Jacqueline de Rojas
Jacqueline sits on the boards of some of the most innovative brands in the market including Rightmove plc and FDM Group plc. She is the Co-Chair at the Institute of Coding and is the board member responsible for ESG at global enterprise software business IFS. Jacqueline is the president of Digital Leaders and sits on the board of techUK having served 8 years as president using her voice to create conditions for the tech industry to thrive. She has spent her 30-year career as a leader in the world’s largest technology companies focused specifically on building successful teams, accelerating growth, and finding new routes to market. Jacqueline works with Government to advise on technology and security matters. She is an advocate for diversity and inclusion and is passionate about redressing the gender balance. This informs where she places her support with advisory roles at The Girlguiding Association and also Cajigo which provides mentoring and support to raise the aspirations of girls and women.
In her own words: “My experience of running large businesses has taught me that leadership is like being at the wheel of a car; most of the time we are actually not on track and, therefore, the strongest of leaders pay constant attention to applying tiny adjustments in order to ‘course correct’. We are always operating in an imperfect environment, so it becomes the choices we make that determine the level of our success.” She believes the key to building strong teams and driving better business outcomes is through diversity, equality and inclusion.
Jacqueline has extensive experience in working with executives and businesses to turn vulnerabilities into strengths She attributes her own success to the experts and mentors she has surrounded herself with, drawing strength from them when she felt vulnerable or isolated, needed a sounding board and space to discuss options or, perhaps most crucially, to expand possibilities when choices seemed limited. Her own commitment to learning has taken her on a journey through NLP, the Center for Advanced Coaching and Non-Violent Communication/ conflict resolution and learning through our own Merryck Faculty.
Graduating in European Business in Germany, she has spent her executive career transforming technology businesses, amongst them Informix, Business Objects, McAfee and Citrix. Jacqueline is a sought-after speaker and has been widely recognised for her contribution to technology and diversity. These honours include being voted Computer Weekly’s Most Influential Woman in IT 2015; Debretts 2016 500 People of Influence (2017); Europe’s Inspiring Fifty most inspiring female role models for 2017; Women in Tech Award for Advocate of the Year (2018) acknowledging her contribution to diversity; #IB100 – Most influential BAME leaders in tech; Digital & Technology Award at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards (2019); World’s 100 most influential people in digital government (2019); Woman of the Year awarded by Women in IT Excellence (2019) and 2020 Asian Tech Pioneer. Named in 2021 Connected Britain’s Top 100 Influencers and Stroeous Award Winner: Global Positive Impact Leader of the Year 2021.
Jacqueline was awarded CBE for Services to International Trade in Technology in the Queen’s New Year Honours list in 2018. Jacqueline was also Independent Non-Executive Director of Costain plc.
Jacqueline is happily married to Roger Andrews. Between them they have three grown-up children, a growing brood of grandchildren and two dogs. Yoga and meditation is how she finds her balance.
