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GeeksHubs promotes an exclusive award for best CTO. The CTO AWARDS is a community award because tech sector nominate and vote. The objective of this award is visibility CTOs (Chief Technology Officer), explain their role at companies and show technological science referents.
Winner 2024
Are you the best CTO?
Do you know the best CTO?
Apply if you consider yourself to be a reference in the role of CTO (read the rules beforehand to meet the requirements, such as seniority).
Deadline: opening in December until April 3, 2024 at 10:00 am.
Apply to the person you consider to be a reference in the role of CTO (read the rules beforehand to meet the requirements, such as seniority).
Deadline: opening in December until April 3, 2024 at 10:00 am.
The CTO AWARDS recognises the effort and trajectory of the role of Technology Management within companies, and consequently, the growth of the technology sector thanks to its good practices and contribution to innovation in the professional challenge that it entails.
1
Submit your candidacy or nominate the person you consider a reference in the CTO role (Deadline: April 3, 2024 at 10:00 am).
Applications’ review
Review of applications received to check that they comply with the terms and conditions of the Award.
3
Get support
All eligible nominations displayed on this website can be voted on. (Deadline: May 21 at 11:00am).
The 3 candidates with the most support will be communicated.
The award ceremony will take place during the CTO Summit on 13-14 June in Las Rozas, Madrid (Spain).
Trophy House design and make singular trophies for cultural, corporate, or sports events
These bases regulate GeeksHubs CTO Awards 2024.
You can be a sponsor. Write to us at ctosummit@geekshubs.com or call at +34 653 491 786
Exclusive presentations, new confirmations, private events, and promotions and offers [in Spanish]
Aaron Asencio
He is an innovative technology leader and principal developer with over a decade of experience in software development, specializing in Android mobile application development and comprehensive technological solutions. His career began in August 2009 at the Canary Agency for Research, Innovation, and Information Society (ACIISI), where he delved into the technical analysis of R&D projects, database management for grant administration, and guidance in technological innovation service, laying the foundation for his commitment to innovation and technological development.
In February 2010, Aaron made a leap to Edosoft Factory S.L, serving as an R&D Consultant and Programmer, dedicating himself to programming in JAVA and C, and actively participating in R&D tasks and project development tracking. This stage allowed him to deepen his understanding of software development, preparing him for roles with greater responsibility.
His journey continued at MHP Servicios de Control S.L as an Android Developer, where he was responsible for the Laycos application, marking his start in the specific development of mobile applications. This experience was crucial in defining his professional trajectory towards mobile development, a passion that has accompanied him ever since.
In November 2014, he took on the role of Technical Manager and Senior Android Developer at Cronos Group S.L, leading the Tinkerlink project. His role involved not only technical development but also project management, applying a strategic vision for the implementation of effective technological solutions.
His career experienced a notable shift towards technical leadership roles at Curiocities S.L and Party Play S.L, where, serving as CTO and Senior Android Developer, he led teams in the development of innovative projects like Party Play and Curiocities. This experience consolidated his expertise in team management and mobile application development. At 2Coders Studio S.L, his focus was exclusively on his specialization as a Senior Android Developer, where his contribution was fundamental in the technical advancement and execution of mobile projects. At Edosoft Factory S.L, Aaron reignited his passion for full stack and mobile development as a Senior Developer, leading the development of DigiPal for the Palencia City Council. This experience reinforced his ability to develop comprehensive technological solutions, from conception to implementation.
Since March 2019, he has served as CTO at SIC4Change, coordinating application development and being the main responsible for technological development. He has led the development of significant projects such as NUT4Health, enREDa, Savia, Social Solver, Natawuj, and Kamay, applying his technical and leadership experience to innovate and generate social impact through technology.
Throughout his career, Aaron Asencio Tavio has demonstrated an exceptional ability to lead development teams, implement cutting-edge technologies, and manage complex projects. His focus has always been on innovating and using technology to solve real problems, with a strong commitment to sustainable development and improving society through technological innovation.
Aaron Asencio, with a comprehensive background in spearheading innovative technology projects and a profound commitment to leveraging technology for societal benefit, has been distinguished with several prestigious awards and recognitions that underscore his exemplary role as a Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Notably, his leadership in the Nut4Health project not only garnered the «Best Entrepreneurial Project of the Canary Islands» by EOI in 2019 but also clinched the «Best Social Project of the Year of Spain» for the same project within the same year. This dual recognition underscores his ability to innovate and drive positive change within the regional and national spheres.
Further amplifying his impact on an international scale, the Nut4Health project received the «Best National Innovation Project in Guatemala» accolade from the Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología – SENACYT in 2022, highlighting his project’s significant influence beyond its initial scope and geographical boundaries. Additionally, his strategic leadership in the Kamay project was celebrated as the «Best Social Innovation Project» by Kunan and Movistar in Peru in 2023, marking another milestone in his career for driving social innovation across Latin America.
