Tom Gray, now a strategic advisor to Kainos plc, started working at the company in 1990 and served as its chief technology officer for 20 years.
He was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to the IT Sector award at the Belfast Telegraph IT Awards in partnership with Telefónica Tech UK&I.
Tom was one of 19 winners announced at the glittering ceremony on Friday night at Belfast’s MAC Theatre.
It was hosted by comedian Andrew Ryan and attended by hundreds of people from the IT industry in Northern Ireland.
It’s the sixth year in which the Belfast Telegraph has held the IT Awards, and the fifth year of its long-running partnership with Telefónica Tech UK&I.
Martyn Bullerwell, CEO of Telefónica Tech UK&I, said: “We at Telefónica Tech are delighted once again to be the title sponsor of the Belfast Telegraph IT Awards.
“These awards help showcase Northern Ireland’s exceptional IT talent and the significant innovation within the sector.
“I want to wholeheartedly congratulate all of the people, companies, teams, and departments amongst the winners and indeed on the shortlist this year.
“It has been a true honour and fantastic night celebrating the winners of the 2025 Belfast Telegraph IT awards in partnership with Telefónica Tech.”
Martyn Bullerwell, CEO Telefonica Tech; Ellen Dickson, Telefonica Tech; Tom Gray, Kainos plc, and Margaret Canning, Business Editor, Belfast Telegraph, at the Belfast Telegraph IT Awards 2025 in partnership with Telefonica Tech. Pic: Peter Morrison
Eoin Brannigan, editor-in-chief of the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life, said: “Congratulations to all our winners tonight – you should be very proud of your achievements.
“It’s been fantastic for us to hold the IT Awards, joining forces with Telefónica Tech UK&I for the fifth year in a row.
“Thank you to Telefónica Tech for their support, and for helping us stage the most eagerly-awaited event in the IT industry calendar.
“We’re so grateful to our judging panel, led by Peter Russell, for their hard work in choosing the winners from a really stunning range of entries this year.”
Mr Gray was praised by the judging panel as “somewhat of an understated legend in the NI software industry”.
The panel said: “Having invested a career with NI indigenous firm Kainos, in 2025 Tom stepped down from his role as group chief technology officer and director of innovation.
“In addition to his contributions at the company level, where he has been a superb advocate for early tech talent – Tom stands out for his dedication to the wider software industry and for helping the entire ecosystem thrive as it does today.
“This has seen him volunteer countless hours, days, months and years advising and advocating for initiatives that have helped accelerate the industry – further borne out in his countless commitments to initiatives with universities, schools, the sponsoring of programmes, and as a founding member of Software NI.”
And they said he showed no signs of slowing down despite retiring earlier this year, leading development of a report by Matrix NI on AI and the future of work, and accepting an appointment as Professor of AI and innovation at Ulster University.
Winners of the 2025 Belfast Telegraph IT Awards in partnership with Telefónica Tech UK&I
Best Public Sector or Third Sector IT Project of the Year sponsored by Allstate
Winner: Business Services Organisation – encompass
AI Project of the Year sponsored by Fujitsu
Winner: Liberty IT
Cybersecurity Project of the Year sponsored by eir evo
Winner: Clanmil Housing Group
IT Project of the Year sponsored by Ocho People
Winner: Business Services Organisation – encompass
Mobile App of the Year sponsored by Options IT
Winner: Cranmore Consulting
Young IT Professional of the Year sponsored by Leaf IT
Winner: James Galbraith, Cranmore
Best Place to Work in IT – under 100 employees sponsored by Kindred Collection
Locate a Locum
Best Place to Work in IT – 100 employees or more sponsored by NI Jobfinder
Winner: Allstate
IT Supplier of the Year sponsored by Openreach
Salt Communications
IT Services Company of the Year sponsored by S3 Creative
Winner: StormHarvester
IT Woman of the Year sponsored by Ulster University
Alison McFadden, Continu
Development Team of the Year sponsored by ARC Regulatory
Rapid 7 AppSec Team
Data Scientist of the Year sponsored by Bearing Point
Aileen Ward, Allstate
Excellence in Workplace Health and Wellbeing sponsored by NB1
Fujitsu
IT Team or Department of the Year sponsored by Tata Consultancy Services
Continu
Best Use of CSR sponsored by Expleo
Options IT
IT Professional of the Year sponsored by Hubflow
Eve Brennan, Business Insider
Overall IT Team or Company of the Year 2025 sponsored by Telefónica Tech
Options IT
Outstanding Contribution to the IT Sector sponsored by Telefónica Tech
Tom Gray