#MTW25 Top 50 Tech Leaders

Building on from our first Top 50 Tech Leaders List in 2022, we've spent the past year keeping an eye out for the digital innovators we believe should be celebrated for the way they are powering the Northern Tech Revolution.

TOP 30 TECH LEADERS TOP 10 CHANGEMAKERS TOP 10 UNSUNG HEROES

TOP 30 TECH LEADERS

Nuno Miller

Nuno Miller, Digital COO, N Brown Group

Nuno is the digital chief operating officer at N Brown Group, a leading online retailer of fashion and homeware products. With over 29 years of experience in the luxury, retail, tech, and digital sectors, he has a proven track record of leading teams and projects on digital transformations, corporate solutions, bespoke software platforms, cloud services, e-commerce solutions, and data platforms. He is passionate about an agile, digital, and data-driven mindset, and he won the European CIO of the Year 2014 award by CIONET and INSEAD. As a transformational tech and digital executive, he has relevant experience in both fast-growing start-ups and large corporations. He is an executive and board member of several start-ups, especially in the retail, fashion, luxury, and tech industries. He is also an invited lecturer at Porto Business School, where he shares his insights and best practices on digital strategy, innovation, and leadership. He is a keynote speaker and a TEDx presenter, and he has co-founded and invested in several companies in tech, tourism, professional services, and leisure. His mission is to empower and inspire people and organizations to leverage technology and digital solutions to create value and positive impact.

Sherelle Fairweather, Digital Strategy Lead, Manchester City Council

As Digital Strategy Lead at Manchester City Council, Sherelle is responsible for the implementation of the citywide ambitious Digital Strategy, which focuses on the relationship between technology and socioeconomics within a place. Through the strategy, Sherelle drives citywide collaboration in aim to ensure - digitally skilled residents, future-proofed infrastructure, a thriving digital economy and a digitally enabled transition to zero-carbon.

Sherelle has worked within the inequalities and social change space across the public and community sector for over 10 years now and is curious about the role of innovation creating solutions for real change. Sherelle believes shaping a people-first culture is key for purposeful leadership and as a coach and mentor, is passionate about creating safe spaces for self-reflection that empowers choice and self-advocacy. Enthused by projects that enable people to live their lives full, Sherelle also currently serves as a proud board member for Manchester Animation Festival, Community Arts Northwest and Chair of Proper Job Theatre.

Kate Rawlings-Brown, Director of Digital Transformation, Manchester Airports Group

Kate is Director of Enterprise & Business Architecture and Technology Strategy at Manchester Airports Group. A key role aligning MAG’s business objectives with its technology strategy and defining roadmaps with the product teams to execute that strategy. Playing both a strategic and operational role, driving innovation and enabling MAG to achieve its long-term goals through technology and change. Commercial IT achievement is a further accountability as are “chief of staff” type activities for the 200 strong CDO division. Kate has extensive experience leading and delivering business change related to people, processes, and technology, as well as translating strategic goals into direction, plans, and delivery, providing effective business planning. She also mentors women in business, focusing on time management and balancing work, children, and personal well-being. No matter how big or small the business, having someone to talk things through with can make all the difference.

Kirsty Mason, CIO, Bentley Motors

Kirsty is the CIO at Bentley Motors, where she leads the global IT & Security Operations, Service Management, Data Office, IT Strategy & Architecture, and IT Portfolio Delivery for the luxury automotive brand. With over three decades of IT leadership and transformation experience across multiple sectors and industries, she is an expert in building data, digital, and portfolio management capabilities, as well as business change, strategic planning, and transformation. Her mission is to enable and empower the business to achieve its goals and vision by delivering innovative and effective IT solutions, products, data enablement, and services. She has successfully implemented industry-standard best practices such as SAFe, MoP, and ITIL, and managed complex and large-scale projects and programs with budgets up to 700 million and global teams up to 350. She has also established and maintained senior stakeholder and customer relationships, and fostered a culture of collaboration, agility, and excellence among her teams. She is passionate about making IT happen and creating value for the organization and its customers.