Moreover, Aaron’s commitment to social impact through technological solutions was further recognized when he led his team to win the «Desafío Utzil» in Guatemala, awarded by the Ibero-American Development Bank in 2020. This award not only exemplifies his ability to tackle complex social issues through innovative tech-driven solutions but also his prowess in navigating and succeeding in competitive international development challenges. Complementing his array of awards, Aaron’s technical expertise was solidified in April 2019 when he became an Associate Android Developer, a credential that attests to his hands-on proficiency and deep understanding of Android development.
Aaron Asencio
He stands out as an exceptional Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for a multitude of compelling reasons that not only highlight his technical acumen but also his profound commitment to leveraging technology for societal good. His leadership has catalyzed the technological department of his organization, achieving remarkable growth by expanding from a single developer to a robust team of 12 tech specialists within just four years.
Aaron’s versatility in leading tech projects across various domains, including blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), mobile development, and Big Data, positions him at the forefront of social innovation. He has been instrumental in spearheading over 10 social innovation projects, directly impacting the lives of more than 75,000 individuals. Through initiatives like Nut4Health, which combats child malnutrition, Savia, which aims to reduce maternal mortality, and enREDa, which enhances youth employability, Aaron has demonstrated an unparalleled ability to utilize technology in addressing critical social issues.
One of Aaron’s most notable strengths is his capacity to adapt technology for users in challenging contexts, where there may be barriers to technology use, such as low literacy levels. His approach to tailoring user experiences to meet the needs of these diverse groups underscores his empathy and deep understanding of the socio-technical landscape. This adaptability ensures that the technological solutions developed under his leadership are not only innovative but also accessible and user-friendly for all, regardless of their prior experience with technology.
Moreover, Aaron’s dedication to his work goes beyond professional achievements; he has made significant personal and economic sacrifices, including accepting lower salaries. This choice reflects his deep-seated belief in the transformative power of technology for social good and his commitment to contributing to a better world through his technical expertise.
David Campo
Visionary IT Leader and Trailblazer.
In the dynamic realm of Information Technology, I am David Campo Casas — a CTO at Recomotor and an Executive MBA Candidate ’24. Hailing from the picturesque landscape of Salou, Catalonia, I bring a visionary approach to IT leadership, steering teams through critical environments with a profound ability to adapt to change.
Epic Leadership in Multidisciplinary Landscapes.
My journey is marked by a commitment to positive leadership, crafting epics in the form of multidisciplinary teams. As a torchbearer in the IT landscape, I’ve orchestrated transformations, fostering resilience and innovation within my teams.
Unveiling the Tapestry of Knowledge
Delving into the intricate tapestry of knowledge, my expertise spans the vast domains of banking, public administration, healthcare, trading, and crypto. With an innate understanding of functional intricacies, I navigate the complexities, ensuring a seamless integration of technology and purpose.
The Symphony of Data Mastery.
In the symphony of data, I wield the baton with mastery. From data models to SQL, BI, and Dashboards, my extensive experience resonates with a harmonious blend of technical prowess and strategic insights.
Fearless Problem Solver.
In the face of challenges, I embrace fearlessness, always driven to deliver the best solutions. Each obstacle becomes a stepping stone, propelling me forward in the pursuit of excellence.
The Saga of Professional Odyssey.
In the ongoing saga of my professional odyssey, I’ve held pivotal roles. As the CTO at Recomotor, my endeavors are etched in the annals of innovation. Prior to this, I wore the hat of CEO, Director IT, and CTO at FlexWeb, sculpting the future of web solutions with a touch of craftsmanship.
Mastering the Art of Project Orchestration.
Project orchestration is my forte, evident in my role as an IT Project Manager at Izasa Medical. Here, I led nationwide implementations in hemodynamics and surgery, showcasing not only technical prowess but also adept coordination of diverse teams.
Crafting Web Marvels.
As a Full-stack Developer and Product Manager at XARXA SANTA TECLA Sanitària i Social, I took the reins of the «Formularios» application. This was not just a project; it was a manifestation of creativity, from client presentations to deployment and quality control.
A Unique Blend of Artistry and Analysis.
My journey also weaves through the banking sector, where I served as an Analyst-Programmer at Banco Mediolanum. Here, the synthesis of artistry and analysis resulted in the development of intranets and portals, leaving an indelible mark on the institution.
Educational Odyssey.
In the pursuit of knowledge, I embarked on an Executive MBA at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, embracing innovation as a cornerstone of growth. My educational journey spans from Java fundamentals to a Higher Technician in Computer Application Development.
In essence, I am David Campo Casas — not just a CTO, but a maestro orchestrating technological symphonies, a fearless navigator through the digital frontier, and a visionary shaping the future of IT landscapes. The epic continues, and the best is yet to unfold.
Achievements
Transformed Recomotor as CTO, leading innovative initiatives. Crafted web solutions with creativity as CEO, Director IT, and CTO at FlexWeb. Orchestrated nationwide software implementations at Izasa Medical. Blended artistry and analysis at Banco Mediolanum, developing impactful intranets.
