BCS SIGiST Summer Conference 2024

Nicola Martin

With over two decades of experience in the tech industry, Nicola is deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in software engineering. She is also widely in demand as a quality and software engineering thought leader.

Nicola is a Fellow of the BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT and the Women’s Engineering Society. She is also a Council and, Chair of the BCS Special Interest Group in Software Testing and a Committee Member for the BCS. Additionally, she is recognised as a mentor, speaker, and panellist, addressing topics such as AI and quality, software testing, and diversity in tech.

Nicola's contributions have earned her a number of prestigious accolades, with inclusion in the UKTech50 long list and the Computer Weekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech List (Top 50). She is also celebrated as a Changemaker by Diversein.com and was honoured as the Women in Tech Excellence Awards Role Model of the Year in Tech (Highly Commended).

Notably, Nicola is the inaugural recipient of the Bupa everywoman in Technology AI Champion Award.

Beth Clarke

Beth Clarke (she/her) is a PhD student, award-winning software engineer, mentor, writer, speaker, and STEM Ambassador.

She has over four years of experience as a safety critical software engineer, DevOps specialist and test lead, and has spoken about her work at a number of national and international events including Women of Silicon Roundabout and the Farnborough International Airshow. She has also been a committee member of BCS's SIGiST (Special Interest Group in Software Testing) since 2022.

's hard work, passion and expertise has been recognised by a number of institutions. In 2020 she was a finalist in the IET's Young Woman Engineer of the Year awards, recognising her as one of the UK's top six women engineers. In 2021, she was awarded Computer Weekly's Rising Star in Tech, and has featured on their Longlist of Most Influential Women in Tech in 2021 and 2022.

In 2023, she won the EveryWoman in Technology Rising Star Award and was featured in Computing's 50 tech role models as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations.

Sam De Silva

Dr Sam De Silva is an award-winning Partner and Global Co-Head of the Commercial Practice Group at the international law firm, CMS. Sam specialises in complex and strategic technology projects and regularly advises on AI and risk management. Sam was on the Board of Trustees at the BCS for 6 years and is the Chair of the BCS Law Specialist Group. Sam is named in the Who’s Who of Information Technology 2024, Who’s Who of Data Privacy and Protection 2024, and the Who’s Who of Data Security 2024 as both a Global Leader and Thought Leader in those areas of law.

Dot Graham

Dorothy Graham has been in software testing for over 50 years, and is co-author of 5 books on testing and automation. As founder of Grove Consultants, she provided consultancy and training, and she has spoken at over 400 software testing events over the years. She established the wiki https://TestAutomationPatterns.org with Seretta Gamba.

Mike Harris

Mike has been working in testing for 20 years and is the tester for Geckoboard. He has been a member of a test team, a Solo Tester and a Test Lead. He has also worked as a part of waterfall, lean and agile teams.

He has set up and led a Testing Community of Practice and been part of a successful agile transition. He is also Vice-Chair and Programme Secretary of the British Computer Society’s Specialist Interest Group in Software Testing. He also contributed to the e-books Testing Stories and How Can I Test This?

Andy Shaw

Andy Shaw focused on a career as a software tester just over 10 years ago, following a redundancy at a huge software giant which turned out to be one of the best things that has happened to him.

Andy has also been delivering talks both online and in person on a variety of subjects, including software testing, career development and mental health in tech. He also actively participates and is involved with the BCS, as the editor of the online testing magazine "The Tester" (the official magazine of the BCS Specialist Interest in Software Testing specialist group), as well as the Diversity and Inclusion Officer of the South Yorkshire BCS branch.

Outside of his career, tech and the BCS, Andy enjoyed practising martial arts, and is an assistant instructor in Karate, and is also passionate about mental health awareness.

Maddy McMurray

Maddy McMurray is a QA Non-Functional Test Analyst, working for Sparta Global, currently on placement with a government organisation. Experienced in Operations and Finance, they began retraining in tech in 2019. In 2022, they joined Sparta Global and began their journey into the testing world. They are a Neurodiversity and ADHD advocate who regularly speaks at professional events. They use their lived experience to educate organisations about accessibility, inclusion and supporting neurodiverse people at work. Previously, they volunteered as the Education Liaison Officer for the Pride Special Interest Group. They organised a series of career talks for young LGBTQ+ students and professionals, and have also presented posters at the BCS Lovelace Colloquium. Outside of work, they are an avid writer and history buff and are currently working to capture the oral histories of LGBTQ+ people in Southend and Essex as part of their local history group.

