Aurora celebrating women in the UK games industry announced

• In an award presentation live at Pocket Gamer Connects London 2026, Aurora: Celebrating women in the UK games industry announces 10 women shaping the industry
• Recipients span creative direction, games development, recruitment, operations, law, sustainability and advocacy

Aurora: Celebrating Women in the UK Games Industry has announced its 2025 award recipients, recognising 10 women whose work has made a significant and sustained impact across the UK games sector.

Aurora was created to spotlight women and non-binary people whose contributions extend beyond individual projects to strengthen the wider ecosystem from studio leadership and operational resilience to inclusion, sustainability and industry-wide change.

This year’s awards attracted a high volume of nominations, reflecting the depth and breadth of talent across the UK industry.

Leadership, operations and studio resilience

Kate Booth, Melissa Phillips and Catherine Bygrave were recognised for strengthening the foundations that allow creative work to succeed.

Their work spans studio operations, leadership development, and commercial strategy, supporting teams through growth, complexity, and change while embedding long-term thinking and sustainable decision-making.

Communication, recruitment and access

Jacki Vause and Liz Prince were honoured for reshaping how talent is seen, supported and hired within the industry.

Vause has influenced how studios and leaders are represented globally, helping elevate women-led teams and normalise women as authoritative voices in games communications. Prince has delivered long-term, practical change in inclusive hiring, providing studios with frameworks that are actively used across the sector.

Creative leadership and sustainability

Jane Whittaker and Jennifer Estaris were recognised for creative leadership that has shaped both games and the wider industry.

Whittaker’s four-decade career includes genre-defining titles and pioneering technical systems, alongside senior leadership across major global studios. Estaris combines award-winning creative direction with sustainability leadership, embedding environmental thinking into game development and industry dialogue.

Impact beyond studios

Jude Ower and Dr Marie-Claire Isaaman were honoured for driving impact beyond individual studios.

Ower’s work connects games with environmental and social action through data-driven platforms and international partnerships. Isaaman’s leadership of Women in Games has expanded global support structures for gender equity and strengthened accountability across the industry.

People-centred leadership at scale

Nicky Ormrod was recognised for integrating legal leadership with workforce strategy at SEGA Europe, supporting inclusive culture and organisational resilience through periods of industry and regulatory change.

Congratulations to all

Together, these 10 recipients reflect the breadth of talent within the UK games industry. Their work highlights both the progress made so far and the foundations being built for what comes next.