Top 10 Women in AI in the UK and EMEA

Forget the headlines about latest chatbots, competition and dominance in the AI market, or the technology's impact on the enterprise. The real and lasting story is the ongoing and significant gender gap in AI talent, even across countries and geographies that have made substantial progress in gender equity.

Studies consistently show that women make up a significantly smaller percentage of the AI workforce compared to men, with the disparity even more pronounced in senior leadership and technical roles. 

Lack of diversity, often starting in early education, can have a major impact on how we drive AI innovation resulting in biased systems, limited development and a lack of positive role models.

With that in mind, this week we consider some of the many women pushing the boundaries in the field of AI in the UK and EMEA. We celebrate their achievements, careers and their advocacy of diversity and inclusion.

10: Anne Bouverot

Role: French President’s Special Envoy on AI

Company: AI Action Summit

Anne Bouverot is a prominent French business executive with extensive experience in the technology sector, particularly around AI. Her background blends leadership in major corporations with a deep understanding of AI's societal implications.

She was appointed by French President Emmanuel Macron as his special envoy on AI, responsible for leading the preparations for the Paris AI Action Summit, which took place in February 2025. Anne’s professional journey includes roles at Orange, GSMA and Morpho (later IDEMIA).

9: Poppy Gustafsson

Role: Co-Founder and former CEO

Company: Darktrace

Co-founder and former CEO of Darktrace, Poppy Gustafsson led the cybersecurity firm to prominence with its AI-driven solutions. Under her leadership the company experienced significant growth and global expansion, achieving several industry accolades.

In November 2021 Poppy was recognised as CEO of the Year for driving Darktrace to the cutting edge of innovation in AI, while using the technology to solve some of the world’s most challenging problems.

Poppy stepped down in 2024 ahead of the company's acquisition but remains influential in the AI and cybersecurity sectors. She is currently Minister for Investment for HM Treasury.

8: Tabitha Goldstaub

Role: Board Member

Company: Luminate

Co-founder of CogX and former Chair of the UK Government's AI Council, Tabitha Goldstaub is a prominent advocate for AI development and ethical considerations, contributing to the UK's leadership in AI innovation.

She acts as an adviser to business, government, academia and philanthropists on the impact of AI and sits on several executive boards, including Luminate, an organisation that advocates for and supports underrepresented people.

Tabitha is also the author of How To Talk To Robots - A Girlsguide to a World Dominated by AI.

7: Asma Houissa Ben Amor

Role: AI/GEN AI Product Owner

Company: Orange

With more than 15 years’ experience, Orange’s Asma Houissa is a highly regarded leader in the fields of AI, technology, data and business intelligence. She excels in supporting customers in the evolution of complex systems and technologies, and guiding them through digital transformations.

At Orange, Asma holds the role of AI/Gen AI Product Owner responsible for the company’s Djingo chatbot and developing commerce activity around AI and Gen AI innovation. She has also worked at CGI, Altran and VEDECOM.

6: Dr. Alessandra Sala

Role: Sr. Director of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science 

Company: Shutterstock

With a decade of experience bridging academic rigor and commercial application, Alessandra spearheads AI and data science initiatives at Shutterstock. Her expertise lies in translating cutting-edge analytics, machine learning and computational modelling into tangible product innovations.

Beyond her corporate role, Alessandra champions inclusivity in AI as the Global President of Women in AI, a non-profit dedicated to fostering gender diversity and ethical AI practices on a global scale.

She cultivates a strong network of women, promoting equality and responsible AI development.

5: Danielle Belgrave

Role: Vice President of AI and Machine Learning

Company: GSK

Danielle Belgrave is a prominent figure in the field of AI and its application in healthcare. She currently holds the position of VP of AI/ML at GSK, where she leads efforts to develop innovative AI approaches for drug development and clinical applications.

Her extensive career spans both academia and industry, with prior roles at DeepMind, Microsoft Research Cambridge and Imperial College London. Danielle's research focuses on the development of machine learning strategies for personalised healthcare interventions, with a particular emphasis on understanding disease heterogeneity.

4: Anne Laure Thibaud (Thieullent)

Role: Executive Vice President - Data, AI & Analytics Group Offer Leader

Company: Capgemini

Over her more than 21 years’ experience in large scale Big Data Analytics and AI at Scale, Anne Laure has seen data and intelligence become core to the way businesses operate.

At Capgemini she leads the Data, Analytics, Intelligent Automation and AI portfolio development worldwide enabling clients to take the next step of their digital transformation journey with data and AI. The company focuses on trusted business impact with data and AI, working to craft an inclusive, positive and sustainable future.

3: Katja Hofmann

Role: Senior Principal Research Manager

Company: Microsoft

Katja Hofmann is a Senior Principal Research Manager at Microsoft Research in Cambridge, UK, where she leads the Game Intelligence team. Her work focuses on advancing reinforcement learning, with a strong emphasis on applications within video games.

A core aspect of her research is developing AI systems that can effectively collaborate with humans, aiming to empower users and tackle complex real-world challenges. Project Malmo, which utilises Minecraft as a platform for AI experimentation, is a notable example of her work.

2: Zahra Bahrololoumi

Role: CEO, Salesforce UK & Ireland

Company: Salesforce

Widely recognised throughout her career as an industry leader, Zahra Bahrololoumi was awarded a CBE for services to the Information Technology sector in 2023. As the EVP & CEO of Salesforce UK & Ireland, Zahra helps customers navigate digital transformations in the new AI landscape so they can build resilience and expand their operations. 

Zara joined Salesforce in 2020 from Accenture, where she led the consulting firm’s technology practice for the UK and Ireland, with a particular focus on next-generation systems in AI, cloud and application platforms. She is a staunch believer in the fact that success comes not only from innovative technologies but also from a deep understanding of the value they offer anyone using them. 

Since 2020, Salesforce has significantly advanced its AI capabilities, with a particular focus on generative AI integration to automate content creation, improve customer communication and drive strategy. 

Outside of Salesforce, Zara is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion within the tech industry and has held a number of D&I leadership roles globally. 

1: Debbie Weinstein

Role: President of Google in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Company: Google

Debbie Weinstein has spent her career creating the future at the intersection of global technology and business. She was named as Google’s President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa in December 2024, having previously served in several other roles at the business for a decade. 

At the time of her appointment, Google said Debbie will focus on AI-powered growth for users, businesses and governments and unlocking the vast potential of AI across the EMEA region. 

Discussing her role in a LinkedIn post, she said: “Since joining Google I’ve witnessed so many bold, innovative leaps in our work, from the launch of Google Lens in 2017 to the company ushering in our Gemini Era in 2023.

“This moment is a really exciting one for us — as we continue to drive remarkable breakthroughs in AI to make sure everyone across our region and the world will benefit from this technology.”

Prior to working at Google, Debbie spent five years as VP Global Media at Unilever. She has also held roles at Viacom, Bolt and Goldman Sachs.

Explore the latest edition of AI Magazine and be part of the conversation at our global conference series, Tech & AI LIVE. 

Discover all our upcoming events and secure your tickets today.

AI Magazine is a BizClik brand