Ben Smoker is CEO at Sota, one of the UK’s leading independent MSPs and a ranked member of the Global MSP 501. With more than a decade of leadership driving consistent revenue growth, margin expansion, and operational transformation at Sota, Ben is at the forefront of guiding mid-market businesses through the next era of IT: multi-cloud, cybersecurity resilience, and agentic AI-driven digital transformation. Under Ben’s stewardship Sota has invested significantly in its privately owned datacentres, refined its cloud architectures, and elevated its services portfolio to include advanced security with strategic technical account management. He is passionate about aligning technology strategy with sustainable business outcomes, and positioning clients to scale, evolve and compete in a rapidly changing landscape.

Huseyin is a research-oriented and enterprise-focused academic and manager with both academic and industry experiences in data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and emerging & disruptive technologies/systems. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, developed and deployed several data-driven AI tools, and has been involved with a portfolio of collaborative research, enterprise and teaching/learning projects of over £25M as PI, Co-I and international researcher in collaboration with universities and companies in the UK and abroad. He was one of the founding members of the Institute of Coding and lead its activities at Northumbria University until September 2019. He is currently working as Professor of Computing Sciences and Associate Dean (Research, Innovation & Enterprise) for the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment in Birmingham City University.

Ian Golding is a global Chief Information Officer with over 20 years of experience leading digital transformation across private, public, and non-profit sectors. Currently, he is the Interim CIO at APEM Group, a leading ecological sustainability firm. Ian has held interim CIO roles at Landsec, Unite, and SThree, and served as CIO and Equity Partner at Anthesis Group and ERM Group, the world’s largest dedicated sustainability consultancy. At the Natural History Museum, he developed a technology strategy supporting both scientific research and planetary conservation.

Jennifer Cox is a senior cybersecurity leader with over 19 years of experience in communication strategies, technical enablement, and global program delivery. As Solutions Consulting Director at Tines and the Director for Ireland at Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), she specialises in bridging complex technical solutions with meaningful business outcomes to drive growth and operational excellence. An award-winning mentor and coach, Jennifer is widely recognised for her technical leadership and her dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion across the technology sector. With a strong track record in building high-performing teams and supporting emerging talent, she is committed to shaping a more secure, innovative, and inclusive digital future.

John Leonard is Group Research Director for the Enterprise Technology Group at Computing. He has designed and conducted research studies and analyses covering many of the aspects of business technology that are driving the way we live and work today.

Manuj Sarpal is Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for GraniteShares, which is in Asset management with more than $1.7 billion in AUM. He has worked on numerous technology implementations for Asset management and Financial services from inception, development, listings, distribution and operations of Exchange Traded Products globally. Manuj has acquired an MBA from the Cass Business School, London and also completed Certificate in Quantitative finance (CQF) . He has more than 21 years of professional experience, which spans from consulting, software development and technology leadership. In past, he has worked for ETF Securities and Barclays to implement complex and large scale successful IT Transformation projects. He has keen interest in the role of technology especially in Cloud, Machine Learning and AI in Financial services.

Mini Biswas is an award winning technology leader who turns responsible AI into real world impact. With 15+ years across MSPs and solution providers, she leads Microsoft Copilot adoption and security transformation at Cisilion—building repeatable IP, executive ready roadmaps and agentic AI use cases that help organisations move fast and safely. Named to Computing’s Tech Women Celebration 50 (2025), Mini is also a TechWomen100 honouree and Global DEI Champion (Copilot Innovation Awards). A STEM ambassador, speaker and podcaster, she blends deep technical acumen with human centred design to make advanced security and AI accessible to everyone. Recognised across the UK channel, she brings clarity, energy and empathy to every room—championing innovation that is secure, inclusive and ready to scale.

Naomi Begum-Inglis is the Global Sales Lead for the Accenture Microsoft Business Group and the Global Sovereign Lead. With a strong background in software engineering and technology, Naomi has excelled in delivering innovative solutions to clients. Her expertise lies in leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing to drive digital transformation and enhance business outcomes. Naomi is celebrated for her ability to move at a rapid pace, earning trust and respect as she leads the charge in a multi-billion dollar business, where her exceptional skills facilitate seamless client transformations to the cloud, offering valuable expertise and guidance that empowers clients to make impactful and informed business decisions. Naomi's dedication and commitment to her work have earned her recognition as a reliable and results-oriented leader. She is known for her ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams, enabling successful implementation of complex projects. Her exceptional problem-solving skills and strategic thinking have contributed to the success of numerous high-profile initiatives. Beyond her technical prowess, Naomi is also passionate about diversity and inclusion, actively promoting an inclusive work environment where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive. Naomi is also a guest lecturer at Oxford University on technology topics. Her strong interpersonal skills and empathetic approach make her a valued mentor and team player. Naomi is an exemplary global leader who possesses a profound understanding of various cultures, local nuances, and is exceptionally adept at ensuring her strategies incorporate a local approach while maintaining a global essence.

