The Digital Leaders programme recognises the importance of leadership in driving forward digital transformation in the UK. This award is for an individual whose actions in the past year have made them stand out as a Digital Leader in the transformation of their sector.

Congratulations to our 10 finalists in the Digital Leader of the Year Category.

You can check out the top 10 below.

The ultimate winner will be announced at our Digital Leaders 100 awards ceremony in June.

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Meet the Finalists

Matthew Adam

CEO & Founder, We are Digital

Matthew is disrupting the tech-for-good space with his West-Midlands mission-led scale-up. Founded in 2012 and backed by Europe's top impact-investors (Si2, Ascension, Triplepoint and ClearlySo), We Are Digital helps 100,000 people get online, access essential government services, manage money, gain new jobs and ultimately improves lives.

Diane Barlow

Chief Information Officer, Food Standards Agency

Diane Barlow is an inspirational leader for women in technology, who places people at the centre, and strives to bring out their best, even at the most challenging times. At FSA, Diane facilitated the successful delivery of multiple tech/digital projects during EU Exit & Covid.

Lara Burns

Chief Digital Officer, The Scouts

A recognised digital leader bringing about significant digital change at The Scouts, as well as working to improve digital skills across the charity sector, and provide thought leadership more widely.

Kat Dixon

Fellow, Data Poverty Lab

Kat Dixon's inspiring, creative and compelling work on the 'Periodic Table of Internet Elements' (part of her Data Poverty Lab Fellowship) has given the digital inclusion sector a valuable new resource. It really helps to convey how essential - 'elemental' - internet access is.

Nick Earle

CEO, Eseye

An IoT champion, Nick aims to increase public awareness. He hosts the popular IoT Leaders Podcast and authors Eseye's annual IoT predictions report with forecast analysis of the key factors shaping the industry today and tomorrow.

Dr. Shruti Kohli

Lead Data Scientist & Innovation Lab Lead, DWP Digital

Dr. Shruti Kohli, Lead Data Scientist, and Innovation Lab Lead, is passionate about helping people, joining DWP Digital in 2017. She believes in supporting a significant change in the lives of millions of citizens, taxpayers, using the power of data science.

Karen Meechan

Chief Executive, ScotlandIS

Karen is a passionate supporter and advocate of the Scottish digital tech industry and has been for over 17 years. As CEO of ScotlandIS, she is inspired daily by innovative solutions that are created by the sector that change the way we all live.

Rashik Parmar

Group CEO, BCS

Rashik Is the Group CEO of the BCS, where he is driving the Responsible Computing Programme and the development of the Digital Professionalism Index. These initiatives highlight his dedication to promoting responsible and ethical practices within the tech indsutry.

Helen Thomas

Chief Executive Officer, Digital Health and Care Wales

Helen was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Digital Health and Care Wales in 2021. Part of the NHS Wales family and a trusted partner, Digital Health and Care Wales is taking forward the next generation of services needed to transform health and care delivery.

Steve Westgarth

Global Head of Engineering, Haleon

Steve 🏳️‍🌈 is the Global Head of Engineering at Haleon where he heads up the Software Engineering function focussed on building products that connect consumers to healthcare professionals.