Yesterday was the inaugural CWT everywoman in Technology Awards and WOW – what a great event. The luncheon ceremony was held in the beautiful Landmark Hotel and with the sunlight pouring in through the glass atrium we welcomed spring into our lives with a celebration of the leading female technologists in the UK.

We’ve enjoyed a huge amount of support for this programme from all our partners and it was great to see such wide range of organisations and brands, traditionally competitors in the market, collaboratively clinking classes to celebrate the fabulous women working in IT.

Baroness Wilcox, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Business, Innovation and Skills and Minster for Intellectual Property (I didn’t know that) gave an excellent keynote address. She shared her own personal journey with technology.  Sharing with us how she transformed her own family fishing business by using new technical methods of fish farming - to her role today in the House of Lords leading the agenda for business and innovation. The Awards were presented by a Carol Vorderman - she was magic at hosting the event, truly passionate about the subject of science, technology and engineering and of course Math.  We were in awe, not just of her 150+ IQ but she looked truly amazing in a Victoria Beckham dress and mega heels.  

The ceremony was packed full of incredible stories, from inspirational women leading global organisations through to ground-breaking software entrepreneurs and outstanding innovators. One of the highlights of the day for me was hearing the acceptance speech from Naomi Chayen, a Professor of Biomedical Sciences, for Innovator of the Year.  When she took to the stage, she told the guests that from the moment she was informed by the everywoman team that she was a finalist through to the photo shoot in the finalist room; she was treated like a winner and would remember the day for the rest of her life. This for me typifies the everywoman experience and makes me incredibly proud of how our team engages with all our finalists, winners and supporters. 

After a wonderful lunch, more photos and yet more champagne, the excitement didn’t end, as myself, Max, supporters and winners joined HRH Princess Anne at the WISE (Women in Science, Technology and Engineering) event hosted by Associated Newspapers. This event was not only a celebration of the women working in IT but also a call to action to encourage more young girls into these professions.  It was wonderful to see the winning team of school girls from the recent apprentice challenge at the Breaking the Mould conference there, they were completely enthralled by the whole thing.  I do love my job.