Rich Corbridge, CIO, Segro

Richard is the Chief Information Officer for Segro as of November 2024 where he has responsibility for digital, data and the use of these to transform the organisation. Richard had been the Director General for Digital at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) previously. At DWP he had responsibility for technology and data across the entire department including the technical capability in 850 Job Centers and the management of all payment systems, benefits systems and analysis of these daily. The digital team was over 5000 colleagues supporting the most vulnerable people in the UK through the application of many different digital solutions. He is a globally recognized expert in digital technology and its application to a diverse set of business. He has over 25 years’ experience in diverse CIO roles across the healthcare, research, and retail sectors. Richard has a passion for innovation, business change and benefits management. As a leader he insists on a focus on engagement and benefits being brought to all technology implementations.

Adam Platt, CTO, Sykes Cottages

Adam is one of the longest-standing members of our Leadership team, having joined Sykes Cottages in 2008 as a graduate. In 2022, Adam became our Chief Technology Officer and leads our award-winning Technology department. He leads Software Development, Cyber Security, Data & Analytics, Platform functions, and AI adoption across the Forge Holiday Group.

Sue Griffin, Head of User Support Servioces, DWP

Sue is an experienced leader across four professions, built up over 30 years in the Civil Service at the Department for Work & Pensions. Led Operational, Project Delivery, Commercial and Digital teams to achieve key business outcomes. Currently leading a team of circa 500 people to deliver and transform the support 100,000 of my colleagues in DWP receive when they need help with their IT. UX centric with Service Management disciplines and expertise. Proud to be a Civil Servant, aim to inspire people to be their best, fascinated to see the difference technology makes to lives, champion of women in tech. Won Service Management Team of the Year in the Professional Service Management Awards 2018.

Matthew Scullion, CEO & Founder, Matillion

Matthew is founder and CEO of Matillion. He co-founded his first startup at age 18. Before starting Matillion in 2011, Matthew worked in commercial IT and software development for 15 years at a number of British and European systems integrators. A native of Altrincham, England, near Manchester, Matthew now spends half his time in the United States – primarily in Denver (Matillion’s U.S. headquarters), Seattle, New York, and in the Bay Area, at the beating heart of the enterprise software industry.

PJ Hemmaway, CIO, University of Manchester

Patrick took up his role as Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer on 1 October 2018. Previously Patrick was Deputy Vice-Chancellor at The University of Liverpool, a position he took up in August 2013, having formerly been Chief Operating Officer since November 2008. Prior to that he held the position of Director of Facilities Management. An architect by profession, Patrick has a BArch from University College Dublin and has previously held senior leadership positions at The University of Reading and Royal Holloway, University of London. He has also been a consultant, advising higher education institutions across the UK on facilities management organisation and development and the delivery of major capital projects. Patrick was a non-Executive Director of Aintree

Danielle Haugedal-Wilson, Head of Strategy, Performance & Governance, Co-Op

Danielle has worked across the 150 year old Co-op Group for over 15 years, across a multitude of sectors ranging from Food to Funerals. Danielle has predominantly operated in strategy, architecture and new ventures. Danielle has played key roles on programmes as diverse as Co-op Online Grocery Shopping in 2001, first relaunch of Membership in 2006 and its current incarnation launched in 2016, to the first Food mobile app in 2012. Danielle is currently Head of Practice for Architecture & Analysis in Co-op Digital. Danielle the chapter lead for Ladies Of Code Manchester and is a champion of diversity in technology within and outside of the Co-op as Non-Exec Director of Innovate Her. Danielle is also Board Director of the Co-op Credit Union and a Member of National Members Council.

William Hewish, CIO, Pets at Home

William Hewish is the CIO at Pets at Home, where he focuses on enhancing customer experience through innovative IT solutions.

Prior to this, William was the CIO at United Utilities, where he spent several years driving technological and business transformations. His extensive experience includes senior IT roles in various blue-chip companies, including CTO at Severn Trent Water and CIO at London Scottish Bank, where he led significant business model changes driven by acquisitions, divestments and joint ventures.

