Winners unveiled at third Scotland Women in Technology (SWiT) Awards

Scotland’s technology champions were last night showcased at the third annual Scotland Women in Technology (SWiT) Awards with hundreds of guests in attendance from the education, government and private sectors.

The Scotland Women in Technology Awards are now in their third year. Picture: Contributed

The event, which was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow, saw SWiT chairperson Lynsey Campbell issue a rousing call to action for everyone in the technology sector in Scotland, regardless of gender, to do more to encourage equality.

“We must take radical action, double our efforts in this space, and change the narrative around what technology means to any career for the future success of our industry,” she said.

List of winners

The award winners, selected by an independent judging panel, were: Outstanding Achievement – Gillian Docherty – sponsored by SWiT; Technology Champion in Education – Kate Farrell – sponsored by SWiT; Primary School Teacher of the Year – Frances Quinn – sponsored by This is Milk; Secondary School Teacher of the Year – Toni Scullion – sponsored by PWC.

Among the other winners were: Gender Aware Recruiter of the Year – McGregory Boyall – sponsored by SWiT; Employer of the Year – Sky – Sponsored by JPMorgan; Diversity Initiative – Women in Technology at Morgan Stanley – sponsored by Modulr; Gender Diversity Champion – Toni Scullion – sponsored by Sky.

Inspirational Woman – Vicky Brock – sponsored by Morgan Stanley; Leader – Rebecca Moore – sponsored by Accenture; Rising Star – Anna McMullen – sponsored by Edrington, made up the remainder of the cohort.

In an opening address at the event, which was attended by more than 400 guests, Scotland’s minister for business, Jamie Hepburn, said: “This is an important event that celebrates the achievements of women in our tech sector and is a great way of showing that this is a rewarding career option.

“The Scottish Government is determined to ensure we are at the forefront of technological change and that is why our Digital Skills Investment Plan has a major focus on tackling the gender gap.”

Headline sponsor JPMorgan addressed the room before Hayley Matthews, STV presenter, hosted the evening.

Stephen Flaherty, managing director, JPMorgan, said: “Our employees are the beating heart of the firm’s 20 years of success in Glasgow. Over the past few years we have made significant progress towards improving our diversity but we still have a way to go.

“This isn’t a short-term fix. It requires sustained investment, and our leadership team at JPMC could not be prouder to continue its engagement with SWiT. It’s a fantastic programme that is having a profound impact across the technology sector.”