Female journalist named most influential individual in Tech 500 Power List 

Emily Gosden, Energy Editor at The Times, has become the first woman to head the Tech 500 Power List, an annual rating compiled by European PR firm Tyto.

Godsen took the top spot this year, marking the first time a woman has taken this place on the list, which in its third year. 

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. 

GreenTech in the spotlight

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. 

Women’s influence growing

Overall, women are growing their influence year-on-year, representing 34 percent of the Tyto Tech 500 Power List, up from 31 percent in 2018, and 24 percent in 2017. 

Women’s influence on the tech sector is growing much faster that their actual representation in the sector; only 17% 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. 

FinTech is majority sector

For the third consecutive year, FinTech has taken the majority sector stake with over one fifth of influencers coming from this subsector (22 percent 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 six out of the top ten and 14% of the full 500, (a 3% increase on 2018). 

BBC ranks

The BBC ranks particularly highly; 13% 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: 

           2019                                              2018                        rank 

• 1. Emily Gosden - The Times        194                           UP 
• 2. Simon Calder – Independent      88                           UP 
• 3. Dr. Michael Mosley - BBC News 19                           UP 
• 4. Chi Onwurah – Government       83                           UP 
• 5. Richard Branson – Virgin            77                           UP 
• 6. Fiona Briggs - Retail Times       260                           UP 
• 7. Gideon Spanier – Campaign    297                            UP 
• 8. Stephen Fry – None                   41                            UP 
• 9. Anne Boden - Starling Bank        8                             DOWN 
• 10. Rory Cellan-Jones – BBC       22                             UP  

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.