Certifications.
Angular.js Certified, showcasing proficiency in web development. Certified in Organizational Behavior, contributing to positive work environments. MySQL Administrator Certification, demonstrating database management expertise. Certified in the analysis of business problems, ensuring efficient problem-solving. Marketing Certification, integrating customer insights into strategic approaches.
Milestones.
Pursued an Executive MBA at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Committed to continuous learning, staying abreast of industry trends. Founded and led entrepreneurial ventures, showcasing innovation and leadership. In essence, David Campo Casas is a dynamic IT leader with a proven track record of transformative achievements, a spectrum of certifications, and a journey marked by educational pursuits and entrepreneurial ventures.
David Campo
In the realm of technology leadership, I firmly believe I stand out as the best Chief Technology Officer. My intuitive approach to navigating the ever-changing landscape of technology sets me apart. This innate ability allows me to foresee emerging trends, make swift and informed decisions, and stay at the forefront of innovation.
What truly fuels my effectiveness is an unwavering passion for technology. It’s not merely a professional pursuit but a deep-seated fascination that propels my dedication. This passion, in turn, motivates me to continually explore new solutions and approaches, ensuring that my work is driven by genuine enthusiasm.
As a leader, I don’t just manage teams; I inspire and mentor. My approach is rooted in positivity, fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented work environment. Guiding my team toward success is not just a responsibility; it’s a commitment to nurturing individual talents and collective excellence.
Carlos Cañado
Carlos is a highly accomplished computer engineer with over 20 years of experience in driving innovation, designing, developing and delivering cutting-edge software solutions and digital products using advanced technologies. Currently serving as CTO of Kairós DS, he spearheads the software development capacity of a global team of over 600 professional spanning Spain, Mexico, and Peru. In this role, Carlos successfully manages cross-functional teams, engages with key clients, shapes strategic direction, and provides staff training.
Carlos’s extensive experience spans a diverse array of sectors, including Fintech, Logistics Services, Insurance, Automotive, Audio-visual, and Stock Exchange. Throughout his career, he has taken the helm of numerous high-profile IT projects, consistently delivering innovative solutions that have made a significant impact. Renowned for his expertise in implementing cutting-edge software solutions, Carlos leverages robust automation and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) to drive efficiency and optimize development processes. With the introduction of continuous integration and development solutions, he enables seamless and efficient delivery of software projects.
At Kairós DS, Carlos holds a pivotal role as the head of the RTD and innovation department, where he strategically drives the implementation of research and innovation strategies. His focus is on leveraging cutting-edge technologies and disruptive software paradigms to push the boundaries of innovation. Carlos spearheads research initiatives in transformative areas such as blockchain, APIs, IoT, Big Data, Virtual/Augmented/Mixed Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and other emerging technologies. His visionary leadership ensures Kairós DS remains at the forefront of innovation and actively drives transformative change within the industry.
Carlos’s remarkable accomplishments extend beyond the organization, as he boasts an impressive track record of leading and contributing to European Union Research and Technological Development (RTD) and innovation projects. He has served as the technical lead for several projects over the past decade, actively participating in research framework programs such as FP7 and H2020. Carlos’s expertise and contributions have positioned him as a sought-after authority in the field, further solidifying his reputation as a trailblazer in the world of technology.
ETSIT-Polytechnic University of Madrid-2018. Carlos leads the Kairós Chair, an initiative carried out in collaboration with UPM, which has been ongoing since the 2017-18 academic year, where students with outstanding qualities collaborate with Kairós DS in the generation and development of products. Since the 20-21 academic year, students from other universities have joined the Kairós Chair. He’s work enables Kairós Chair members to work on these projects, mentored and supervised by our colleagues from the Innovation Area, specialized in Data, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, to present the work to our stakeholders promoting the challenges.
III Edition of the National Technology Awards XXI Century-2020. Kairós DS received the award for Technological Innovation, led by Carlos. These awards aim to recognize professionals from different areas who work daily with great dedication in a sector of permanent evolution and where updating has immediate effects, and whose work has generated a significant impact, accelerating its technological revolution. These awards highlight not only the excellence and commitment of companies in the technology sector but also their ability to rise and move forward despite adversities, essential competitive ingredients Enertic-2021.
He has collaborated with the enerTIC.org that disseminates advances, opportunities and challenges in «digitization, energy efficiency, and sustainability» from technological leaders and large organizations in different strategic sectors, from 2020 to 2023, actively participating in working groups and seminars/events
IdiPaz-2022. IdiPaz is the Research Institute of La Paz University Hospital. Kairós DS received a diploma in recognition of the dedication and professionalism with which the Innovation Unit of Kairós DS, led by Carlos, collaborated in the development of a digital tool to improve communication for post-stroke aphasia patients. This is one of the many projects we carry out at Kairós DS with IdiPaz.
