Makers Releases Shortlist for 2020 Women in Software Powerlist

@makersacademy Releases Shortlist of 50 nominees for the second annual #WomeninSoftwarePowerList for 2020 

“At a time when we face an unprecedented economic crisis due to Covid-19, more than ever, the innovation and drive of a diverse range of people will determine our collective economic resilience.” – Evgeny Shadchnev, CEO, Makers Bootcamp 

The shortlist for the second annual Women in Software Powerlist was announced today by Makers, the UK’s leading software bootcamp.

Working in partnership with tech community hub Level 39, the aim of the initiative is to shine a light on some of the remarkable women in the software development space. This year’s Powerlist has attracted a vast number of entries across the country, with hundreds of applicants showcasing their significant contributions to the digital economy.

Out of these nominations, 50 women – considered rising stars who have been in the software sector for less than 10 years – have been shortlisted to represent the best of Britain’s coding community.

Evgeny Shadchnev, CEO of Makers Academy, said: “This is the second year of our Power List and I’m thrilled to see an even greater number of applicants of exceptional calibre and talent join the initiative. At a time when we face an unprecedented economic crisis due to Covid-19, more than ever the skill sets that we possess will determine our resilience in the job market.”

The top 30 from this list will be decided by a panel of independent judges, and aims to showcase some of the women in technical roles across various industries, including media, financial technology (fintech) and academia.

The announcement comes at a time when the world is still experiencing a severe skills gap. The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2022 emerging technologies will generate 133 million new jobs in place of the 75 million that will be lost to innovation. But many of those new positions won’t be filled if people do not acquire the skills they need, such as coding.

Women are also under presented in the digital sector, especially in the UK. A recent survey revealed that women hold just 37% of UK’s digital roles as well.  

“Our system needs adapting if we are ever to reach a level playing field,” said Amy Woolf, founder of The Woolf Partnership at the launch party for Women in Software.  The firm will award a cash prize of £3000 to the winner of this year’s new software developer of the year category..

Evgeny Shadchnev hopes that initiatives such as the Women in Software Powerlist will help to inspire more women to play an active role in shaping the UK’s digital age. He said: “Tech innovation is vital to the progress of our rapidly advancing digital world – which I suspect will continue to evolve to meet the unprecedented challenges that continue to rattle our global economy. Well done to the women that made the shortlist, and to all the applicants who deserve equal praise. I hope to see even more entries next year.”

The women on this year’s shortlist, in no particular order, can be viewed here:

1.    Yasmin Desai — Senior Product Manager, HubbleHQ 

2.    Hiba Ahmad — EY Mergers and Acquisition

3.    Irene Canuti — Engineering lead, Simply Business

4.    Genevieve Leveille — CEO and Founder, AgriLedger

5.    Aashima Praveen — Senior Product Marketing Manager, Revolut

6.    Ailidh Forlan — Director of Marketing, Machine Labs

7.    Mathilde Ferrand — iOS Engineer, Ford Mobility Europe

8.    Lina Chan — CEO, Co-Founder, Adia Health

9.    Phillipa Rodney — Software Engineer, Freddie’s Flowers

10.Paula Muldoon — Backend Engineer, BRYTER

11.Andreea Ionescu — Software Developer and Co-Chair of Women’s Developers Group, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

12.Danielle Booysen — Junior Frontend Developer, Vodafone UK

13.Jessica Falk — Software Engineer, Improbable

14.Keltoum Boukra — Automation Team Lead, LabGenius

15.Mabintou Kolley — Creative Director and Digital Designer, Clamp Agency

16.Evelyn Utterson — Software Engineering Educator, Lloyds Banking Group

17.Cassie Evans — Front End Developer, Clearleft

18.Emma Steeley — CEO, AccountScore

19.Aks Ballal — Software Engineer, Triptease

20.Suze Shardlow — Director, Women Who Code

21.Nicole Fu — Consultant, Nav.Marketing

22.Akua Apeagyei — Engineer Apprentice, Lyst Ltd

23.Tanya Eccleston — Software engineer, Depop

24.Samira Cheurfi — Senior Android Developer, Trainline

25.Iona Pullar — Global Mobile Payments Product Owner, Shell International

26.Genna Walsh — Software Developer, Sustainably

27.Melinda Matthews-Clarkson — CEO, CodeClan

28.Katya-yani Vyas — VP Product and Innovation, Azur

29.Aurelija Stankunaite — Senior Agile Lead, Smart Pension

30.Felisia Martini — Software Engineer, VMware

31.Kayla Shapiro — Production Engineer, Facebook

32.Seema Khinda Johnson — Co-founder & COO, Nuggets

33.Felicia Meyerowitz Singh — CEO, AkoniHub

34.Visnja Drinjovski — Senior Engineer, MVF

35.Kateryna Sprynsian — Senior iOS QA Engineer, MagicLab (formerly Badoo)

36.Kim Diep — Associate Software Engineer, M&G Plc / Makers Pathway

37.Phillipa Rodney — Software Delivery Manager, Freddie’s Flowers

38.Mansata Kurang — Founder, VR Revival

39.Abi Hill — Frontend software engineer, Beyond

40.Alina Timofeeva — Data Analytics Manager, KPMG

41.Emily Chan — Senior Innovation Manager, PwC

42.Sjoukje Ijlstra — Software Engineer, JP Morgan

43.Oishi Deb — Software Engineer, Rolls-Royce

44.Clare Streets — Associate Director, B13 Technology

45.Jee Yen Hee — Senior Data Scientist, Revolut Ltd

46.Melanie Rogan — Junior Engineer, Financial Times

47.Merve Taner — Senior Software Engineer, Zencargo

48.Allie Gillon-Livesey — Vice President — Digital Innovation, J.P. Morgan

49.Eli Schutze Ramirez — Web Engineer, Monzo

50.Pip Jamieson — Founder & CEO, The Dots