Connected Data, Public Value: Vishal Marria, Quantexa

Vishal Marria founded Quantexa on the insight that the most consequential risks, whether in financial crime, fraud or public service failure, are rarely visible in siloed data. They become apparent only when information is connected. As CEO, he has built a company that gives governments and regulated institutions the ability to build a trusted, unified view of individuals, organisations and behaviours, enabling earlier intervention, fairer outcomes and better protection for citizens.

The impact of that work in the public sector has been substantial. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Quantexa collaborated with the UK Cabinet Office to detect large-scale fraud across emergency support schemes, uncovering both organised and opportunistic abuse of public funds and helping ensure that support reached those it was intended for. More recently, Quantexa's work has supported the identification and compensation of victims connected to the infected blood scandal, creating a single trusted view of affected individuals to ensure that redress processes are accurate, equitable and timely. Through ongoing partnerships with HMRC, the NHS and other government departments, the company has helped build a sovereign data foundation that improves fraud detection while reducing unnecessary intrusion into the lives of compliant citizens.

Throughout all of this, Vishal has been a consistent advocate for ethical, explainable and transparent AI. In environments where public trust is hard-won and easily lost, he has insisted that Quantexa's systems are auditable and governed within national control, and has articulated clearly that trust is built through reliable, fair and accountable processes. His emphasis on precision and proportionality reflects a genuine commitment to strengthening the social contract between citizens and the institutions that serve them.

His leadership model is equally distinctive. Quantexa brings together former public servants and technologists to co-create solutions with government, a collaborative approach that enhances adoption and long-term effectiveness. By embedding decision intelligence into public systems, Marria's work is building institutional capability that will remain relevant long after individual programmes conclude.

Vishal Marria has used advanced technology to protect public money, deliver justice for affected citizens and strengthen the resilience of government in the economic and cyber domains. His nomination for the Society Award reflects a body of work that consistently places public value ahead of short-term commercial gain, and that demonstrates what responsible, mission-driven technology leadership can achieve.

.

To read more about the techUK President's Awards, visit our page here. Winners will be announced at the techUK Annual Dinner on 30 June.

Read more about our President's Award finalists: 

People Award

• Bringing Technology and Purpose Together: Fiona Dawson, Mayden
• Building a Future Where Disability Is No Barrier to Movement: Dr Malik Haddad, Northeastern University London
• Protecting People Online, at Scale: Robin Tombs, Yoti

Society Award

• Protecting Communities Through Intelligence: Clare Elford, Clue Software
• Putting Human Safety at the Centre of Technology: Dr Laura Bishop, British Standards Institution
• Connected Data, Public Value: Vishal Marria, Quantexa

Economy Award

• From Strategy to Production: Steve Chan, Stealth Labs
• Making Technology Work for Small Business: Laura Burley, Xero
• The Genetics Revolution, Made Real: Professor Sir Peter Donnelly, Genomics

Planet Award

• Sustainability by Design: Ray Knight, Atos
• Turning Buildings into Efficiency Engines: Javier Benitez, Colt Technology Services
• Technology in Service of Nature: Isobel Ashbey, Cambridge Consultants