Carlos Cañado
Carlos Cañado is a person who works in teams by giving freedom to everyone, favoring the professional growth of each individual on his team. Additionally, he maintains fluid and constant communication with the other departments of the company. He has an ease of dealing with people and demonstrates great empathy, as well as innate leadership qualities that he does not seek, but which arise naturally and make him a reference within Kairós DS and in the projects he is involved in.
Carlos is a creative person who has enabled the execution of various projects from the innovation area, researching and proposing projects with emerging technologies that have not yet been tested. Communication, both with the people of Kairós DS and with clients, suppliers, and collaborators, is always fluid. This has allowed him to attend various events as a speaker either independently or alongside clients to showcase technology projects. He also demonstrates his communication and internal leadership skills with his presence in the «technology agoras» where once a month he explains to the technology discipline he leads where the future of technologies in the company and in the market is headed in the short and long term, as well as answering people’s questions about the technology area strategy.
Another strong point of Carlos, as CTO, is problem-solving, as well as specific knowledge of different areas and staying abreast of the latest technologies. His involvement with employees is such that he conducts One-to-One meetings with the people he manages to understand their needs and help them in their professional development. Carlos understands the importance of effective communication and maintains open lines of dialogue with other departments within the company. His innate leadership qualities and remarkable empathy make him a respected figure within Kairós DS and the projects he undertakes.
Lucia Clifford
Lucia Clifford is a distinguished technology leader and serial entrepreneur, renowned for her visionary leadership and transformative impact across diverse industries. Graduating with a First-Class degree in BSC Hons Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence from City University of London, Lucia embarked on her illustrious career at the early age of 20, joining the UK government. Born and raised in Spain, with roots also in the UK (thanks to her father), Lucia’s multicultural background enriches her approach to problem-solving and leadership.
From a young age, Lucia demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit, founding her first venture at the age of 23. Despite not considering herself a «tech person» in her youth, Lucia swiftly rose through the ranks, showcasing exceptional aptitude and earning promotions that led her to manage over 30 people at the age of 26. With a natural inclination towards social interactions, Lucia possesses a unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen. This versatility allows her to seamlessly navigate both technical discussions and complex business meetings with ease, making her an invaluable asset to any team.
As the Founder and CTO of Sharpei, Lucia spearheads the company’s mission to revolutionize retail dynamics through innovative rental, subscription and trade-in models. Her strategic vision and commitment to sustainability have positioned Sharpei as a pioneering force in the industry.
Motivated by the need for major players in the rental market, Sharpei’s vision is clear — to assist retailers in seamlessly launching novel revenue streams. Sustainability lies at the heart of this vision, reshaping consumer behaviour and industry trends towards eco-friendly practices. Sharpei propels towards a future where rental and subscription models take centre stage.
Throughout her career, Lucia’s entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to innovation have been evident, leading to the successful founding of three companies and generating over $3 million in revenue over the past five years.
Lucia Clifford’s track record of successfully bringing innovative products from conception to scale underscores her exceptional ability to think, design, and scale products. Her visionary leadership and relentless pursuit of excellence make her a driving force in the tech industry, poised to continue shaping the future of technology.
Lucia Clifford has garnered prestigious recognition as one of Europe’s top 100 female CTOs by Sifted, a testament to her exceptional standing and influence within the tech industry. This accolade underscores her visionary leadership and significant contributions to advancing technology.
Additionally, Lucia has been honoured as a proud alumna of City University of London, acknowledging her outstanding achievements and contributions to the field of technology. It celebrates her entrepreneurial spirit and exemplary leadership as an inspiration to fellow alumni and aspiring technologists.
Furthermore, Lucia’s dedication to fostering innovation and supporting startups is evident through her involvement in female startup leaders, a prominent women in startup network in Spain. As an alumni of Draper University in Silicon Valley, she has gained invaluable insights and connections within the heart of the global tech ecosystem. Additionally, Lucia’s participation in Lanzadera, one of Spain’s most prestigious accelerators, highlights her commitment to nurturing emerging talent and driving entrepreneurial success in her home country.
Lucia Clifford
Lucia Clifford stands as an exceptional nominee for this prestigious award due to her stellar track record as a three-time founder, her influential role in Silicon Valley empowering women in tech, and her dedication to excellence.
With a proven history as a three-time founder, Lucia Clifford brings invaluable expertise and a profound understanding of navigating the intricacies of technology ventures. Her entrepreneurial spirit and resilience have been the driving force behind the creation and success of multiple ventures, showcasing her adeptness at turning innovative ideas into thriving businesses.
As a prominent figure in Silicon Valley, Lucia’s commitment to sharing knowledge and empowering women in the tech industry has been transformative. Her efforts in fostering an inclusive environment and providing support, mentorship, and opportunities for women in tech have made a significant impact, contributing to a more diverse and vibrant tech community.
Lucia’s distinction as a Best Women CTO underscores her exceptional leadership, technical prowess, and dedication to excellence. This recognition highlights her outstanding contributions and sets her apart as a trailblazer in the field.