William has also held positions such as CTO at Severn Trent Water and CIO at London Scottish Bank. His career spans roles in companies of all sizes, from start-ups to FTSE 100 firms, particularly within regulated, commercial sectors. William's leadership in IT has been marked by his ability to drive change and adapt to industry-wide structural shifts.

Mike Brown, Head of Platform Engineering, On the Beach

Mike is a highly experienced and creative technologist with a strong foundation in engineering and technical leadership. He focuses on the impact of evolving technology on product strategy, drawing from his experience leading engineering teams at organizations like the BBC, Meteogroup, and Mergermarket. He bridges the gap between strategic direction and operational reality, advising senior leadership while engaging deeply with product and engineering teams. He has also co-founded two startups, one in mobile education technology and another focused on an API-first CMS for digital publishing.

Graham Thomson, CISO, Irwin Mitchell

As a Partner and Chief Information Security Officer, Graham places a strong focus on leadership, coaching, and developing teams to be high performing.A former military intelligence operator, he's a proven information (cyber) security and technology leader with a wealth of experience in multiple industries, including finance, online retail, manufacturing, and legal.

In 2021, Graham received the prestigious Team Leader of the Year award from the Ex-Forces in Business Awards, the world's largest celebration of military veterans in their second careers.

His unique approach to information security, known as the "Lead, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover, and Learn" methodology, has allowed me to excel in creating effective risk-based security frameworks that can safeguard any organisation.

Graham is recognised as a thought leader in the field, and is passionate about giving back to the community through education and engagement. His goal is to blend modern security theory with practical, hands-on experience to ensure that security makes sense to colleagues and empowers businesses to operate and grow securely.

Murray MacKenzie, Director of Transformation, Virgin Media O2

Murray has worked in fraud prevention for fourteen years across retail, digital, telesales, banking and telco with a simple objective: to facilitate business growth whilst stopping fraud by offering advice, guidance and intelligence on existing and potential threats, protecting the business and its customers.

Keeley Crockett, Professor in Computational Intelligence, Manchester Metropolitan University

Keeley Crockett is a Professor of Computational Intelligence at Manchester Metropolitan University, specializing in ethical and responsible AI. With over 27 years of experience, she focuses on AI algorithms, applications, and their societal impact. She has led initiatives on place-based AI, SME readiness, and public engagement, including work with parliamentary groups and community projects. A key advocate for citizen voice, she is involved in the People Panel for AI and serves on UKRI's AI & Robotics Strategic Advisory Team, as well as holding leadership positions within the IEEE.

John Duncan, Connected Places Lead, GMCA

John’s mission is to develop Greater Manchester’s world-class digital infrastructure, leveraging technology and data ethically to create resilient, connected, accessible, and sustainable communities for all. As a passionate advocate for digital transformation, John champions projects that leave a lasting positive impact on citizens and communities.

A recognised voice in the industry, John is a regular speaker at national and regional events, where he shares insights on digital strategy, connectivity, and inclusion. His work reflects a deep commitment to harnessing technology to enhance lives, protect the environment, and build a more equitable and inclusive society.

Alan Reed, Head of Innovation, bet365

For over a decade, Alan Reed has led the teams responsible for innovating the products and services that catapulted bet365 to the front of the global online betting market and kept it there. As head of Sports Development, he and his team made many breakthroughs and delivered huge innovations in the pursuit of one crucial question — how to deliver an immersive experience to millions of concurrent players in real-time.

Seeing an opportunity to explore new technologies and identify the meaningful and lasting contribution they could make to the business, he recently took up the reins of a new department, the Platform Innovation Hub. As Head of Platform Innovation, Alan is focused on harnessing internal and external innovation and channelling it to drive game-changing breakthroughs in process, product, and platform design.

Stuart Moss, Head of IT Innovation, Rolls Royce

Stuart is Head of IT Innovation at Rolls Royce. A a results-driven leader with extensive experience in delivering customer-focused solutions within international environments. With a strong IT background, Stuart excels at both strategic vision and detailed execution. He has a track record of developing strategies for cutting-edge technologies, including AI and VR, contributing to projects like iwillalwaysbeme.com, Rolls-Royce Intelligent Shipping, and the Aston Martin Volante Concept. He is a respected executive with 12 years of innovation management experience, utilizing Synectics and Design Thinking, and 8 years of business management experience, including transformation leadership. His background also includes industrial design and creative multimedia, earning him national and international awards.

