Meri is a leader of technology organisations, most recently the Delivery team at the Government Digital Service (which built GOV.UK). Previously she worked in Procter & Gamble's Global Business Services organisation for 10 years, starting out as a developer, then moving on to project & product management and then engineering/ops management.

Since she studied Computer Science with a focus on artificial intelligence, she still thinks of herself as a proper geek and imagines she always has a soldering iron in her back pocket, though sadly the reality isn't so cool.

A previous winner of the BCS Young IT Professional of the Year in the UK IT Industry Awards, she sponsors prizes & scholarships to help more girls start STEM careers in her hometown of Stellenbosch, South Africa. In her spare time she enjoys baking, gaming, surfing and has a newfound obsession with hot smoking Texas-style BBQ.