed 35-year semiconductor business chief Rene Haas as chief govt, succeeding Simon Segars, who stepped down after 30 years with the corporate. Haas was beforehand president of the ARM IP Products Group since 2017, having joined the agency in 2013.
19. Zahra Bahrololoumi, president and CEO, Salesforce UK
As CEO of Salesforce in the UK and Ireland, Zahra Bahrololoumi is accountable for the workforce in these areas throughout all industries and capabilities, and is especially targeted on guaranteeing its prospects are prepared for digital transformation. She sits on a number of boards, together with for Seeing Is Believing Coventry Place, Movement to Work and Cancer Research UK Corporate Partnerships, and is an impartial non-executive director on the TSB board. In 2023, she was awarded a CBE for providers to the knowledge technology sector.
20. Ian Chapman, CEO, UK Research and Innovation
Ian Chapman joined UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as CEO in August 2025, following 21 years on the UK Atomic Energy Authority. In his position at UKRI, Chapman leads the organisation and its backing of researchers and innovators. He can be a fellow of the Institute for Physics.
21. Emran Mian, everlasting secretary, DSIT
Previously DSIT’s director common for digital applied sciences and telecoms, Emran Mian grew to become the division’s everlasting secretary in 2025. The profession civil servant has held a number of senior roles in authorities departments earlier than shifting to DSIT.
22. Helen Wylie, director common and CDIO, DWP Digital
Helen Wylie grew to become chief digital and data officer on the division in November 2024, after spending eight years as a part of its digital staff in varied roles. She has a longstanding profession in the sector, having labored in quite a lot of technology and digital supply roles in organisations together with the Bank of England, Experian and TNT Post Group.
23. Jade Leung, AI adviser to the prime minister
Jade Leung is the prime minister’s AI adviser and the CTO of the AI Security Institute, the place she oversees evaluations for frontier AI fashions. Before becoming a member of the federal government, Leung labored at OpenAI. She can be a University of Oxford Rhodes Scholar, the place she accomplished a PhD in the governing of AI.
24. Joe Baguley, chief technology officer, EMEA, Broadcom
Joe Baguley has been the CTO at Broadcom (previously VMware) since 2011. He additionally sat on a number of advisory boards on the European Commission and was a founding member of the BCS datacentre specialist group. He additionally sits on TechUK’s cloud management board.
25. Suzanne Ashman, managing companion, Sovereign AI Fund
Technology investor Suzanne Ashman joined Sovereign AI in May 2026, the place she leads the £500m fund, figuring out AI firms with progress potential. She can be a former common companion at LocalGlobe and Latitude.
26. Anne-Marie Imafidon, CEO, Stemettes; girls in tech envoy, DSIT
Anne-Marie Imafidon is CEO, founder and head stemette at social enterprise Stemettes, which goals to encourage younger girls to decide on careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). She has grow to be a high-profile advocate and campaigner, collaborating in racing driver Lewis Hamilton’s fee to encourage a extra various workforce in engineering, and appeared on the Channel 4 present Countdown whereas common mathematician Rachel Riley was on maternity depart. Imafidon was voted the most influential woman in UK technology in 2020.
27. Lila Ibrahim, chief working officer, Google DeepMind
In her position as DeepMind’s chief working officer (COO), Lila Ibrahim oversees the enterprise operations of the corporate and its exterior engagement. With a tech profession spanning many years, previous to becoming a member of Google DeepMind in 2018, she held a number of high-profile management roles in the business.
28. Mustafa Suleyman, CEO, Microsoft AI
Mustafa Suleyman was introduced as Microsoft’s head of AI in March final 12 months. The newly created Microsoft AI will give attention to advancing the Copilot household of generative AI assistants and different client AI merchandise and analysis at Microsoft. Prior to becoming a member of Microsoft, Suleyman co-founded Google DeepMind, in addition to one other AI firm, Inflection AI.
29. Sarah Cardell, CEO, Competition and Markets Authority
Sarah Cardell was appointed the CEO of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in December 2022, however held the position as an interim from July 2022. Before being named CEO, Cardell was common counsel on the authority for eight years.
30. Tom Adeyoola, govt chair, Innovate UK
Technology entrepreneur Tom Adeyoola grew to become Innovate UK’s new govt chair and CEO in April 2025. He additionally serves on the steering board of The Startup Coalition, advocating for high-growth tech companies throughout the UK.
