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Lesley Ruth Cowley OBE is a British businesswoman, chairwoman and non-executive director. She is best known as the former CEO of .uk domain name registry Nominet UK, and is the current chair of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and Companies House, and Non-Executive Director of telecoms operator aql.
In 1990, Cowley joined New College, Swindon, where she became Director of Corporate Services. [1]
Cowley joined Nominet as Operations Director in 1999 before being made Managing Director in 2002 and CEO in 2004, serving in that position for 10 years. She led the organisation through a period of significant change, during which it grew from 400,000 .uk registrations and 28 staff to 10.5m registrations and 200 staff. In addition, she played a leading role in the establishment of the Nominet Trust charity, the UK's leading social tech funder. [1] Cowley announced her departure from Nominet in May 2014, and left the company in July. [2] [3]
Cowley was appointed as the first Non-Executive Chair of the DVLA in October 2014, and reappointed in October 2016. [4] [5] She was appointed lead Non-Executive Director of The National Archives in January 2016, [6] [7] and Non-Executive Chair of Companies House in June 2017. [6] [8]
Since October 2014, Cowley has served as the Non-Executive Director of telecoms operator aql. [5]
She previously served as ICANN ccNSO Chair and as a member of the UK Government Cyber Crime Reduction Partnership. [5]
Cowley is a founder of DNS Women, a global networking and support group for women working in the domain name system sector. [9]
During her time working at New College, Swindon, the college offered Cowley the opportunity to go to university - having not previously gone [3] - and she became a student at the University of the West of England, Bristol, studying part-time for a Master of Business Administration (MBA). She graduated with distinction in 1997. [10] [1]
She was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Technology by UWE Bristol in 2015 in recognition of her achievement and influence in the field of technology and her contribution to STEM and STEM ambassadors in schools. [1]
Cowley was made an OBE for services to the internet and e-commerce in 2011. [11] [10]
Computer Weekly named Cowley as one of the top five most influential women in IT in both 2012 and 2013. [12] [13] The following year she was awarded the inaugural ICANN Leadership Award. [14]
In 2014, Cowley was named by the Sunday Times as one of the 500 most influential people in the UK. [15]
Cowley is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, Institute of Credit Management, the British Computer Society and the Royal Society of Arts. [1] [16]
Cowley was born and raised in Bristol and left school at 17, initially working in sales and credit management. [1]
Nominet UK is currently delegated by IANA to be the manager of the .uk domain name. Nominet directly manages registrations directly under .uk, and some of the second level domains .co.uk, .org.uk, .sch.uk, .me.uk, .net.uk, .ltd.uk and .plc.uk.
Annika Elisabeth Small is a social entrepreneur focused on using digital technologies to address big social challenges. As Founder of CAST (www.wearecast.org.uk) and former Chief Executive of Nominet Trust (www.nominettrust.org.uk), Small has worked with a range of charities and social enterprises to develop digital solutions to issues such as healthcare, social isolation, homelessness, domestic abuse and persistent poverty. Online peer mentoring for those experiencing bullying, the first online clinical research trial, the iDEA programme for young digital entrepreneurs and new forms of micro-volunteering to help those experiencing loneliness are just some examples of how Small has worked with partners to drive social change with digital technology.
Joanna Shields, Baroness Shields, OBE is a British-American technology industry veteran and life peer who currently serves as Group CEO for BenevolentAI.
Lois Patricia Golding, commonly known as Peaches Golding, on 22 April 2017 became Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of the County and City of Bristol. In 2010, she was appointed High Sheriff of Bristol, UK, the first black woman to be appointed by the Sovereign to this 1,000-year-old post[3] and only the second Black person to hold the office. She was appointed Honorary Captain of the Royal Naval Reserves in June 2020.
Sonita Alleyne, is the Barbados-born British co-founder and former CEO of Somethin’ Else, a cross-platform media production company. Alleyne is a member of the BBC Trust, the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and Master of Jesus College, Cambridge.
Ruby McGregor-Smith, Baroness McGregor-Smith, is a British business executive and politician. McGregor-Smith was the former CEO of Mitie Group PLC, a UK facilities management business, from 2007 to 2016. She was nominated as a Conservative life peer in August 2015.
Trudy Norris-Grey is a Welsh businesswoman, and is a well-recognized leader in the U.K., globally and in the Tech industry.
Jasmine Mary Whitbread is a British businesswoman, and the chair of Travis Perkins since 2021.
Naomi Wendy Climer, is a British engineer who has worked in broadcast, media and communications technology chiefly at the BBC and Sony Professional Solutions, and was the first female President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Stephanie Vera Hilborne is a British scientist. In 2010 she received an OBE for her services to nature conservation.
Rachel Neaman is a specialist in digital transformation, strategy, healthtech, skills and inclusion. She has extensive senior leadership experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in the UK and internationally.
Hazel Moore OBE is a mergers and acquisitions and venture capital specialist. Hazel Moore is the co-founder and chairman of FirstCapital, an investment bank which provides mergers and acquisitions, private equity and growth capital advice to high growth technology companies.
Clare Sutcliffe MBE is a social entrepreneur and the co-founder of Code Club. She was awarded an Order of the British Empire in 2015.
Michelle Elizabeth Mitchell is the Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK. She has worked extensively in the charity sector, having led Age UK, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and the Fawcett Society. She is a non-executive director of NHS England.
Alexandra Depledge is a British technology entrepreneur, known best for being the founder and CEO of Resi, and as the founder and former CEO of Helpling, formerly known as Hassle.com. In 2016 she was awarded an MBE for services to the sharing economy.
Caroline Bayantai Plumb OBE is a British internet entrepreneur and businesswoman. She is the current CEO and co-founder of Fluidly and previously served as a CEO of FreshMinds. She also currently serves as a non executive director of AIM-listed Mercia Technologies. In 2019, she was named as one of the most important women personalities in UK Tech 100 list.
Nneka Abulokwe, OBE is a British Nigerian tech and digital governance entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of MicroMax Consulting, and one of the first Afro-Caribbean professionals in the UK to sit on the board of a top European digital transformation organisation. In 2019, she was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II as an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Business.
Susie Hargreaves OBE is a British executive who works in the charity sector. She is Chief Executive officer of the Internet Watch Foundation.
The Powerlist is a list of the 100 most influential people of African or African Caribbean heritage in the United Kingdom. The list is updated annually and has been published in book format by Powerful Media since 2007. The Powerlist is not limited to British-born citizens and includes immigrants to the UK.
The 13th annual Powerlist was judged by a panel chaired by Dame Linda Dobbs and published in October 2019; sponsored by J.P. Morgan & Co., pwc, linklaters and The Executive Leadership Council.