
We are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of these exceptional people and the organisations who support them. We had an incredibly high calibre of nominations from across our membership. I know I speak for all of the Judging Panel when I say that we were enormously impressed and inspired by the level of innovation, problem solving and collaboration from within our tech sector; all going above and beyond to truly make tech a force for good for people, society, the economy and our planet.

People Award Winner
Someone who, through technology, has made a demonstrable impact on well-being, upskilling and/or diversity and inclusion – this can be from a small distinct group to a national or international intervention.

Greg Jackson, Founder and CEO, Octopus Energy
Greg launched Octopus Energy to unlock a customer-focused and affordable green energy revolution. The company’s ethos, alongside the technology, prioritises customers, shielding them from significant rises in wholesale costs, and puts in place initiatives such as support funds and debt forgiveness schemes. Technology is at the heart of the operation, using its in-house developed platform Kraken, through which the customer service team can concentrate on valuable human to human interactions with customers as the AI automates the repetitive tasks. Greg has created a company culture of creativity, empowerment and innovation for every member of staff.
Highly Commended was awarded in this category to Janice Rae, CEO, TechTalent, see below for details.

Society Award Winner
Someone who, through technology, has enabled society, from micro to macro, to work better, live better, interact better, enable growth and deliver value.

Joe Hoy, Chief Product Officer, Forensic Analytics
Joe developed a software that is now a crucial tool used by police across the UK and around the world, enabling them to get the in-depth analysis needed to tackle serious crime and combat the impact that those crimes have on society. A six-month period with no gun deaths in London last year was attributed to the Metropolitan Police Service’s Op Orochi team, using this technology to provide the evidence needed to identify and convict drugs gangs.

Economy Award Winner
Someone who, through technology, has enabled improvements, mitigated risk, protected funds, facilitated advancements in financial planning and supported the growth of the economy.

Andrew Roughan, CEO, Plexal
Andrew is a passionate advocator for technology, building local communities and economic growth for the businesses they support and work with, including almost 500 startups in the last six years. He has strategically created Plexal’s collaborative innovation ecosystem to simultaneously improve national security while creating prosperity; and positioned it to sit at the centre joining government clients, industry giants, startups, investors and academic institutions. Andrew champions collaboration and responsibility, with a personal drive to utilise tech as a force for good across the world.
Highly Commended was awarded in this category to Sheridan Ash, Technology and Innovation Leader, PwC, see below for details.

Planet Award Winner
Someone who, through technology, is protecting the ground we walk on, the seas we swim in and the biodiversity around us. From small interventions to large-scale innovations, helping us to protect and nurture the planet we live on.

Martina Colman, Head of Climate Science and Engineering, Climate Essentials
Martina is an advocate for sustainability. She created a platform, Climate Essentials, to provide organisations and cities with the solution to realise their journey to decrease emissions. This platform is the first to provide opportunities for organisations across regions from both the public and private sectors to work in collaboration to fight climate change whilst transitioning towards a green economy. Martina has also worked on projects in five continents including smart-metering solutions, hydrogen fuel cells implementation and delivering clean energy solutions in developing countries.

Highly Commended
The Judging Panel presented two Highly Commended Awards in the People and Society categories, to recognise Janice and Sheridan’s significant achievements.
Judging panel
The winners were selected by an esteemed judging panel drawn from techUK’s Board members:
See the President's Award 2023 shortlist here
Planet Award shortlist
Someone who, through technology, is protecting the ground we walk on, the seas we swim in and the biodiversity around us. From small interventions to large-scale innovations, helping us to protect and nurture the planet we live on.
Award categories

People
Someone who, through technology, has made a demonstrable impact on well-being, upskilling and/or diversity and inclusion – this can be from a small distinct group to a national or international intervention.

Society
Someone who, through technology, has enabled society, from micro to macro, to work better, live better, interact better, enable growth and deliver value.

Economy
Someone who, through technology, has enabled improvements, mitigated risk, protected funds, facilitated advancements in financial planning and supported the growth of the economy.

Planet
Someone who, through technology, is protecting the ground we walk on, the seas we swim in and the biodiversity around us. From small interventions to large-scale innovations, helping us to protect and nurture the planet we live on.
Learn more about the President's Award from Sheila Flavell, techUK President and COO at the FDM Group.
Read Sheila's interview with our media partner The Stack here.
Media partner

Entries for the President's Award 2024 will open to techUK members early next year.
For more information about techUK President's Award, please contact:

Juliet Leach
Juliet is a strategic lead for TechSkills. Working across the organisation, she identifies opportunities for growth, efficiencies and collaboration. Working with learning providers, employers and learners, she will focus on the value and potential for all; positioning the Tech Industry Gold accreditation as the gold standard for tech and digital courses, delivering the right skilled talent into the workforce.