Gomathi Ramalingam

Gomathi Ramalingam is Head of Quality Assurance at Simba Chain, a leading Web 3 and Blockchain service provider. In her current role, Gomathi is responsible for assuring end-to-end quality including quality of code, APIs, Performance, and Security. She has successfully
managed to deliver this through the introduction of Automation Testing at scale.

Prior to her current role, she headed a team of multiple vendors and development teams to build a first-of-its kind ecommerce portal partnering with one of the world’s largest precious stones company which was later successfully launched for multiple Clients both in the UK as well as outside.

Across a two-decade career, Gomathi has held Senior Testing and delivery roles across Web3, Insurance, Wealth Management, E-Commerce, and PropertyTech domains. Gomathi has managed to do this whilst working with Customers and Suppliers across multiple countries including offshore counterparts, vendors and consultancies.

Paul Mowat

Paul Mowat is a Consulting Director with a proven track in IT leadership, programme management, business transformations, and Quality Assurance. Advising multinational companies, driving ROI through efficiency, innovation, and continuous improvement. Built in-house capabilities, led global teams, and coached for career development. Experienced in client-managed services, 24/7 operational leadership, sales, financial management, and executive-level communications.

Paul is passionate about mentoring and having an impact in the IT industry through serving as the BCS SIGiST Marketing and Communications Secretary and a chartered IT Professional Assessor and as a TMMi Test Professional, Test Process Improver and past Lead Assessor Paul contributes thought leadership through white papers, ISO/IEC 29119 articles and writing sample paper and examination questions through a TMMi Technical Working Group.

Paul is an Ally for the recently launched Women in Test community, is supporting the Test Society and provides mentoring to disadvantaged young adults through StartingPoint, a Mustard Tree initiative in collaboration with local communities, charities and statutory organisations.

He also champions Sustainability through Giki Zeo, Agile Sustainability Manifesto and ISO 2600. He recently achieved 75% in the Business Sustainability Management course from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Mihai Grigorescu

Mihai Grigorescu has been in the technology space and testing market for over 17 years, having worked with Fortune 500 companies across the world, via Oracle, Accenture and other regional software testing service providers, across all industries and geographies, as well as having managed software vendor alliances like Micro Focus. Mihai is currently a Director of Global Alliances at Katalon, responsible for the overall strategic Global System Integrators (GSI) partner business, and he is also the International Projects Liaison for SIGIST UK.

Maryann Lockley

Maryann is a ISEB Practitioner level certified QA and Test professional with over 20 years’ experience. She is currently the Snr Director of Test Engineering for Visa, prior to joining Visa she spent 6+ years supporting Camelot Group – The National Lottery as the Head of QA. She is hugely passionate about all things QA, diversity, inclusion, innovation, and collaboration in the tech world.

Hannah Reynolds

Hannah is the Co-Founder of ‘Women in Test’ – a diversity driven community initiative that gives women a platform to elevate their voices and connect, inspire, and support one another in the careers they’ve carved in the world of testing. She has spent the last 3 years building a strong network of Quality and Testing professionals through her day job as a Tech Recruiter with her next mission, to build the UK’s largest community of Women in Testing.

Andrea Jensen

Hi, I'm Andrea. I began my career in tech in 2011 by chance and have been working as a tester ever since. In 2023, I embarked on a new adventure by taking on a leadership role and embracing the challenges that come with it.

Jonathon Wright

Jonathon Wright is a strategic thought leader and distinguished technology evangelist. He specializes in emerging technologies, innovation, and automation, and has more than 25 years of international commercial experience within global organisations. Jonathon combines his extensive practical experience and leadership with insights into real-world adoption of Cognitive Engineering (Generative AI). In his spare time he is a member of Harvard Business Council, A.I. Alliance for the European Commission, chair of the review committee for the ISO-IEC 29119 part 8 “Model-Based Testing” and part 11 for the “Testing of A.I. based systems” for the British Computer Society (BCS SIGiST). Jonathon also hosts the QA lead (based in Canada) and the author of several award-winning books (2010 – 2022) the latest with Rex Black on ‘AI for Testing’.