Sally Davies, Head of Incident Management, Office for Nuclear Regulation

Sally Davies is Head of Incident Management and Resilience for the Office for Nuclear Regulation.

An expert in crisis response with over a decade of experience in managing incidents from cyber to counter terror.

As a deaf women, she is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion serving as Chair of DaDaFest an award winning disability and Deaf arts organisation where she championed equality in the arts and beyond.

As the impact of technology continues to affect our lives and work, Sally is now focussing on bridging the gender gap in tech and believes in the power of mentorship and collaboration to shape the future of the industry.

Simon Williams, Head of Software Engineering, Close Brothers

Simon has led large teams of Software Engineers in FTSE100/250 companies, delivering high quality changes to complex enterprise applications. After over 30 years in the IT industry, Simon is putting his experience to work, leading thinking and driving innovation. He is passionate about his team and strives for positive and effective results in his organisation.

Zahraa Murtaza, Senior Vice President - Agile Coach, BNY

Zahraa Murtaza is a Senior Vice President specializing in agile transformation within the finance and insurance sectors. With a strong background in banking, she drives innovative change, ensuring organizations stay competitive in next-generation banking.

As an AI Women in Tech Ambassador for AI Tech UK, Zahraa promotes diversity in tech. Recognized for her expertise, she has been nominated twice for Women in Tech Excellence and North West Women in Tech Rising Star awards.

Zahraa is also a prolific contributor to industry discourse, writing on Agile and Waterfall methodologies, AI, and Women in Tech (WIT). Her thought leadership inspires professionals across finance, technology, and agile transformation.

Barry Cooper, Group Head of Customer Experience, moneycorp

Barry started his contact centre career as a customer service advisor answering customer calls, he was able to learn a lot about what great service meant not only to himself but to the customers. Barry has been working for moneycorp for 5 years, and as the Global Head of Customer Experience, gets to do something that makes him smile every day. From interactions with customers and delivering for the business to watching and developing the amazing people, Barry finds his role is incredibly fulfilling. Although he didn’t plan to join the contact centre industry he claims to have since learned that it’s one of the best industries you can be in!

Suzanne Ellison, Head of Product, Lloyds Banking Group

Suzanne is a Product Director with a strong focus on customer and colleague satisfaction, driving large-scale transformational change at Lloyds Banking Group for over 20 years. She has a proven track record of delivering award-winning new products, improving customer experience and efficiency, and implementing Design Thinking and Agile methodologies.

Her expertise spans new technology development, strategic planning, and functional optimization. She emphasizes data-driven decision-making, staying current with emerging technologies, and fostering a culture of innovation. Known for her emotional intelligence and adaptability, she excels at building stakeholder relationships and promoting collaboration. Suzanne is also dedicated to talent development, having successfully built and mentored inclusive teams. Beyond her corporate role, she mentors a charity CEO, actively participates in women's networks, and founded the 'North England Product Owners' group to enhance industry capabilities.

Paul Oliver, Architecture Director, BT

Paul Oliver is the Architecture Director for BT’s Group functions that includes Finance, Supply Chain, HR, Digital Workplace, Billing and Property. He brings strategic, delivery and operational leadership experience from across IT organisations having worked at Shell, Coop and BT. Previous roles including Retail IT Site Systems Manager at Shell looking after the forecourt technology for Europe across ~10,000 service stations and Aviation IT Director at Shell who are a leading supplier of fuels/lubricants across ~800 airports. He has a passion for the use of innovative technology to drive business outcomes and for human centric design to ensure adoption.

Christopher Williamson, Group Director of Technology, N Brown Group

Chris Williamson is the Group Director of Technology at N Brown Group, leading the company’s digital transformation as it evolves from a catalogue-based retailer to a modern, data-driven, and microservices-led business. With a career spanning enterprise technology, cloud transformation, and AI-driven innovation, Chris has been at the forefront of replatforming N Brown’s core systems, modernising its engineering practices, and embedding DevSecOps principles to drive efficiency, resilience, and scalability.