31. Charlene Hunter, CEO and founder, Coding Black Females
Charlene Hunter based Coding Black Females in 2017 to assist black feminine software program builders meet one another and community. Alongside her work at Coding Black Females, Hunter is a software program developer. She is an advisory board business consultant in the University of Essex Online’s computing division, technical director at SAM Software Solutions, and technical director at full-stack and front-end coaching organisation Black CodHer Bootcamp.
32. Alan Carson, CTO and co-founder, Cloudsmith
Alan Carson based Cloudsmith in 2016 along with co-founder Lee Skillen. The Belfast-based cloud-native common artifact administration firm has grown considerably in the previous few years. The firm just lately introduced $72m sequence C financing to proceed additional progress.
33. Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, HM Government
Darren Jones was appointed as prime minister Keir Starmer’s chief secretary in September 2025. He first bought concerned in politics through the 2010 common election, when he stood as a Labour candidate. He was beforehand the chair of Labour Digital.
34. Geoff Huggins, digital director, Scottish Government
Geoff Huggins was appointed to lead the digital team in the Scottish Government in July 2021, succeeding Colin Cook. He has held plenty of senior digital authorities roles in Scotland, together with director, digital third sector transformation, director of NDS Scotland – a directorate of NHS Education for Scotland – and director of well being and social care integration.
35. Ian Hogarth, chair, AI Safety Institute
Tech entrepreneur Ian Hogarth was appointed chair of the AI Safety Institute in June 2023, reporting on to the prime minister and the technology secretary. The organisation is concentrated on advancing AI security. He additionally led the federal government’s AI Foundation Model Taskforce.
36. Nicola Hodson, chair for UK&I, IBM; TechUK deputy president
Nicola Hodson joined IBM in January 2023 as its UK and Ireland CEO. Before becoming a member of IBM, Hodson spent 14 years at Microsoft in varied roles, most just lately as vice-president of worldwide gross sales, advertising and marketing and operations for discipline transformation. She can be the deputy president of TechUK.
37. Anne Keast-Butler, director, GCHQ
Anne Keast-Butler joined GCHQ as its director in May 2023, turning into the primary girl to guide the organisation, succeeding Jeremy Fleming. Prior to becoming a member of GCHQ, Keast-Butler served because the MI5 deputy director-general and has an extended historical past as an intelligence knowledgeable. In her position at MI5, Keast-Butler led on MI5’s operational, investigative and protective security work, together with the company’s response to Russia’s battle on Ukraine. She has additionally beforehand hung out seconded to GCHQ as head of counter-terrorism and severe organised crime.
38. Dave Smith, nationwide technology adviser, DSIT
Dave Smith is the federal government’s nationwide technology adviser, a job he took on in April 2024 after former adviser Patrick Vallance stood down from the place. In his position, Smith advises the division on methods to greatest construct on the nation’s technology strengths and champion the UK’s tech industries.
39. Sarah Winmill, BCS president; digital perform chief, Royal Navy
Sarah Winmill was appointed BCS president, taking on from Daljit Rehal, in March 2026, after holding the place of deputy president the 12 months prior. She can be the digital useful chief for the Royal Navy on the Ministry of Defence, the place she has spent the final six years of her profession. Prior to this, she labored in varied technology roles in the British Transport Police.
40. Matt Clifford, chair, Advanced Research and Invention Agency
Matt Clifford is the chair of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, which was arrange by the UK authorities in February 2021 to help high-risk analysis that has the potential to make a excessive influence on society. Clifford can be the co-founder and CEO of Entrepreneur First, a pre-seed investor in deep technology startups.