Joy Aguguo

Drawing from a diverse background encompassing software development, public speaking, test consultancy, and health advocacy, I am dedicated to achieving excellence across all facets of my career. As an experienced software test engineer, I am deeply passionate about ensuring that businesses deliver exceptional applications that exceed customer expectations. Beyond my technical expertise, I thrive as a dynamic speaker, captivating audiences with insightful discussions on software testing and development.

Furthermore, I am a fervent writer and author, utilizing my storytelling prowess to craft impactful narratives. Driven by my commitment to health advocacy, I established Joy in Health, a ground-breaking initiative focused on promoting well-being within communities. Serving as the CEO of Joy in Health, I am wholeheartedly devoted to advancing health awareness and education, particularly among underserved populations.

Throughout my multifaceted career journey, I have embraced various roles as a mentor, leader, and advocate, striving to effect positive change in both professional and personal realms. With an unwavering dedication to innovation and a steadfast pursuit of excellence, I am resolutely committed to shaping a brighter, healthier future for individuals and communities alike.

Navya Anna James

Passionate about enhancing software quality and efficiency, I specialise in crafting customised automation solutions across a spectrum of technological environments. Throughout my career journey, I've transitioned through diverse roles, currently serving as a Senior SDET. In this capacity, I focus on designing robust test automation frameworks and seamlessly integrating them into deployment pipelines. My expertise is finely tuned to meet the unique requirements of projects and organisations, particularly within domains such as FinTech, Banking, and Retail.

Peter Johnson

Peter Johnson is a Senior Software Engineer in Test based in Cambridge, UK. With a background in software testing and computer science, Peter has amassed over 12 years of experience in the tech industry, having worked at companies such as Google and arm. In his spare time he hosts the "Tech and Test" podcast and enjoys spending time with family.

Eyk Haneklaus

Eyk Haneklaus is a software developer from Germany. Released in 1977, he still receives regular bugfixes from his wife and three children. Since graduating, he gained most of his experience working in teams within a corporate environment. His current focus is on cross-cutting topics like test automation, continuous delivery, software quality, software setup.

Marjolein Pordon

Marjolein Pordon is a low-code enthusiast from the Netherlands. (For non-Dutchies: you can pronounce her first name as: Mar-Yo-Line.) Her role as a low-code quality consultant, test specialist, and evangelist demonstrates a commitment to ensuring the success and reliability of low-code applications. Marjolein's dedication to sharing her knowledge and experience aligns well with her goal of enhancing the quality of low-code applications. This not only benefits the companies she works with but also contributes to the broader low-code community.

Additionally, her involvement in Women in Tech the Netherlands and advocacy for inclusivity and diversity showcase a holistic approach to technology and workplace culture. By emphasizing expertise over quotas, Marjolein is contributing to creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued.

Overall, Marjolein Pordon's multifaceted role and commitment to both technical quality and diversity make her a valuable asset to the technology community.

Benjamin Bischoff

Benjamin spent the first 15 years of his career as a software developer and trainer. He decided in 2016 after getting fascinated with Selenium to make test automation his main profession. He is working for trivago N.V. in Germany as a Test Automation Engineer within the core QA team. His focus shifted more to backend and API testing after five years as the core developer of trivago's in-house UI test automation framework.

Benjamin is the author of the book "Writing API Tests With Karate" and maintains two open source projects for Cucumber BDD parallel test execution and reporting. Also, he is a well-known conference speaker and author on testing, automation and software craftsmanship topics. More information can be found on his website www.softwaretester.blog.

Hristina Koleva

Hristina Koleva is a software tester, product owner, and mentor with 18 years from intern to Head of QA, and now in a product role.

Her mission is to help teams start on the right foot with quality and agile workflows and overcome challenges such as no testing in place, inadequately sliced and poorly written requirements, low team engagement and huge process waste.

Hristina firmly believes in efficient practices, whole-team approach and intensive collaboration as key drivers for delivering working software and growing thriving teams.

She also teaches software testing and agile practices and finds joy in public speaking at webinars, meetups and conferences.

Jordan Dearn

Jordan Dearn is currently a Manual Test Analyst who is a graduate at the University of Wolverhampton in IT Management. Jordan is a Neurodivergent Test Analyst with varying years of experience at number of functional and non-functional testing levels who in his spare time champions neurodiversity issues.