Chris oversees a broad technology remit, including engineering, architecture, cloud, data science, QA, and service operations. With a background in financial services, travel, and telecommunications, Chris has led large-scale technology transformations at TUI, Lloyds Banking Group, and first direct. Passionate about continuous improvement, high-performing teams, and the intersection of technology and business strategy, he brings a pragmatic yet ambitious approach to modernising legacy organisations for the digital age.

Katie Fox, Head of IT, Princes

Katie Fox is the Head of IT - Technology at Princes, a global food and drink manufacturer.  She has over 10 years' experience in Global IT Leadership and a diverse technical background. 

In her current role, Katie is responsible for the delivery of technology and Cyber Security across the Princes Group, including end-user compute, AI, platforms, no/low-code development, communications, identity, as well as security systems and governance.

Katie has a passion for people, she is a tech mentor and plays an active role in improving the diversity, equality, and inclusion both within her current and previous employment and in the tech community.

Jon Burt, Head of Enterprise Architecture, Manchester City Council

Jon is the City Council’s Head of Enterprise Architecture working across the authority and with its partners to deliver on the priorities set out in the ICT and Digital strategy whilst embedding current and future digital, data & technology capabilities. Jon also works with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the other 9 Local Authorities in the region, Health and Transport public sector organisations collaborating on mutually beneficial programmes which enhance citizens and businesses experience aligned with the Greater Manchester Digital Blueprint.

Jon has over 25 year’s public sector experience in architecting and delivering solutions at the forefront of technology across infrastructure, applications, security and data including some of the largest and complex programmes in local and regional.

Fay Churchill, Head of Data Science, ITV

As Head of Data Science at ITV, Fay leads a team of data scientists in building cutting-edge Machine Learning products that drive tangible business value. Collaborating with a diverse range of stakeholders across marketing, content, and product, her team identifies and delivers high-impact ML solutions.

Beyond her extensive industry experience, Fay brings a strong academic background to her work. After earning a PhD in developmental psychology, she specialised in sleep science, exploring the role of sleep in learning and development. This research experience honed her analytical skills, scientific rigor, and ability to extract meaningful insights from complex data—foundational strengths that now shape her approach to data science and machine learning.

Abraham Ingersoll, Chief Security Officer, THG Ingenuity

Abraham Ingersoll leads teams within THG Ingenuity, a UK-based end-to-end commerce platform that removes the burden of multi-partner relationships and complex software infrastructure. Prior he ran Solutions Engineering for Teleport, was Sr Director of Infrastructure Engineering for Ticketmaster, a short-lived YC W13 founder and the first PrincipalEngineer (SRE) for Betfair. When not focused on reliability engineering of non-abstract large systems, Abe is a connoisseur of sourdough starter and beating British triatheletes at their own game.

Simon Hodgkinson, Head of AI Enablement & Innovation, British Red Cross

Simon Hodgkinson is an experienced Microsoft 365 Business Analyst and Adoption Specialist with almost 25 years of experience in helping organisations improve their operations through smart technology solutions. His work focuses on making teams more efficient and helping businesses get the most out of new technologies, especially around areas like cloud services and AI. Simon is known for his practical approach to problem-solving and his ability to explain complex tech in simple terms, making him a go-to expert for companies looking to enhance their digital tools and workplace productivity.

TOP 10 CHANGEMAKERS

Sara Prowse, CEO, UA92

After meeting with Gary Neville the founder she was quickly brought into the vision to transform and modernise higher education. She joined as CEO of UA92 in May 2021.

Based in Old Trafford, Manchester, UA92 is committed to making higher education accessible to all no matter the background, through its founding principles of accessibility, social mobility and inclusivity.

It offers a portfolio of degree and higher education courses across business, sport, media and digital disciplines, accredited by Lancaster University, and prepares students for the world of work by offering industry-led courses through its partnerships with leading industry names.

