2i is celebrating Sowmya Ramesh’s Unsung Hero of the Year win and Chloe Urquhart’s recognition as a Career Changer of the Year finalist at the 2026 Scotland Women in Technology (SWiT) Awards.
Colleagues and guests joined them at Glasgow Marriott Hotel on Thursday 5 November to celebrate their achievements alongside talent from across Scotland’s technology community.
Recognising Sowmya’s contribution
For Sowmya, the award recognises a commitment to helping others learn, connect and progress throughout a 24-year career in technology.
Through her work with the Scottish Testing Group, Sowmya has helped bring renowned speakers to Scotland and kept the testing community connected. Her involvement with international testing conferences has also helped make learning more accessible.
Her contribution extends to EuroSTAR, the Agile Testing Alliance and SmartSTEM, alongside 2i’s Sustainability, Women’s Empowerment and Industry Awards guilds.
Much of this happens alongside her day job. Whether helping organise community events or encouraging school pupils to explore technology, Sowmya makes time for work that benefits people well beyond her own team.
Gordon Wilson, Head of Delivery – Scotland Quality Engineering and Sowmya’s line manager, said:
“Sowmya is a strong and influential leader who builds trust, engages positively with stakeholders and brings people together. She has a real talent for getting to the heart of complex problems, driving effective solutions and inspiring others to succeed. A thoroughly deserving winner and outstanding ambassador for women in technology.”
Celebrating Chloe’s career change
Chloe was shortlisted for Career Changer of the Year among four finalists whose experiences show the different routes into technology.
Since joining 2i as a Junior Quality Engineer in August 2025, she has put her learning into practice on client projects and within the company’s AI team.
Previously working in retail, hospitality, film production and video editing, Chloe completed an eight-week coding bootcamp and taught herself Python and Pytest before securing her first role in technology.
On her first client engagement, she identified more than 50 defects and developed end-to-end test scenarios that helped business users take greater ownership of testing. Her work with the AI team has included finding bugs and improving documentation.
A Senior AI Engineer who has mentored Chloe said in her nomination evidence:
“Her thoroughness and engagement have made a real difference to the quality of what we deliver.”
Chloe also shares her career-change experience through podcasts, panels and career-awareness events. Through SmartSTEM, she delivered a hands-on technology workshop for girls aged 11–13, helping them explore where an interest in technology could lead.
Writing in the SWiT Awards brochure, Chloe said:
“Every odd job is a piece of me I bring to the table within this industry, and I hope to inspire others to take the scenic route too.”
Paul Hunter, Senior Software Development Engineer in Test at 2i and Chloe’s line manager, said:
“What stands out about Chloe is how much she wants to understand. She asks questions, explores things for herself and keeps building on what she’s learnt. Moving into technology meant starting again in a new field, and she’s approached that challenge with determination and enthusiasm. Seeing her put those skills to work on client projects and in our AI team has been a pleasure. Her place on the shortlist is a lovely recognition of how far she’s come already, and I’m excited to see what she does next.”
Supporting the wider SWiT community
2i sponsored the Gender Diversity Ally of the Year category, with Public Sector Director Karen Meechan presenting the award to this year’s winner. Karen also took part in a short interview during the evening.
Anna McMillan, 2i’s VP Delivery Quality Team Management and a SWiT trustee, also attended, reflecting her involvement in the organisation’s work to support women across Scotland’s technology sector.
The 2i table brought together colleagues and guests from NHS Scotland and Royal London to cheer on Sowmya and Chloe and celebrate the achievements recognised throughout the evening.
2i thanks SWiT for organising a memorable event and congratulates all this year’s winners and finalists.