Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2014/01/01/so_which_people_you_read_about_in_the_iregisteri_got_gongs_in_the_honours_list/

So, which people you read about in The Register got gongs in the Honours list?

Trollhunter General, Nathan Barleys figure prominently

By Lewis Page

Posted in Legal, 1st January 2014 09:00 GMT

It's New Year's again, which means that another Honours list has been issued by the British government, designating those who will henceforth go through life with some more letters after their name and a new gong dangling from their formal eveningwear.

Many of these people are of only marginal if any interest to Reg readers, but some are covered or may be covered in these pages so it makes sense to give them a mention. In no particular order:

Warren East, who recently stepped down after 12 years as head of famous chip designer ARM, becomes a CBE.

Michael Acton Smith, whose companies have given the world gizmo etailer Firebox and kiddy virtual-playland Moshi Monsters, becomes an OBE - one rank lower. Interestingly, however, the BBC appeared to consider Smith's achievements more noteworthy than those of East: and the official Honours press release includes Smith among the notables and fails to mention East at all.

Also honoured in the field of startups'n'entrepreneurship were Ms Penny Power, "the Founder of Ecademy, promoting entrepreneurship in social and digital development" (OBE) and Michael Hayman, "entrepreneur and founder of StartUp Britain" (MBE). There's an OBE for Joanna Shields, head of the "Tech City" government push to create a white-hot technology business zone in East London, which has seen hundreds of "digital businesses" spring up in the area (many, sad to say, with a distinctly Nathan Barley air about them - or no particular tech aspects at all other than having a website).

In law-n-order, the lately departed government Trollhunter General Keir Starmer gets a knighthood for his services in the battle against offensive Tweeters and the other feats he performed in a long legal career.

Other somewhat-IT-related figures honoured include Michael Bracken, executive director of the Government Digital Service (CBE), Dr Jennifer Tennison of the Open Data Institute (OBE), Ofcom honcho Colette Bowe (CBE) and Richard Eyre of the Internet Advertising Bureau (CBE).

The full lists can be found here. ®