Today, European PR agency Tyto publishes its third annual Tyto Tech 500 Power List, revealing the most influential individuals in the UK tech sector. The Tyto Tech 500 Power List, the only objective data-driven influence study into the UK tech sector, shows the increasing influence women and the media have on the sector.
Emily Gosden, Energy Editor at The Times took the top spot this year, marking the first time a woman has taken this place. The ranking also puts the influence of GreenTech on the sector in the limelight for the first time. 12 GreenTech influencers made it on to the list this year, reflecting the current climate of consumer interest in environmental issues.
Overall, women are growing their influence year-on-year, representing 34 per cent of the Tyto Tech 500 Power List, up from 31 per cent in 2018, and 24 per cent in 2017. Women’s influence on the tech sector is growing much faster than their actual representation in the sector; only 17 per cent of roles are held by women. Anne Boden MBE, Founder & CEO of Starling Bank, is represented in the top 10 for the third year in a row.
In total, 20 different sectors are represented in the list. For the third consecutive year, FinTech has taken the majority sector stake with over one-fifth of influencers coming from this subsector (22 per cent of the list). FinTech’s incremental influence is indicative of the strength of this sector in the UK and its role as an important FinTech hub.
This year’s Tyto Tech 500 Power List also revealed that, having lost ground in 2018, the media has regained its influence over the sector, with journalists representing 6 out of the top 10 and 14 per cent of the full 500, (a three per cent increase on 2018). The BBC ranks particularly highly; 13 per cent of all journalists on the list are from the BBC and it is the leading organisation in terms of the number of employees making it on to the list.
The top 10 influencers for 2019 are:
- Emily Gosden – The Times, up 194 positions
- Simon Calder – Independent, up 88 positions
- Dr. Michael Mosley – BBC News, up 27 positions
- Chi Onwurah – Government, up 83 positions
- Richard Branson – Virgin, up 77 positions
- Fiona Briggs – Retail Times, up 261 positions
- Gideon Spanier – Campaign, up 298 positions
- Stephen Fry – up 41 positions
- Anne Boden – Starling Bank, down 8 positions
- Rory Cellan-Jones – BBC, up 22 positions
Brendon Craigie, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Tyto, commented:
“It’s been great to chart the rising influence of women on the UK tech sector, despite women barely making up a fifth of the UK tech workforce. These leaders are playing a vital role in helping to shift the perception of the industry as an old boys’ club and encouraging more women to enter the sector. I’ve got no doubt this growing gender equality in influence will ultimately feed through to a more gender-balanced UK tech workforce.”
The Tyto Tech 500 Power List was created using a five-stage data-driven analysis process, assessing an individual’s traditional and social media influence as well as prominence at public events.