Future Gazing: where next for local gov tech in 2026?

Lorna Ingwell

Senior Researcher, Tussell

Tussell was founded in 2015 to fill a gap in the market for the provision of useful and reliable information on government contracts and spending. By consolidating trillions of pounds worth of public procurement data into a single platform, Tussell provides an unparalleled vantage point over the UK public procurement landscape.

As Senior Researcher, Lorna’s goal is to accelerate Tussell’s market-leading insight on UK public contracts and spending. Lorna studied Economics at Cardiff University, and has previously worked in Research and marketing for streaming service, Disney+ and Omnicom Media Group.

Nadav Mordechai

Director of Product and Strategy, Elsewhen

Nadav is a seasoned product and people leader with over 15 years of experience driving innovation and growth. He helps organisations develop and launch new products, streamline operations, and tackle complex business challenges. With a unique combination of industry and consulting expertise, Nadav has worked with leading companies such as JPMorgan, Octopus, and Spotify to deliver exceptional digital experiences that drive business success. His proven ability to align teams and strategies has consistently led to outstanding results across various sectors.

Tiffany St James

Chief AI Officer, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Tiffany St James is the Chief AI Officer for Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. This role is the first public sector regional CAIO in the UK and the first public sector CAIO in post.

Tiffany is an award-winning AI and digital strategist and leadership psychologist, recognised for her pioneering contributions to digital transformation in government and public services. With over two decades of experience spanning central and local government, global organisations, and the private sector, she brings a unique blend of strategic leadership, technical understanding, and public impact.

Tiffany is the UK Country Director for the Global AI Council, promoting AI Literacy, Ethics, and AI for Good. She has trained over 10,000 professionals in practical digital and AI skills, delivered AI and digital capability programmes to more than 70 local authorities across the UK, and served as an AI leadership consultant to national and international organisations.

She authored the UK’s first State of the Nation report on AI in Adult Social Care across 23 councils in the North West, for NW ADASS, providing frameworks and resources now available to all local authorities. Tiffany also advises the Data for London Advisory Board at the Greater London Authority and has supported the development of AI and digital strategies across government bodies.

Her early public service work includes launching Directgov (precursor to GOV.UK) as its first Communications Director, leading the creation of DATA.GOV.UK in collaboration with Sir Tim Berners-Lee, and serving as the UK Government’s first Head of Public Participation, a global first in digital policy co-creation. She led all digital communications for the Grenfell Response Team in Gold Command, designing the strategy and overseeing crisis communications delivery.

Tiffany previously held the roles of Chief Digital Officer and Director of Residents’ Experience at Lambeth Council, where she developed and implemented cross-council digital transformation strategies and governance for over 100 digital projects.

Tiffany’s previous work has also straddled digital transformation in both public and private sector through the consultancy she founded Transmute; socio-economic development, raising funds for international development projects in the Wellbeing sector through Vitalis Capital and as a global keynote speaker on technology for 15 years.

She has been recognised as one of 25 women who have shaped the British digital industry over the past 25 years and holds multiple national and international awards for her contributions to digital strategy and leadership.

Ben Unsworth

Director Digital and Technology, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

No bio provided