Joanna Shields

Joanna Shields (Baroness Shields OBE) is an experienced technology executive and visionary leader with a successful track record building some of the world’s best-known companies. Her career spans over 30 years and has focussed on harnessing the power of technology to break down barriers and drive change that improves connectivity, humanity and society. Joanna is currently Group CEO of BenevolentAI, a world leader in the use of AI for scientific discovery. Since its founding in 2013, the company has pioneered the development and application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand the underlying causes of disease, accelerate drug discovery and develop new medicines for hard to treat diseases. Prior to joining BenevolentAI, Joanna served as the UK’s first Minister for Internet Safety and Security, a Special Advisor to the UK Government on the Digital Economy, and Chair & CEO of TechCityUK. During this time, she also founded WePROTECT, a global alliance to protect children from online abuse and exploitation. Prior to her work in government, Joanna spent 25 years in leadership positions at companies such as Facebook, Bebo (acq. by Aol), Google, Decru (acq. by NetApp), RealNetworks, Veon (acq. by Philips) and EFI. Joanna has also served as a non-executive director of the London Stock Exchange Group and Talk Talk. In 2014, Joanna was appointed OBE in the New Year’s Honours List for “services to digital industries and voluntary service to young people” and made a Life Peer of the House of Lords.