Biography of Steve Shirley

Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley (born Vera Stephanie Buchthal on 16 September 1933 in Dortmund; died 9 August 2025) was a German-born British technology entrepreneur and philanthropist. She came to Britain with her sister on the Kindertransport in 1939, founded the software company Freelance Programmers in 1962 and became a formative voice for women in computing.

Childhood and arrival in England

Shirley was born into a Jewish family in Germany. As a child she escaped Nazi persecution and reached Britain without her parents. She was raised by foster parents in the West Midlands and later attended school in Oswestry. The early separation remained part of her life story; she often spoke about making meaningful use of the life that had been saved.

Into computing

After school Shirley worked in British computing and telecommunications, including at the Post Office Research Station in Dollis Hill. In an industry where women had little access to advancement, she met barriers early. In 1962 she founded Freelance Programmers from her dining table. The company offered software work to qualified women who had been pushed out of paid work by marriage, children or the absence of flexible working models.

"Steve" and a different working world

Because business letters under a female name were often ignored, Shirley signed correspondence with the nickname "Steve". The company later grew under the names F International and Xansa and employed thousands of people over the years. Its working model combined home-based work, employee ownership, job sharing and the serious use of women's expertise in software development long before today's digital workplace.

Philanthropy

After business success Shirley gave away much of her wealth. Her son Giles was autistic; this family experience shaped her focus on support, education and research for autistic people. Her projects included Autism at Kingwood, Prior's Court, Autistica and support for information technology, including the Oxford Internet Institute.

Recognition and death

Shirley was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire and in 2017 became a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. She remained present as a speaker, writer and donor. Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley died after a short illness on 9 August 2025. She was 91 years old.