Furthermore, Lucia’s involvement in initiatives such as female startup leaders in Spain, Draper University in Silicon Valley, and Lanzadera accelerator showcases her commitment to driving innovation and supporting emerging talent within the tech industry.
Overall, Lucia Clifford’s trailblazing journey as a serial entrepreneur, her commitment to empowering women in tech, and her dedication to excellence make her an exemplary candidate for this esteemed award, showcasing her as an inspiration and role model within the technology landscape.
Ezequiel Cura
Ezequiel Cura is the SVP of Tech at Capchase, leading the engineering, data, SRE, IT, QA, and other teams for the last 3 years. With over 20 years of software engineering and management experience, he has a strong background in multiple technologies, including embedded devices, audio and video processing, mobile development, payments, and finance among others. He enjoys collaborating with cross-functional teams that directly impact the lives of individuals and businesses. He is passionate about solving problems with innovative and scalable teams, always eager to learn new technologies and skills.
With a distinguished career at companies such as Capchase, Google and Badi, he has led technical teams on a variety of projects, including b2b, b2c and c2c solutions at different points in his career. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated skills in designing and implementing innovative technology solutions, as well as managing high-performing technical teams. His commitment to technical excellence and his ability to lead teams to success make him an outstanding leader.
His academic background includes a degree in Computer Science from the University of Buenos Aires, where he also worked as an assistant in various subjects and conducted research in the area of image processing.
Ezequiel Cura
Technical Expertise: Actually a bit of a jack of all trades. He has worked in multiple organizations and through those learned multiple different technologies. This flexibility made him embrace the idea of teams who decided where to focus and when. We chose to be experts. I’m passionate about problems, and not necessarily their solutions.
Vision & Strategy: Obsessed with 2nd and 3rd order consequences of our actions as leaders. Defining a vision and strategy that will in turn shape the next generation of challenges, and what do we want, or hope, those challenges to be.
Team Building and Management: Strong partnership with the people team, and passionate about creating unbiased meritocratic organizations. His metric of success is: how many people choose to work with him again? How many people have outgrown him in a given area? And thus far, he is happy with the results.
Continuous Learning and Growth: Tech is becoming an enabler not just for products, but for teams across the organization. That requires learning not only what our customers need but also how many other internal teams operate to bring technology to the tip of their fingers. That way they can excel. Focusing on gaining business knowledge from other functions as an organization, and partnering in those areas in which we can effectively become a driving force is key to having a proactive team. This forces us to have a continuous intellectual humility and recognize that we are constantly learning how others excel at their job.
Jorge García
Jorge started his career as scholar at Universidad de Acalá in 2012.
From there, he went to ING bank joining its IT security team to increase the security and reduce the vulnerabilities of the digital assets of the bank.
In 2015 he cofounded Fleew along with Luis Diaz del Dedo a startup focused on the incoming influencer ecosystem in the music vertical.
In 2016 he joined Noysi as a developer focused on the improvement of some business processes for the clients of the newly created platform.
Also in 2016 he joined Minube to foster their growth. He was the tech leader of the newly created growth team that was able to grow x10 their traffic and user base as well as its revenue.
After that successful experience, in 2017, he co-founded Product Hackers, the leading Growth agency where he still serves as CTO. In Product Hackers his contributions are quite relevant as having Jorge as cofounder and CTO, has created a new type of consultancy, where:
– We develop an internal system called eXperimentor. Actually, we have +3.000 experiments documented in eXperimentor
– We are funded by CDTI to create an AI that learns from our experiments to deliver the best results to our customers
– We have 13 engineers in our team as part of our service is coding the experiments we will launch and productize them when needed.
Jorge has been awarded the following awards:
– Winner of the Minube Hackathon in Fitur 2017
– Awarded «Premio Alumni Emprendedor» at Universidad Europea (2019)
Jorge García
Jorge has an excellent vision that connects technology with business, and is capable of having a long-term view of how technology (and which technologies) will impact the business, as well as bringing it into the present to understand how to introduce it and in what ways into our operations.
Thanks to this, Product Hackers is one of the few agencies/consultancies that doesn’t just give advice, but finds growth levers, designs them, develops them in an ultra-fast format to validate them in production, analyzes them with deep data analysis, and delivers the results to our clients.
In this case, the technological approach is critical to provide a differential value proposition.
Moreover, there are few CTOs in consultancies, even fewer who are capable of articulating internal products that have a real impact on the performance and delivery to our clients. Jorge is the ultimate responsible for eXperimentor, our core service delivery system, which thanks to Jorge’s vision, today allows us to generate 30% more experiments and growth for our clients, also reducing stress and frustration for the team since it allows them to make better decisions.
Right now, Jorge is leading our initiative to build an Artificial Intelligence that takes the potential of eXperimentor to the next level.
Typically, the work of product CTOs is highlighted, when on many occasions, a CTO of Jorge’s caliber, in a consultancy, can have a much greater impact by developing technology that directly impacts billions in revenue of many joint companies.
Mónica García
Mónica García’s educational background includes a degree in Telecommunications Engineering, completed in 2014 at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.
