Lily co-founded Cambridge software company RealVNC in 2002. As Executive Vice-President, she was responsible for much of the initial commercial strategy, including the first use in a technology company of what is now known as crowdfunding. The company has continued to grow organically without external investment, and is one of the UK’s most successful technology companies winning a remarkable three Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in three years.
In 2013, Lily was part of the team that received the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award for engineering innovation and commercialisation. Amongst many other things, she is responsible for the company’s substantial corporate social responsibility programme, instigating sponsorship and support of the arts, charities and education in the region and nationally. She is a trustee of Cambridge Arts Theatre and East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices
Lily was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire in 2018.