More than a dozen NCS professionals in running for women’s tech award
Technology consultancy NCS has led the finalists' list for this year’s Women Leading Tech awards, with fourteen of the firm’s professionals in the running across nine categories.
The Women Leading Tech Awards was established to promote gender parity and celebrate the achievements of women in all stages of their careers in the Australian IT industry, and, as per its promoters, is more important than ever this year as the world currently faces “unprecedented threats to diversity, democracy, inclusion, and even the planet.”
With the winners to be announced at a ceremony at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney later this month, technology consultancy NCS will be cheering on more than a dozen of its professionals in the running for a range of awards, including Sowmiya Selvakumaraswamy, who follows up last year’s nomination in the ‘Innovator’ category as finalist for this year’s ‘Rising Star’ award.
Notably, Selvakumaraswamy, who has served as an emerging tech specialist and metaverse lead since joining NCS upon its acquisition of Arq Group in 2022, was one of only two of the firm's professionals to make the finalist list in 2024 – with the massive jump in the number of its contenders this year representing a significant coup for the consultancy.
Among the firm’s other finalists are NCS NEXT global strategy & growth director Georgia Swanson, who in Selvakumaraswamy’s stead is in the running for the 2025 ‘Innovator’ award. Meanwhile, Kavita Agarwal, digital experience manager, is up for a ‘Design’ award, with regional delivery lead Rose Ryall and associate director Sanduni Thondilege fronting the ‘Delivery’ category.
Another pair of NCS colleagues – quality & testing principal Mollshree Gogia and recently-promoted strategic account leader Leanne Fernandes – will also be up against one another for the ‘Customer Success’ award, while cloud & emerging technologies account executive Lisa Sos represents NCS in the ‘Sales’ category.
In addition, learning & organisational development lead Vandana Mehra is a ‘Champions of Change’ finalist, while back of house, executive assistant Natasha Lee, and Bhavna Gaundar, head of talent acquisition, are respectively in the running in the ‘Business Support’ and Recruiter' categories.
Lastly, Jodi Lawson (senior integration manager), Anju Philip (senior cloud & platform engineer), and Deepti Bansal, a senior test manager with AccessHQ (which was a part of 2022 NCS acquisition Dialog Group), are also in contention for the People’s Choice award, with the public voting having already closed.
“I’m honoured to be among the incredible women from NCS Australia nominated for the Women Leading Tech Awards in 2025,” Philips stated, capturing the general sentiment among the firm’s cohort of female finalists. “It’s truly rewarding to work in a place that fosters growth, inclusivity, and innovation, where the atmosphere empowers us all to thrive.”