Ensuring the institution not only paves a new path for education but supports the local community, Sara has implemented a raft of successes at UA92, and has helped develop partnerships with the likes of Microsoft, TalkTalk, KPMG, Trafford Council, Lancashire Cricket Club and Manchester United.

Sara is a refreshing voice for the UK education sector and regularly discusses the need for greater accessibility and inclusivity within higher education, especially in disadvantaged areas of the North West where admissions to higher education fall below the national average.

Hilary Stephenson, Managing Director, Nexer Digital

Hilary Stephenson is a business leader focused on digital inclusion and social impact, with a background in content design and writing. Her career spans technical documentation, web publishing, and user-centered information design across various sectors, including healthcare, culture, and finance.

She founded Sigma in 2007, now Nexer Digital, where she continues to work with a team of experts to deliver accessible products and services through user collaboration.

Richard Whittle, Research Fellow, University of Salford

Richard is an economist working at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Behavioural Science and Decision Making. He is an expert in the impact of Artificial Intelligence on Universities, sludge, behavioural design and dark patterns. His work focuses on supporting individuals, organisations and regulators in adopting and understanding the impacts of new technology. Richard contextualizes digital transformation within its wider political economy and use a behavioural science lens, with a focus on understanding, adaption and resilience.

Richard has been published in world-leading journals, including Public Administration and Work, Employment and Society, he led the technical research on the retail economy for the Greater Manchester Independent Prosperity Review, and conducted the financial ‘rules of thumb’ research for the UK’s Money Advice Service. This research programme directly informed the HM Treasury and FCA Financial Advice Marker Review. He has been awarded research funding from numerous sources including the ESRC, Research England, UKRI, the NHS and GMCA.

Richard sits on a variety research council awarding panels, is a member of the West Yorkshire Scientific Advisory Group, advises the Manchester Digital Strategy and has been awarded a visiting fellowship at the International Public Policy Observatory, University College London.

Sean Gilroy, Senior UX Principal Inclusive Design & Accessibility, BBC

After a career in Finance, concluding as Finance Director for BBC North…..Sean is now working a Senior User Experience Principal at the BBC…..& Leads the Workforce Accessibility & Inclusive Design Team, focusing on the Strategy, Development & Delivery of Accessible Digital Experiences to Colleagues across the Global BBC Public Service Operation….as well as exploring inclusive design methodologies to enhance experiences for underserved audiences through the digital transformation of public service broadcasting. 

Sean also Co-Created BBC CAPE (Creating A Positive Environment), the BBC’s Award-Winning Neurodiversity Initiative which sought design-led innovative solutions to remove barriers to employment for Neurodivergent people.   Through this work, Sean is now also the current Chair for NiON…the Neuro-Inclusive Organisations Network, centred in Greater Manchester.

Matthew Robinson, Head of Nations & Regions, techUK

Matt joined techUK as Head of Nations & Regions in Summer 2021, he leads techUK’s engagement with Devolved Government, Combined Authorities and Elected Mayors across the UK. He works with techUK’s members on growing and strengthening the digital economy across the UK including developing and growing techUK’s Local Digital Index (a tool to map and demonstrate the strength of the tech sector across the UK). He also leads on Devolution, Local Growth Plans, and related policy matters.

Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked for several national education charities and membership bodies to develop their regional partnerships with schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and other stakeholders. He’s also worked with local authority leaders and other stakeholders to engage communities, work with elected members and improve public services.

Stuart Coulson, Cyber Ecosystem Project Manager, University of Manchester

Stuart Coulson is a seasoned business strategist and mentor with over 20 years of experience across diverse industries. Currently, he serves as the Cyber Ecosystem Project Manager for the University of Manchester’s DiSH Accelerator, where he empowers startups and entrepreneurs to thrive, fostering innovation and growth within the Manchester business ecosystem. Stuart’s expertise extends beyond cybersecurity, as he actively guides companies in refining their strategies, enhancing organisational culture, and achieving sustainable success.

In addition to his role at the university, Stuart is the founder of HiddenText, a consultancy that bridges the gap between security awareness and business challenges. With a deep commitment to career development and mentorship, Stuart has successfully built and led teams, driving both individual and organisational excellence. His advisory work spans multiple sectors, providing strategic insights that help businesses navigate complex challenges and seize new opportunities.

