National success for fast-rising Derby IT star

Kerry Townsend, who works for Derby-based PXtech, has been crowned Young Leader of the Year at the Women in IT Awards, held at the Grosvenor Park Hotel on Park Lane in London.

The triumph, in front of an audience of 1,200 industry leaders, is all the more remarkable as Kerry recently took time off to start a family, only returning in January 2017 to take up the role of head of strategic product, before being promoted to director of hospitality business at PXtech, which provides EPoS and business intelligence software, in December.

Townsend said: “It was a privilege to have been named a finalist alongside so many inspiring women working in the tech industry and I am proud to have been named Young Leader of the Year.

“I am already thinking about how I can take this opportunity to help inspire more women to desire a career in IT, having seen what a rewarding career it can be. Having more women working in technology will help towards ensuring equal opportunities. More importantly, it ensures that the products and services we deliver, that we pour our hearts and souls in to, will be influenced and moulded by the skillsets from both men and women.

“At PXtech we are very much a team, and I’d like to thank every one of my colleagues for their support, encouragement and hard work over the last year.”

Richard Dorf, CEO at PXtech, said: “Kerry is an incredible asset to PXtech, both personally and professionally, and it’s particularly rewarding to see how she has progressed through each stage of her career over the years.

“She has created drive and inspiration across her team, leading members of her team to grow individually and develop the right skills and passion to push the business forward.

“She is an absolute credit to the company and we look forward to many more years working with her – congratulations Kerry.”