Aileen Wynne, an ICS Fellow working at AIB, has become an IBM Champion, recognising her work as an advocate for the mainframe community. IBM Champions are IT professionals, business leaders, developers, or educators who influence and mentor others advocating for IBM’s community, products, and technology. The Champions become part of a large international network of experts in many fields who are happy to share their knowledge and expertise, as well as an increased visibility to broaden their scope of influence. As of 2024, the program has elected 1,155 professionals in over 60 countries.

Ms. Wynne volunteers on the GSE UK Conference organising committee and founded the Women in IT stream there. She has also spoken at a number events of the wonders of working on the legendary mainframe and encouraging young people into the mainframe community.

Ms. Wynne says, “I was excited and delighted to become an IBM Champion. It’s an honour to be recognised as an advocate for the mainframe community, bringing new people to the platform, and also for Women in STEM and IT.

“It’s vital that we bring new and younger, people into the mainframe community and onto the platform as it’s going to be around a long time. I’m privileged to be a second generation mainframer, following my father’s footsteps in AIB. While mainframes aren’t seen as the newest, most innovative technology, people use them all the time without realising (have you used your credit card lately, or booked a flight?) and it’s a platform that’s constantly updating, evolving and changing to be what the business needs at the time. The mainframe is 60 years old this year, and I can see it running for another 60, though, as always, the mainframe of the future will not be the same as the current AI infused, hybrid cloud based models of today.”