ETIH Innovation Awards 2026: judges spotlight on Saira Khan
Learning, workforce capability, and digital transformation expertise across fintech and financial services bring a skills-focused perspective to the judging panel.
We’re pleased to welcome Saira Khan to the ETIH Innovation Awards 2026 judging panel, completing this year’s lineup with experience spanning financial services, digital innovation, and workforce development.
As part of our ETIH Innovation Awards 2026 spotlight series, we’ve been announcing the judges who will review entries across this year’s categories.
Each judge has been selected for practical experience, sector insight, and the ability to assess impact in real-world environments. Khan joins Catherine Buckler, Neil Almond, Al Kingsley MBE, Tina Austin, Jack Dowling, Richard Govada Joshua, Kate Owbridge, Emma Thompson, and Scott Thompson on the panel.
Judge profile
Saira Khan, Head of Innovation and Partnerships at first direct (HSBC), joins the judging panel with a background spanning workforce capability, digital transformation, and fintech innovation.
Her work focuses on workforce capability and skills development, particularly how organisations build confidence in using emerging technologies. She has led programmes that support colleagues to adopt new tools, embed digital-first ways of working, and develop the skills needed to operate in AI-driven environments. This is paired with large-scale culture change initiatives, ensuring adoption is backed by real capability, not just access.
Alongside this, Khan has led innovation teams and programmes across the United Kingdom, Asia, and the United States, working across retail banking, wealth, and corporate settings. This includes developing and testing new business models, delivering open banking initiatives, and applying data and AI in commercial environments.
She has also played a key role in connecting startups with established financial institutions, enabling collaboration that supports both innovation and workforce readiness. This includes leading global hackathons and building fintech partnerships that translate into real-world application.
Alongside her commercial work, Khan mentors talent across Africa, Asia, and the United States, with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and access to opportunity. Her work in this area reflects a continued focus on building future skills pipelines and supporting the next generation of talent.
She has been recognised in the Innovate Finance Women in FinTech Powerlist and is a regular speaker on digital transformation, skills development, and fintech innovation.
Her perspective on the judging panel brings a clear focus on how technology is implemented in practice, how it supports learning and workforce development, and how organisations measure impact beyond adoption.
As part of the ETIH Innovation Awards 2026, she will contribute to an independent judging process that brings together educators, researchers, and industry specialists to evaluate submissions based on implementation, adoption, and measurable outcomes.
Shortlist announcement
Entries for the ETIH Innovation Awards 2026 are now closed following a strong global response, with submissions now under review by an independent judging panel.
The shortlist will be announced on Monday, 13 April 2026, with winners revealed on Monday, 11 May 2026.