Navya Sravani is a Software Engineer at Microsoft, working at the intersection of cloud infrastructure, data, and AI. She builds scalable data platforms and intelligent systems that power Windows Cloud Experiences, with a focus on reliability, observability, and AI-driven insights. Navya has experience spanning data engineering, distributed systems, and applied AI, and is passionate about evaluating technology that demonstrates real-world impact, technical excellence, and innovation. She is also an active mentor and speaker, supporting the next generation of engineers in cloud and AI.

Having worked internationally and in the UK across sectors, in her exec role as Chief Information and Financial Officer for the North Sea Transition Authority, Nic currently leads an award-winning diverse team delivering services in data, information and digital solutions to enable and support strategic decisions to accelerate the energy transition. She is also Chair of the Data Lab, trustee for CAST the Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology, board member and Chair of Risk, Audit & Finance Committee of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT and a board member for the Bat Conservation Trust. She was previously Chair of the ICAEW Tech Board, a trustee for Falklands Conservation and a senior civil servant for the Falkland Islands Government. She was awarded an OBE in the 2025 Kings Birthday Honours list for services to digital transformation.

Pallavi Deshpande is a technology leader with over two decades of experience in the digital industry. She has worked across multiple Tech roles in various companies in the USA, Singapore, India, and the UK. Currently, she serves as the Director of Portfolio Delivery at Pearson in London, UK. She was awarded "Digital Leader of the Year-Enterprise" at the Women in Tech Excellence Awards in 2022 and is recognized for her successful delivery and exceeding client expectations. Pallavi is known for building high-performing teams, advocating for Agile practices, and fostering transparency and collaboration at work. She is a certified AWS Cloud Architect Associate, AWS Cloud Practitioner, and Microsoft Certified Professional. Apart from her professional role, Pallavi actively contributes to the Women in Technology community at Pearson, leading initiatives to help non-technical women learn tech skills. She has taken up role (as part of volunteering) as Director / Trustee in "Aspire Learning Trust" - Multi Academy Trust in the UK. Pallavi is passionate about mentoring and an active mentor at Reed Women in Technology Community in the UK.

Pankaj is the Chief Engineer for Admiral Group. He has over 25 years of technology experience in financial services, having worked in India, New Zealand, Denmark and the UK. He brings with him significant experience in building an engineering culture and capability in large organisations.

Penny is Associate Editor at Computing and focuses mainly on diversity in tech and sustainability content. She has more than a decade of content creation experience and specialises in long form feature content.

Sandeep Reddy Chintapally is a Senior Cybersecurity Analyst at Waste Management Inc. (WM) in Houston, Texas, specializing in cloud security, DevSecOps automation, and security engineering across AWS, Kubernetes, Cloudflare, CrowdStrike, and Okta. He focuses on building scalable security workflows involving container image scanning, cross-account ECR access, AWS Lambda–based automation, Cloudflare firewall analytics, EKS logging pipelines, IAM/OIDC integrations, and Kubernetes policy enforcement using Gatekeeper. Sandeep’s technical work on automated container security pipelines was selected by CrowdStrike for presentation at Fal.Con 2025 in Las Vegas, where he will speak on improving cloud and container security through automation. In addition to his industry work, Sandeep actively supports cybersecurity education. He serves in advisory and curriculum-support roles for academic programs focused on cybersecurity, cloud, and emerging technologies, helping institutions align industry requirements with modern training programs. He also participates as a judge and mentor for technology and innovation competitions, reviewing projects in cloud security, AI, DevSecOps, and software engineering. Sandeep is currently pursuing graduate studies at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) in project management and business operations. His academic background also includes Master’s-level coursework in Computer Information Systems and Information Security. He continues to focus on cloud security, automation, and workforce development, contributing through technical projects, advisory roles, and industry presentations.

Sateesh Deshpande is a highly accomplished technology leader with over 20 years of IT experience, including 15 years in project delivery and 8 years in Tech Consulting, Architecture, Cloud, and DevOps. A certified AWS, Azure, and GCP Cloud Architect, Sateesh has a proven track record of leading product, agile, and cloud transformations, with expertise in designing and delivering complex solutions for diverse industries. With a strong background in leading global teams and managing large-scale projects, Sateesh brings a wealth of knowledge in cloud adoption, application modernization, and DevOps practices to the judging panel

Terry Willis is a Technology and Cyber Leader who transforms IT departments like a magician with a hard hat—turning chaos into coordinated, streamlined tech ecosystems. Known for his “pragmatic approach,” Terry doesn’t just manage risk; he wrestles it into submission while keeping the board and budget smiling. From the Church of England to leading interim roles across financial services, media, and, most recently, Government, Terry is the kind of person you call when your IT Operations need a shakeup or a rescue mission.

Tom is the Editor for Computing, where he has been covering the UK IT market since 2017. He is an industry veteran, writing his first tech story back in the mists of 2011, and specialises in covering topics around sustainable IT, diversity and Web3 developments like blockchain and the metaverse. Tom regularly chats to leading IT professionals around the world, from companies both large and small - including Microsoft, Kellog's, Trainline, the Met Office and Mars. He is always on the lookout for the newest market trends that affect IT leaders in the UK and worldwide. Tom has previously written for a variety of B2B titles, including those serving the jewellery, pet and funeral industries - and yes, he's heard all the jokes. Often spotted with a notebook, grumbling about the Oxford comma.