Anna Brailsford
Summary
Anna Brailsford is the CEO of Code First Girls, a social enterprise aimed at closing the diversity gap in technology by offering free education and economic opportunities to women worldwide. Additionally, she serves as a Board Member for the Institute of Coding. Prior to her role at Code First Girls, Anna worked as the Commercial Director at Lynda.com and LinkedIn. She played an instrumental part in the creation of LinkedIn Learning after LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com for $1.5 billion in April 2015, making it one of the largest acquisitions in social media history.
Biography
Anna Brailsford is a technology leader and CEO of Code First Girls, a social enterprise dedicated to providing women with free education and economic opportunities to eliminate the diversity gap in tech. Anna's passion for technology and education started early on in her career.
In 2015, Anna became part of one of the biggest acquisitions in social media history, when LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com for $1.5 billion. Anna played a crucial role in the acquisition and was instrumental in the creation of LinkedIn Learning, which has since become one of the leading online learning platforms in the world.
Despite her success in the corporate world, Anna was acutely aware of the diversity gap in tech and the lack of opportunities for women. In 2019, she co-founded Code First Girls with the aim of providing women with the skills and inspiration to become successful developers and tech leaders. Today, the organization has over 20,000 members representing 58 nationalities, and provides free coding courses, events, and networking opportunities to women across the UK.
Anna's commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in tech extends beyond her work at Code First Girls. She is also a Board Member for the Institute of Coding, an organization that works to promote digital skills and increase diversity in the tech industry. In addition, she serves as an Advisor at HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter, where she works to improve gender diversity in the financial services industry.
Anna's dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion in tech has earned her numerous accolades, including being named on the Evening Standard Progress 1000 list of London's most influential people in 2018 and 2019. She continues to be an influential voice in the industry and is committed to making a positive impact in the world through education and technology.
Vision
Anna Brailsford's vision is to eliminate the diversity gap in the tech industry by empowering women with the skills, knowledge, and inspiration to become successful tech leaders. Her commitment to this goal is reflected in her work as the CEO of Code First Girls, a social enterprise that offers free coding courses, events, and networking opportunities to women across the UK.
Anna believes that the tech industry needs to be more inclusive, diverse, and accessible to all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or background. She recognizes that women face unique challenges in this field, such as unconscious bias and a lack of role models and support networks. That's why Anna and her team at Code First Girls work tirelessly to create a supportive and inclusive environment for women to learn, connect, and thrive in tech.
Recognition and Awards
References
https://wearetechwomen.com/inspirational-woman-anna-brailsford-ceo-code-first-girls/
https://march8.com/articles/trailblazer-anna-brailsford-ceo-of-code-first-girls
https://events.bizzabo.com/376563/agenda/speakers/1602052
https://businesschief.eu/technology/code-first-girls-ceo-anna-brailsford-on-diversity
https://www.businessofapps.com/insights/anna-brailsford-talks-code-first-girls-program-achievements-and-challenges/
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/cyberfirst-girls-from-top-gun-to-tech
https://irishtechnews.ie/education-and-technology-can-transform-lives-anna-brailsford-code-first-girls-ceo/
https://turingtrust.co.uk/the-alan-turing-podcast-gender-inclusivity/