Asians in Tech recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours 2018

Asians in Tech recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours 2018

A number of Asians in the technology sector were recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2018: awards included OBEs for Suranga Chandratillake, formerly the US Chief Technology Officer of Autonomy and now General Partner at venture capital firm Balderton Capital; Vinodka (Vin) Murria who was honoured for services to the UK Digital Economy and advancing women in the software sector and Ron Khalifa, Vice Chairman of Worldpay, who was recognised for services to Financial Services and Technology. There were MBEs for Mubeen Yunus Patel of HM Revenue and Customs in Leicestershire for services to the Public Sector Digital Transformation Programme and for Dr Mehool Sanghrajka for services to the Jain Faith and Education and for Vikas Shah, Member, Industrial Development Advisory Board and Chief Executive Officer, Swiscot Group, for services to Business and the Economy.

Others in the technology sector honoured include, the award of a CBE for President of TechUK Jacqueline de Rojas, a CBE for Dana Tobak, Chief Executive Officer of Hyperoptic and a CBE for DeepMind founder Demis Hassabis. Married couple Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company, and Nicholas Wheeler, founder of Charles Tyrwhitt Shirts, receive OBEs for their respective services to retail.

In total 1,123 people have received an award:

  • 981 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level: 318 at BEM, 452 at MBE and 211 at OBE
  • 70% of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity
  • 551 women are recognised in the List, representing 49% of the total
  • 9.2% of the successful candidates come from a BAME background
  • 5% of the successful candidates consider themselves to have a disability (under the Equality Act 2010)

Click here to read more about Asians recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2018.