As a dynamic speaker, Stuart shares his wealth of experience at conferences and events worldwide. His ability to connect with diverse audiences and offer actionable insights has made him a sought-after voice in both the business and cybersecurity communities. Recognised for his contributions to the industry, Stuart was honoured as the Cyber Mentor of the Year at the 2023 Unsung Heroes Awards. His dedication to mentoring and business growth continues to shape the next generation of leaders and innovators.

Holly Foxcroft, Cyber Security Business Partner, OneAdvanced

With more than 15 years of experience in cyber security, Holly s a recognised leader in the cyber security industry, celebrated for her work, research, and advocacy (particularly in championing neurodiversity), and was honoured earlier this year by being appointed a UK Ambassador to the Global Council for Responsible AI. Holly’s experience includes military service, academia, and the private sector, with an expertise in aligning security with commercial interests to drive stronger cyber resilience.

DCI Chris Maddocks, Head of Economic and Cyber Crime for the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, North West Cyber Resilience Centre

Chris heads the Economic and Cyber teams in the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit. Chris manages investigations into organised cybercrime, where he works alongside local Police forces, the National Crime Agency and National Cyber Security Centre. Chris works to develop cyber resilience in the North West to protect communities.

Chris has experience investigating a variety of crime types having worked in both Cheshire and Greater Manchester Police. These vary from serious sexual offences to murder. Chris developed his interest in cyber investigations when he set up the Cheshire Police cybercrime team.

Peter Abbott, Instructor, Manchester Mind

Collaborating closely with Manchester Mind since 2019, Peter is an accredited trainer delivering Mental Health First Aid qualifications, Neurodiversity in the Workplace, Mental Health Skills for Managers and preventative wellbeing courses and workshops focusing on all areas of mental wellbeing.  With over 15 years' experience, Peter understands how important employee health and wellbeing is and how it should be supported in the workplace from a theoretical perspective. Additionally, he has multiple mental health diagnosis, including O.C.D, G.A.D and A.D.H.D, and brings this wealth of lived experience to his training, making it both real and relatable.

Alistair Kennedy, Director & Co-Founder, Rybec

Alistair Kennedy, a cybersecurity expert, transitioned from farming and construction to a 23-year police career specializing in cybercrime. After retiring in 2022, he co-founded Rybec Group, providing cybersecurity consulting and training, including support for neurodiverse youth in tech. His diverse background fuels his dedication to digital security.

TOP 10 UNSUNG HEROES

Ryan McCarty, Senior Unified Communications Engineer, Capgemini

Ryan McCarty, based in Manchester, England, GB, is currently a Workplace Engineer at Capgemini. Ryan McCarty brings experience from previous roles at Freshfields, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and LIMA Networks. Ryan McCarty holds a 2012 - 2013 Microsoft Certified Professional @ The Manchester College. With a robust skill set that includes Servers, Technical Support, Active Directory, Windows Server, ITIL and more. Ryan McCarty has 1 emails on RocketReach.

Cristan Massey, Head of Service Management, Pearson

Cristan is a passionate IT Service Management professional with an Armed Forces background. As a father and husband, he understands the importance of building meaningful connections and fostering a sense of community.

With a focus on emotional intelligence and emotive leadership, Cristan recognises the value of diversity of thought and is committed to creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.

Drawing upon his unique background and experiences, Cristan aims to bring a fresh perspective to the tech industry and am dedicated to driving innovation, collaboration, and growth.

Besides that, he loves dogs, and Marvel.

Leigh Rathbone, Head of Software Engineering, CAVU

Leigh Rathbone has spent 27 years in technology, working across 14 companies, 14 sectors, and four continents. From pioneering cutting-edge tech that is now mainstream to leading high-performing engineering teams, Leigh has been at the forefront of innovation, transformation, and quality. While his expertise lies in Quality Engineering, his leadership spans engineering, delivery, and change management, always with a focus on driving innovation and people growth.

