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Steve Leach Joins Code First Girls as Chair: Driving Growth, Inclusion and Global Impact
Code First Girls is thrilled to welcome Steve Leach as our new Chair. With over 20 years of executive leadership at Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS), Steve has spent his career helping organisations worldwide transform their workforces, scale operations, and build inclusive, future-ready teams. His appointment marks a pivotal moment as Code First Girls enters a new chapter of growth and global influence.
A global leader with proven impact
Steve’s career has been defined by his ability to understand client needs at every level and translate them into actionable, scalable workforce strategies. At AMS, he led initiatives across continents, helping companies navigate skills gaps, expand global operations, and build diverse teams capable of adapting to rapid technological change.
His experience ranges from crafting inclusive recruitment strategies to closing critical skills shortages, and his expertise will directly inform Code First Girls’ ambition to grow both in the UK and internationally.
Meeting the urgent skills challenge
The demand for tech talent is intensifying globally. By the end of this year, the UK alone will need an additional 3 million skilled workers, while organisations everywhere are seeking expertise in AI, Cyber Security, and Data – key areas that will define the workforces of tomorrow.
At Code First Girls, we’ve proudly trained over 250,000 women so far and partnered with more than 130 organisations worldwide. Our goal has always been clear: to break down barriers and create pathways for underrepresented talent to thrive in tech careers.
Steve’s appointment comes at a time when companies and governments alike must rethink how they attract, train, and retain talent. His track record of delivering large-scale, client-focused solutions makes him uniquely positioned to guide Code First Girls as we scale our impact.
Recruit, Train, Deploy: Building future-ready teams
Steve brings decades of experience in building scalable, inclusive talent strategies, most notably through the Recruit, Train, Deploy (RTD) model – an approach that identifies potential, develops role-specific skills, and deploys talent directly into positions.
At Code First Girls, our model allows companies to tap into immediate talent pools and fill critical skills gaps, particularly across key tech areas like AI, Cyber Security, and Data. Our model opens doors for career-switchers, returners, recent graduates, and underrepresented groups, while ensuring candidates align with both technical requirements and organisational culture.
Steve’s extensive background in designing inclusive recruitment strategies and closing critical skills gaps makes him an ideal champion for Code First Girls as we enter a new chapter and bring our RTD offering to market.
Building a globally competitive UK tech workforce
Under Steve’s Chairmanship, Code First Girls will continue our commitment to breaking down barriers and creating inclusive pathways that empower women and underrepresented talent to thrive in tech.
In the UK specifically, he envisions a future where the UK tech ecosystem is more agile, more competitive globally, and home to a richly diverse talent pool prepared to harness emerging technologies.
Steve’s vision is clear: the next technology supercycle will be won by those who invest in people – building diverse, motivated, and skilled teams capable of harnessing emerging technologies.
Scaling impact: Steering Code First Girls into its global future
As Chair, Steve will also help steer Code First Girls into its next phase of growth and global impact. Leveraging decades of experience in building scalable, inclusive talent solutions, he will drive the placement of thousands more women into high-demand roles in tech, while championing the expansion of Code First Girls (talent attraction) and Code First Teams (employee training solutions) model in the UK and into international markets.
He will build upon the standard for creating diverse, future-ready workforces, working closely with the leadership team to forge strategic partnerships across government, industry, and education, and elevate digital skills as a national and global priority.
With Steve at the helm, Code First Girls is set to evolve from a UK pioneer into a global talent partner, equipping thousands more women with the skills to thrive and giving organisations worldwide the talent pipelines they need to compete and innovate.
GET IN TOUCH WITH CODE FIRST GIRLS
Get in touch with Code First Girls to learn more about how we can help you build a diverse talent pipeline, and upskill your employees, to create a future-ready workforce.