Judging panel 2027

Jonathan Easton, Group Editor, National Technology News   
Rory Bathgate, Associate Editor, National Technology News
Amanda Brock, CEO, OpenUK
Dr Natalia Konstantinova, Lead Enterprise Architect for AI, Natwest Group
Temi Afeye, Data Science Leader
Kir Nuthi, Heahd of AI and Data, TechUK

Temi Afeye, Data Science Leader
Temi Afeye is a seasoned Data Science Leader with over a decade of experience driving AI and analytics innovation across financial services, consulting, and the public sector. He currently leads AI and machine learning initiatives at Lloyds Banking Group, where he focuses on generative AI, pricing models, and causal inference frameworks that deliver measurable business impact. Temi’s career spans Deloitte, where he advised global clients on data strategy; M-KOPA, where he built credit-risk models to expand financial access in emerging markets; and the European Environment Agency, where he applied data science to support environmental sustainability across Europe.His expertise includes deploying production-grade ML on Cloud, building explainable models, and fine-tuning large language models (LLMs) for real-world applications. He’s especially passionate about applying AI responsibly, mentoring technical teams, and bridging the gap between data science and strategic decision-making.

Rory Bathgate, Associate Editor, National Technology News
Rory is the associate editor of FStech, Retail Systems, and National Technology News at Perspective Publishing. In his role, he covers the latest trends across tech, finance and retail and leads commercial projects. An experienced technology journalist, Rory has charted the rise of generative AI in technical detail and covered telecommunications, cybersecurity, and cloud services sectors. He studied English and American Literature at the University of Kent in Canterbury, and holds an MA in Eighteen-Century Studies from King's College London. In his free time, Rory enjoys photography and video editing, and can often be found at the cinema or reading a good science fiction paperback.

Amanda Brock, CEO, OpenUK
Amanda Brock is CEO of OpenUK and Honorary Professor Industrial at the University of Bristol Smart Internet Lab. Under her leadership, OpenUK has become one of the most recognised and impactful organisations in open source, advocating for UK leadership in open technology. Amanda is also the CEO of OpenUK's international sister company, OpenHQ.
A lawyer with 25 years of experience in technology, including five as General Counsel at Canonical, Amanda helped define early internet law and is now a leading voice shaping the debate and policy agenda around open source and AI.
Amanda is a sought-after international keynote speaker and a regular contributor to the technology press. She edited Open Source: Law, Policy and Practice, a leading text in the field. She is also Executive Producer of OpenUK’s State of Open Con, which she has built into a major international open source conference, attracting 800 attendees and 200 speakers, and holds a wide range of commercial, not-for-profit and public-sector board and advisory roles.

Dr Natalia Konstantinova, Lead Enterprise Architect for AI, Natwest Group
Dr Natalia Konstantinova is a Lead Enterprise Architect for AI at NatWest Group, where she shapes the strategic adoption of AI across the organisation. Her work focuses on enterprise AI governance, architectural decision-making, and ensuring that AI capabilities scale in a safe, responsible, and commercially sustainable manner within a highly regulated environment.
With extensive experience spanning AI strategy and applied innovation, Natalia advises on how organisations translate emerging technologies into durable business capabilities. She brings a strong background in AI and data science, grounded in years of hands-on delivery across multiple industries.
Natalia holds a PhD from the University of Wolverhampton and is a firm advocate for responsible, well-governed AI as a critical enabler of long-term organisational value and trust.

Kir Nuthi, Heahd of AI and Data, TechUK
Kir Nuthi is the Head of AI and Data at techUK. She holds over seven years of Government Affairs and Tech Policy experience in the US and UK. Kir previously headed up the regulatory portfolio at a UK advocacy group for tech startups and held various public affairs in US tech policy. All involved policy research and campaigns on competition, artificial intelligence, access to data, and pro-innovation regulation