41. Wendy Hall, Regius Professor of laptop science, University of Southampton; non-executive director and advisor throughout authorities and business
Wendy Hall holds a number of positions on the University of Southampton, together with professor of laptop science and affiliate vice-president (worldwide engagement), and is an govt director of the college’s Web Science Institute. As effectively as having been a member of the UK prime minister’s Council for Science and Technology, Hall was co-chair of the UK authorities’s 2017 AI evaluate, and was subsequently introduced by the federal government as the primary abilities champion for AI in the UK
42. Allison Kirkby, CEO, BT Group
Allison Kirkby joined BT Group as CEO in February 2024, succeeding Philip Jansen. Kirkby, who’s the primary girl to carry the job of BT CEO, got here to BT from Swedish telecoms supplier Telia, the place she additionally served as CEO. She has been on the board of BT Group since 2019 as a non-executive director
43. Ann O’Neill, co-founder and CEO, Adora Digital Health
Ann O’Neill based digital well being platform Adora in 2021. The platform and app are designed to help girls navigating peri-menopause and menopause, and mix AI-driven personalised steering with direct entry to healthcare professionals, providing help and schooling to alleviate signs and improve well-being. She can be a member of the McKinsey Digital Health Global CEO Group, the place she is dedicated to redressing the healthcare imbalance that disadvantages girls and various communities each in life and in the office.
44. Blaise Metreweli, chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
Blaise Metreweli is a profession civil servant, having joined the Secret Intelligence Service in 1999. She spent most of her profession in operational roles in Europe and the Middle East earlier than turning into the director common, technology and innovation. In 2025, she grew to become the Secret Intelligence Service’s 18th chief, often called “C”, taking on from Richard Moore. She is MI6’s first feminine chief.
45. Katie Prescott, technology enterprise editor, The Times
The Times’ technology enterprise editor Katie Prescott reviews on technology adjustments the world over. She additionally co-hosts the Times Tech podcast, which recurrently sees high-profile visitors reflecting on tech.
46. Theo Blackwell, chief digital officer to the Mayor of London
Theo Blackwell was appointed London’s first chief digital officer in August 2017. Prior to this, Blackwell spent 15 years as a councillor in the London Borough of Camden, the place he led the implementation of an bold digital technique for the borough.
47. Brent Hoberman, entrepreneur; chair of Founders Factory and Founders Forum
Serial entrepreneur Brent Hoberman is the chairman and co-founder of Founders Factory, a London-based accelerator and incubator. He can be a non-executive director and co-founder of Made.com, and has sat on the board of a number of firms, together with EasyCar and Shazam. In 1998, he co-founded Lastminute.com along with Martha Lane Fox.
48. Carlos Selonke, CIO, Revolut
Carlos Selonke joined Revolut as CIO in September 2021, following an extended profession in the monetary providers business, most just lately at Santander, each in the UK and the US. At Revolut, he’s accountable for the financial institution’s technology and banking operations, together with funds.
49. Yvonne Gallagher, digital director, National Audit Office
The National Audit Office’s (NAO) digital transformation knowledgeable joined the auditor in 2013, the place she leads its digital insights staff. Before becoming a member of the NAO, Yvonne Gallagher held a number of high-profile technology roles, together with because the CIO of Affinity Sutton and the Ministry of Justice.
50. Paul Hardy, EMEA innovation officer, ServiceNow
Paul Hardy grew to become the EMEA innovation officer at ServiceNow in June 2024. He has greater than 25 years in the technology business underneath his belt, and earlier than becoming a member of ServiceNow, he labored at Informa for greater than a decade.
Judging the UKtech50
The judging panel was chosen to characterize totally different views in IT, so every particular person acted each as an neutral and knowledgeable choose, in addition to an advocate for his or her space of curiosity. The judges had been:
- Laura Meyer, investor, Angel Academe; former CIO
- James Woodward, director of communications, BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT
- David Savage, group technology evangelist, Harvey Nash
- Matthew Evans, chief working officer and director of markets, TechUK
- Roy Illsley, chief analyst, Omdia
Our judging panel selected the highest 50 candidates primarily based on the next standards:
- Influence: What authority or potential does the particular person have – both via their private place or the position they maintain – to personally affect the event of UK technology, or to affect others in positions of authority?
- Achievements: What has the particular person achieved in the previous 12 months to assist the event of UK technology?
- Profile: Is the particular person recognised as a job mannequin for aspiring leaders? How extensively are they acknowledged by their friends as an authority and affect on UK tech?
- Leadership: Does the particular person exhibit the talents and expertise essential to be seen as a frontrunner in the event of the tech neighborhood in the UK? Do they’ve a management position and does that assist them develop the position of technology in the UK?
- Potential: How seemingly is it that the particular person can have a major influence on UK tech in the subsequent 12 months? Will their authority and duty develop?