Subsequently, she completed her training with an Executive Master’s Degree in Innovation, expanding her skills in project management and the development of advanced technological solutions.
After accumulating experience in companies such as MyObserver or IBM, in 2017 he started his career in A3Sec Group as a Software Engineer.
In this position, she played a crucial role in the development of the network monitoring tool WOCU-Monitoring, bringing her technical expertise and passion for innovation. Her dedication and knowledge led to her promotion to the position of Software Engineer Leader in January 2020.
She was instrumental in the creation of WOCU-Monitoring as an independent company in 2021, where she quickly began her tenure as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), a position she holds today leading the entire evolution of the tool.
As CTO, he manages the planning, methodology and coordination of each development process, supervises the team of developers and coordinates releases and updates for clients.
While the industry awards and accolades are still to come, Mónica has been fully recognised for her track record within A3Sec Group, where she has been acclaimed for her dedication, competence and exemplary leadership.
There is no doubt that her leadership and management of the team will continue to raise the bar at A3Sec Group and more specifically at WOCU-Monitoring.
It is therefore only a matter of time before his talent and achievements are recognised more broadly in the industry. ;)
Mónica García
After extensive experience with the WOCU-Monitoring tool, she has proven to have an absolute knowledge of the product and is able to combine this knowledge with leadership and management tasks, getting each member of the team to contribute the best of their skills and competences to continue to evolve. Therefore, as a leader, she not only manages the team, but also inspires and motivates them to reach new levels of excellence.
She also has a clear and strategic vision of the future. She not only focuses on solving current challenges, but also anticipates future market needs and trends. Her ability to think long term and adapt nimbly to changes in the technological environment makes her a visionary and effective leader.
That’s not all, Monica is also a mentor in the Django Girls community. A non-profit organisation that teaches and mentors women from all over the world how to program in Django and Python.
In short, Mónica is an extraordinary candidate thanks to her dedication, perseverance and commitment to pursuing excellence and success on both a corporate and human level.
Taylan Guney
Taylan Guney completed his Bachelor’s education in Computer Engineering from one of the most reputable technical universities in Turkiye, İstanbul Technical University, in 2005. Following his graduation, he started his career as a Software Engineer at Veripark, a global solutions provider enabling financial institutions. He began his Master’s in Boğaziçi University, that is renowned for its high standards in education and research and is acknowledged throughout the world, majoring in Engineering and Technology Management and completed the programme in 2007. He then moved onto Garanti Technology, the developer of many technological firsts in the Turkish Finance sector in IT services and consultancy. He got promoted to Software Development Manager and took on his first leadership role here. Just after 10 years since he started his professional career, he became the Director of Software Infrastructure and Architecture at Yapı Kredi Bank, one of the first nationwide commercial banks in Turkiye and is the fourth largest publicly owned bank by its asset size. In the short span of 4 years, he was promoted to Executive Vice President at Yapı Kredi Technology, taking on the responsibilities of software architecture, application platforms & cloud and database. He became the CTO at n11.com, a global e-commerce platform that networks with hundreds of merchants, overlooking the whole IT department in February of 2022. He has been working as the CTO of TOM BANK, Turkiye’s first licensed digital retail bank, leading more than 200 IT employees.
There is no award, it will be the first <3
Taylan Guney
Taylan Güney undertook the process of establishing TOM bank from scratch with the knowledge and experience he gained during his time at TOM. All the codes were rewritten and the infrastructure was completely built with our own technology. In addition to his hardworking, result-oriented and confident stance, Taylan stands out as a leader who trusts and gives confidence to his team. As TOM, we have not come across another CTO in Turkey or even in the world who achieved this success in the short period of 8 months. So, if you ask us, Taylan, who overcame all obstacles with a fast and extraordinary effort, deserves this award to the fullest!
Sue Li
Sue has lived and worked in the tech industry across the US and Europe for the past 10 years, including the start-up ecosystem in Berlin, ed-tech and eCommerce companies in Amsterdam, and remotely in Spain as a software engineer and CTO. She has held a variety of roles in product development including product ownership, UX design, and instructional designer and has a Masters in Education with a concentration in «Technology, Innovation, and Education» from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is passionate about developing products that make an impact in the lives of people and in her spare times enjoys travelling and learning languages.
Sue has spoken at various conferences and panels including CTO Summit (Valencia), CTO Craft (London), and European Women in Tech (Amsterdam). She has been featured by CIO.com and by Sifted as one of the 130+ female CTOs in Europe. SwipeGuide has been nominated by UX Design Awards as most user friendly software in 2023, was a finalist of the FoodTech Innovation Awards in 2022, and was also shortlisted as SaaS Product of the Year in 2020.