A passionate advocate for the tech community, Leigh co-founded the Liverpool Tester Gathering and has spoken at over 60 meetups. He’s a keynote speaker at major tech and transformation conferences and has hosted and compered events such as TestBash Manchester, Agile SwanseaCon, Manchester Tech Festival, and Manchester DevCon.

Outside of work, Leigh is a dedicated family man, a regular at the gym, an avid cyclist, and a craft ale enthusiast. He also has a deep love for animals—proving that his passion for quality extends beyond software and into life itself.

Neha Babajee, Data & Architecture Manager, E.ON

Neha Babajee is the Data and Architecture Manager at E.ON Energy. She has over 12 years of experience in leveraging data science and emerging technologies to drive business value and Neha also holds a PhD in this field.

In her current role, she leads on emerging technology, data, and enterprise architecture.

She is passionate about supporting early talent, personal development and diversity initiatives.

Jacqueline Shalks-White, Internal Communications Manager, Electricity North West

Jacqueline Shalks-White has been Internal Communications Manager at Electricity North West since April 2024. Her role involves leading the internal comms team. Before this, she was Group Communications and Engagement Partner at Manchester Airport Group where she led on technology communications and engagement whilst also supporting other areas of the business across ED&I, Community, CSR and ESG. Jacqueline believes it's important to inspire people who work with and around you and to also be inspired by them. Jacqueline has a diverse range of key skill sets from client care and customer service, to culture change and comms strategies, plus brand , product and business development!

Toli Apostolidis, Lead Architect, Flipdish

Toli is a Software Engineering Practitioner who believes that learning and working together are catalysts for high-performing software-first teams who care about how their software serves their customers.

Toli's career began in the field of maths and physics, which led him into the world of software engineering, where he spent his formative first few years learning the craft while writing algorithms for solving large-scale "travelling-sales-person" problems across the globe. He has since worked with Brent from The Phoenix Project for a B2B energy company, the initial core team at cinch to build the fastest-growing unicorn in UK startup history, while he is currently helping Flipdish build the next generation of restaurant tech.

Throughout this journey, Toli fell in love with DevOps, Observability and Team Topologies, while he discovered a new passion for serverless, event-driven socio-technical architectural paradigms and product thinking.

Tom Gilbert, Head of IT Infrastructure, Grant Thornton UK LLP

Tom Gilbert heads up IT Infrastructure at Grant Thornton UK LLP with 21 years experience of working in the Professional Services/Business Advisory sector. Driven to provide "add value" digital solutions and services. Tom has implemented hybrid cloud strategies, is a strong negotiator with key suppliers and supports a cloud first strategy for over 6000 people. His current role involves leading teams, budgeting and strategy, legal contract negotiation, vendor management, strategic thinking, IT security and governance.

Lee Jarvis, Senior Engineering Manager - Cloud Enablement & Operations, Booking.com

Lee has a proven track record and work history spans diverse environments – from small back offices to taking part in and leading initiatives for major brands like AutoTrader, BBC, and now Booking.com. Under his leadership, Lee’s teams have been instrumental in driving Booking.com’s successful, cost effective cloud adoption and maturity journey.

Aliyu Yisa, Co-Founder, Fezzant

Aliyu is a startup founder with a background in software engineering and cyber security. He has worked in several industries including telecoms, housing, edTech, FinTech and consulting. He started Fezzant to help organisations make cyber security training, programs and tools accessible. Aliyu has been an active voice in the niche and seeks to make it a mainstream topic in cyber security. He also co-founded CyBlack, a strong community helping to grow black cybersecurity talents through mentorship, internship, training and community events.

Kayla Vondy, Project Manager - AI, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Kayla, with 9+ years in tech leadership and business development, excels in AI project management, focusing on ethical AI implementation at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. She has a strong track record in designing innovative solutions, managing client relationships, and leading cross-functional teams, including international initiatives at Booz Allen Hamilton. A diversity and inclusion advocate, she mentors women and promotes inclusive workplaces. Kayla holds a Master's in International Business (Liverpool, 2024), a BS in Computer Science (Oregon State, 2016), and a BA in Biology (McDaniel, 2011), blending technical and business acumen to drive innovation.

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