Dr Sue Black leads strong feature for tech and entrepreneurship in Queen’s New Year Honours list
This year’s Knights, Dames, MBEs and OBEs have been announced and a slew of media, marketing, business and entrepreneurship names have been awarded.
There was also a heavy skew towards technology and coding this year, with Bletchley Park campaigner and computer scientist Dr Sue Black receiving an OBE.
Simon Devonshire, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills entrepreneur in residence and former Wayra Europe director also received an OBE. Clare Frances Sutcliffe, founder and chief executive of Code Club, received an MBE for services to technology education.
Start-ups and innovators were littered throughout the list and made for an interesting read against the honours for more traditional leaders. For example, in the finance category stalwart businesses such as Nationwide got a mention, thanks to chief executive Graham John Beale, who received a CBE for services to the financial services sector. Also receiving a CBE for services to the financial services sector was Samir Desai, the peer to peer and financial inclusion innovator behind Funding Circle. The brand mantra behind Funding Circle is “to revolutionise the outdated banking system and secure a better deal for everyone”.
A CBE was awarded to Carolyn (Lyndy) Payne, who founded the AAR and is a founding WACL member, for services the advertising and marketing communications industry.
Damehoods were awarded to two key female industry leaders Natalie Sara Massenet, founder of Net-A-Porter Group for services to the fashion and retail industries, and Carolyn Julia McCall, chief executive officer 0f EasyJet for services to the aviation industry.
Celebrities on the list this year include Barbera Windsor, Damon Albarn and Idris Elba. The full New Years Honours list can be read on the UK Government website.