Sue Li
As Sue wrote in the Forbes Technology Council article, in order for us to have a more diverse pool of tech leaders, we need to change the perception of who a CTO is and what they do. We are not all geeky computer nerds that grew up on C++ and video games. A CTO is a leader who propels the business with technology, aligning the company’s vision, mission, and strategy throughout the technology organization. It’s a role which requires people and process management, problem solving, communication, collaboration, and the ability to learn and adapt, just as much as (or even more than!) technology expertise. She believes that, with a growth mindset, anyone can become a CTO, regardless of one’s gender, background, or other preconceived notions, and we should be leveraging more unique experiences to drive forward technology developments in society.
Isabelle Mauny
I joined IBM France in 1992 after a master at the Nice university. Originally I was hired to write network cards code in C, but my true calling was working with customers, and I quickly joined the European presales team to work on what would become the first wave of e-business software, back when people started to build their websites :)
IBM gave me the opportunity for 17 years to switch jobs, in presales, development, services, product management. I visited 27 countries, spent a year in the IBM Toronto lab (during one of the coldest winter ever!) and moved to Spain, where I still live today. In the last part of my IBM career in the worldwide Tiger team, where I participated into the acquisition of DataPower by IBM, one of the first API Gateways that was built, an experience that would influence the rest of my career.
I left IBM in 2009 to join a startup (Vordel, now Axway) as their product manager, working on the next wave of API Management product, to then become WSO2’s VP of Product Strategy and launch their API Management platform.
When I was offered to co-found 42Crunch in 2016, I jumped on it. It was the opportunity to use everything I had learnt in the past 20 years. Launching a startup is extremely challenging, but the combined experience across sales, presales, marketing, development and team leadership certainly played a critical role in ensuring we are still here 7 years later!
At 42Crunch, I am managing the team developing our ecosystems offering (IDE integrations, CI/CD integrations, partners integration) as well as the customer success team. Our IDE integrations have reached 1M developers in 2023! We also built the technical integration which allowed us to announce a partnership with Microsoft in Nov. 2023.
What motivates me above all is learning new technologies, working with customers and sharing my experience. I love presenting at conferences, teaching and enjoy sharing whenever I can, helping younger generations and in particular women embrace technical careers. I have written a couple books during my time at IBM, numerous articles, been invited to several API Security podcasts recently and I am currently teaching as part of the API Addicts academy in Spain.
I have received numerous awards from IBM, Vordel and WSO2, mostly for exceptional customer service.
OpenAPI Business Governing Board (BGB) Chair
API Addicts MVP API Expert
WSO2 Outstanding Contributor (2014/2015)
Vordel Mews (Solutions Engineer)
42Crunch Team recognition
1 Million Users for our IDE Plugins (Nov 2023)
Microsoft partnership in Nov 2023
Isabelle Mauny
In the past 15 years where I lead technical leadership positions, I learnt that getting people to follow you is the hardest part. Follow a technical idea, follow a crazy hunch, follow a strategic direction. Why do people follow you? It comes down to 2 things: trust and respect.
Trust that you’re doing your best. It does not mean you’re always right, far from it. It means you are taking them down a path with you and if we fail, you will take the fall. If we succeed, it will be a team win. It means saying I am sorry and I was wrong. Not the easiest part of the job, I am still learning.
Respect is won by example: hard work, ethics, technical knowledge, learning from others. Never looking down on people.
Add some fun and laughs to the mix, because in the famous words of Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said but will always remember how you made them feel”.
I do not feel I deserve any medal on my own. I am here today thanks to the patience, knowledge, forgiveness and encouragement of the mentors and collaborators who crossed my path. If you feel like I do deserve this award, it will dedicated to all of them.
Antonio Plaza
I’m Antonio Plaza, CEO of digitalDot, a company that has been growing with you for more than 15 years, offering comprehensive digital solutions to boost your business.
Expert in web development and design: Since 2001, I have led projects of various sizes, from simple websites to state-of-the-art Progressive Web Applications (PWA).
Passionate about innovation: I’m always at the forefront of the latest technologies, looking for new ways to optimise your digital presence and deliver tangible results.
Recognised leadership: My experience has allowed me to lead multi-disciplinary teams and achieve important accomplishments, such as Google certification as a PWA Developer Agency and the European Medal of Merit in the Workplace.
Customer focus: I am passionate about working hand in hand with my clients to understand their needs and deliver customised solutions that exceed their expectations.
Work Experience:
CEO
digitalDot (February 2012 – Present) – Murcia, Spain Garpey Información Tecnologies S.L. (April 2011 – December 2011) – Murcia, Spain
Garpey Asesores, S.L. (May 2006 – March 2011) – Murcia, Spain
Head of IT Systems Department Garpey Asesores, S.L. (May 2006 – March 2011) – Murcia, Spain
First Level Technician to Project Manager Sinergia Tecnológica, S.L. (July 2001 – May 2006) – Murcia, Spain
Achievements: CEO of digitalDot, the first company in Spain certified by Google as a PWA development agency.
Among my achievements I got a great recognition from the company Sinergia technology in involvement and effort in GarpeyIT was my experience 100% as head of department but where I have really grown and I have been able to prove our worth is in Digitaldot with awards and recognitions among which we highlight.
