In the run up to BIMA100 awards of 2021, we decided to have a conversation with some of the judges of this years nominees about what they think of the array of talent that we are showcasing this time around. Ingrid is judging this year’s Tech Trailblazers category.
What is your favourite part of being a judge for BIMA 100?
The judging call. It’s always interesting to take in diverse opinions on different entries as part of the judging and see how each person chooses to do their initial evaluation. We had a few heated debates on a couple entries.
What did you find most inspiring about judging this year’s BIMA 100 entries?
Despite there being very few women in my category, most of the women who entered were stand-out entries. It’s really inspiring to see and I hope the numbers continue to grow in the coming years.
Do you see any similarities amongst this year’s entries?
Yes absolutely, I think a lot of people are doing really innovative and interesting work. The industry is moving forward at an exciting pace. This does however mean that unless you’re working hard to give time to mentoring, community initiatives or similar outside of your day job that it’s harder to win awards
What is an important message or lesson that could be taken from BIMA 100?
We work in an amazing industry, full of amazing people who are changing the shape of the world. To stand out and be a BIMA 100 winner, you truly need to be doing something different and special
Did anything interest you or surprise you about this year’s entries?
I was surprised by how little diversity there was in the entries. I shouldn’t be as it’s representative of the industry but it still stands out and I hope it’s something that will change quickly over the coming years.
Particularly in light of the current situation, why does the BIMA 100 matter?
BIMA 100 matters in any year however given the challenging year we have all faced, it matters more than ever. Individuals doing great work and shaping our industry deserve to be recognised and celebrated.