Name: Building the Smarter State 2025
Start: 2025-09-09T23:00:00.000Z
End: 2025-09-09T23:00:00.000Z
Location: London

About this event

Building the Smarter State is techUK’s flagship public services conference and the go-to event for public sector digital leaders.

The Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, published in January 2025, sets out a bold vision for transforming the UK public sector, closing the gap between current service delivery and growing citizen expectations. With government ready to harness technology for real impact, this year’s Building the Smarter State will focus on taking the public sector From Blueprint to Brilliance. It’s the place to connect public sector and industry leaders to turn ambition into delivery.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZSah0cxn7ec

The annual event welcomes over 200 senior leaders and decision-makers from across government and the technology industry to showcase how innovation is reshaping public services today and building the smarter state of tomorrow.

Previous speakers have included Digital Ministers, Chief Commercial Officers, and Chief Digital and Information Officers from Whitehall departments, local government, and UK cities.

We are delighted to confirm that Sir Mark Rowley, QPM, Commissioner of Metropolitan Police will deliver the morning keynote. You will also hear from Rob Thompson (Home Office), Sue Bateman (Defra), and leaders from Cisco, Leidos, Cognizant, Tussell, Netcompany, CACI, Elsewhen, HMRC and Leeds City Council.

What you’ll take away from the day:

Turn vision into action: Explore how to deliver on the 2025 Blueprint for Modern Digital Government with real-world case studies and lessons from leaders already making it happen.
Smarter procurement and partnership approaches: Enable faster scaling and help innovation progress past pilots.
Harness the power of AI and data: Apply ethical frameworks and deliver practical, high-impact deployments that improve services and outcomes.
Build digital resilience from the ground up: Create secure, interoperable platforms that stand the test of time.
Equip your teams for success: Grow digital, data and multi-disciplinary skills across your organisation with proven strategies.

Why this event?

Proven platform: Event in its 11th year, historically draws a capacity audience, trusted by a community of techUK members and public sector attendees.

Who should attend?

Public sector leaders and practitioners: Shape delivery with peers, share lessons, and take home practical tools.
Industry and partners: Meet decision-makers, understand demand, and help scale what works.

Agenda

Wednesday 10 September 2025

09:00–09:30
Registration & networking breakfast
10:50–11:10
Coffee break
12:30–13:30
Lunch break
09:40–09:50
Sponsor Keynote Address - Sarah Walker, Chief Executive Cisco UK & Ireland
Hear from Sarah Walker, Chief Executive for Cisco UK & Ireland, a visionary leader driving digital innovation across over 40 business areas and advising the UK Government’s Board of Trade.
15:00–15:15
Coffee break
16:05–16:40
Public Sector Tech Talk with Rob Thompson, Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer, Home Office
The session is part of a regular series of fireside chats with senior public sector figures, exploring their drivers, priorities and challenges, and aiming to improve the dialogue across the public sector tech ecosystem and set the scene for more meaningful market engagement. We are excited to hear from Rob, the new Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer at the Home Office.
11:20–11:55
Fund for Outcomes; Procure for Growth and Innovation (Powered by Tussell)
The Blueprint for Modern Digital Government sets out the government’s aim to “make use of [its] scale to unlock greater value and procure in a way that drives creation of responsible, inclusive and secure technologies and benefits the public, public services and UK businesses including SMEs.” This session explores the tech procurement landscape and what procuring for growth and innovation could look like.
13:45–14:10
Joining up Public Services – the opportunities and obstacles
Join up public sector services” is a key priority in the six-point plan for government digital reform laid out in the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government. The session will explore what good joined up services look like and the difference that can make to the citizen experience. It will also examine the challenges to reaching this ideal.
09:30–09:40
techUK Welcome - Julian David OBE, CEO, techUK
13:30–13:45
Report Launch: Financing the Future; Building the Smarter State Through Digital Public Services
Financing the Future: Building a Smarter State through Digital Public Services” is techUK’s latest report from its Public Services Board developed together with Henham Strategy. The publication examines how outdated funding models and rigid procurement practices are holding back innovation and makes the case for a fundamental shift in approach to procurement processes and funding models for digital procurement.
16:55–17:10
Closing remarks – Matt Evans, COO and Director of Markets, techUK
11:10–11:20
Keynote address - Sir Mark Rowley, QPM, Commissioner of Metropolitan Police
Sir Mark Rowley, QPM, Commissioner of Metropolitan Police will deliver the morning keynote address on Precision Policing.
10:05–10:50
Opening Panel Session– Building the Modern Digital Government
This session will reflect on the priorities and progress of the landmark Blueprint for Modern Digital Government report, including the opportunities and challenges it presents. It aims to engage both Civil Servants and private sector partners on how we can work together to advance the ambitions of the Blueprint and build a more responsive and smarter state.
15:15–16:05
Strengthen and Extend Digital Public Infrastructure (Powered by Leidos)
"Our infrastructure needs to be stronger than ever before to protect against current and future threats. … [and] to build and maintain public trust and confidence.” – Blueprint for Modern Digital Government. This session will review the current state of digital and data public infrastructure and explore how industry can work with government to strengthen it.
14:10–15:00
Connecting the Dots: How Shared Data Can Make Government Smarter (powered by Netcompany)
This session will explore how shared data infrastructure can enable more joined-up, responsive, and trusted public services. The panel will look at what it takes to build the right foundations - from common digital components to data governance - and how these efforts can support more data-driven decision-making across government. We'll reflect on lessons from Denmark and other countries, consider the role of AI as an accelerator, and discuss practical steps for the UK to unlock value and strengthen public trust through better use of connected data.
11:55–12:30
Rewiring the state – insights from permanent secretaries (Powered by Cognizant)
How can the UK government “rewire the state” to deliver better outcomes for citizens in a fast-changing world? In this session, Yatin Mahandru (Cognizant) and Siobhan Benita (former senior civil servant) will discuss the leadership, skills, and system-level changes needed for genuine transformation. Drawing on insights from inside and outside government, they’ll explore both the challenges and the opportunities of getting reform right. This conversation will offer a first look at the themes of a major new study by Global Government Forum with 12 Permanent Secretaries, led by Lord Gud O’Donnell and supported by Cognizant and AWS, ahead of its full release.
Join us for this thought-provoking session and be part of the conversation on how the UK can build a government that is better able to deliver for citizens.
16:40–16:55
Afternoon keynote