2012 – E-AWARDS Award – Best Baby Clothing Store
2014 – E-AWARDS Award – Best Marketing Plan
2015 – E-AWARDS Award – Best Online Store Concept
2017 – Finalist – Best App Creation Agency
2019 – First company endorsed by Google PWA
2020 – Gold Medal 2020 – Prestashop Certified Partner
2020 – e-evolution Best UX Web Awards
2020 – Top 100 Social Media Agencies
2021 – EIBT Seal Innovative Technology-Based Innovative Company
2021 – e-volution Awards Best Digital Transformation
2022 – Digital Enablers 2023 – Prestashop Silver Seal for Contribution
2022 – Icex Company for Foreign Trade
2022 – Top 50 Best SEO Agencies
2022 – Google Certified Official Partner
2022 – e-volution Award – Best Cross-border eCommerce
2022 – E-AWARDS Award – Best Cross-border eCommerce
2023 – Digitizing Agent with more than 120 Projects
2023 – Top 50 Best Agencies
2023 – Official Amazon Pay and Amazon Cloud Partner
2019-2024 Expert Consultant of the Alicante Chamber of Commerce
Antonio Plaza
My professional career is a story of constant evolution, growth and success. From my early days at Sinergia Tecnología, where I was recognised for my commitment and hard work, to my current position as CEO of digitalDot, I have demonstrated an unwavering passion for technology and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Visionary leadership: My visionary leadership has guided digitalDot to the forefront of the digital industry, garnering me a wide range of awards and recognition as CTO.
Guille Terrasa
As CTO of Sesame HR, I have been a witness and architect of our company’s growth and success from its humble beginnings to become a leading player in the field of HR software. in the field of HR software. With nearly 20 years of industry experience, I have dedicated my career to technology innovation and building a professionalised team focused on SaaS products. professionalised team focused on SaaS products for thousands of companies with hundreds of thousands of users.
I started my professional journey in the same group of companies to which Sesame HR belongs, where I had the opportunity to cultivate my passion for technology and people. people. From the early days at Sesame HR, I was a key part of the initial team, bringing my experience and vision to develop a comprehensive software that addresses all the needs of the HR department. needs of the HR department. In these 4 years of trajectory, we have grown from a team of 5 people to more than 200, which has been a great challenge both technically and personally.
As CTO, I have led the evolution of our product, ensuring that it is at the forefront of technology and meets the changing demands of the market. From employee recruitment and onboarding to payroll, time management, appraisals and internal communication, Sesame HR offers a complete solution that simplifies and optimises HR management for companies of all sizes and sectors. In addition, we have introduced innovative features such as payroll advance, flexible remuneration and expense control Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Guille Terrasa
I am honoured to be nominated as the best CTO of 2024, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the tireless work of the entire team at Sesame HR team that has made our success possible. From day one, we have been committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that address the real needs of our clients and that real needs of our customers and drive positive change in the field of human resource management.
As CTO, I have led with passion and vision, guiding our talented development team to reach new levels of excellence and achieve significant milestones in the evolution of our product. significant milestones in the evolution of our product. Our dedication to technological innovation and attention to detail has enabled us to deliver a platform that simplifies the complexity of human resource management and allows companies to focus on what really matters: their people. matters: their people. I firmly believe that the success of a CTO is not only measured by the quality of the product they deliver, but also by their ability to inspire and lead the team. and this is something I have learned through experience and interaction, training sensitivity.
The people who create the team are the ones who give life to the project; it is their values that give life to the project. the project; it is their values that create the identity of the companies. The commitment to the objective becomes solid through the commitment that exists between the people who interact on a daily basis, who are linked not only in a technical but also in a personal way. At Sesame HR, we have cultivated a culture that is not only technical but also personal.
Carlos Valero
Carlos has a large experience of more than 25 years holding leadership positions, predominantly in the telecommunication industry. Currently he serves as the CTO at Finetwork, one of the fastest growing MVNOs in Spain. From his position he oversees all technology functions, IT and Network, from strategy to operations. Previously he worked for Vodafone where he held different management positions like Vodafone Spain´s CIO or Global IT Strategy & Architecture Director. He started his career in Telefonica where he spent 16 years working in many different countries and positions, highlighting CIO for Telefonica Mexico or Global Application Development Director. Carlos’ extensive background positions him as a key technology player in the sector.
Carlos Valero is backed by his career and has been a key representative in his companies in different global forums and councils. Also, he is an experienced speaker at top-class IT events globally. The last of them was MWC 2024, within the MVNO Summit vertical, targeted to professionals in the virtual mobile operator ecosystem.
Carlos Valero
Carlos has not only great background and deep skills of IT solutions, but also is an ambitious co-worker, a reliable colleague with great interpersonal skills, and an inspiring leader. Insightful natural born leader, with good sense of humour. Broad-minded, well educated, innovative and energetic project manager with boundless energy. We just couldn’t think of a better candidate for the CTO Awards!
