Public Sector Tech Talks…In Conversation with Helen Wylie, Director General and CDIO, DWP Digital
10am – 4pm5 October 2026
London
techUK, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD
Join techUK for the next session of our Public Sector Tech Talks
For this edition, we are delighted to welcome Helen Wylie, Director General for Digital and Transformation and Chief Digital and Information Officer at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), for an in-person fireside chat.
DWP is the UK's largest government department, delivering vital services to millions of citizens. As the department continues its ambitious digital and transformation journey, this session offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from the leader shaping that agenda. This session will be exploring Helen's vision for DWP Digital, the challenges of modernising services at scale, and what meaningful engagement with the supplier market looks like in practice.
Join us as we hear about Helen's career journey, her priorities as CDIO and Director General, and her ambitions for the future of digital services at DWP.
About Helen Wylie
Helen Wylie is Director General for Digital and Transformation at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), a role she was appointed to in May 2025. She is also Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) at DWP, a position she took up in November 2024 and retains as part of her current remit.
Helen joined DWP in 2018 and, prior to becoming CDIO, held a number of Digital Director roles across the department, most recently as Chief Technology Officer. Throughout her time at DWP, she has played a central role in the department's service modernisation agenda, helping to shape the organisation for the future.
Before joining the Civil Service, Helen held senior technology and digital delivery roles across both the public and private sectors, including at the Bank of England, Experian, and TNT Post Group. She is strongly people-focused and passionate about improving the vital public services DWP provides.
Heather Cover-Kus
Associate Director, Central Government and Education, techUK
Heather Cover-Kus
Associate Director, Central Government and Education, techUK
Heather is Associate Director, Central Government and Education at techUK, working to represent the tech supplier community to Central Government.
She started as Head of Central Government at techUK in April 2022 and was promoted to Associate Director in August 2025 supporting both the Central Government and Education programmes.
Prior to joining techUK in April 2022, Heather worked in the Economic Policy and Small States Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat. She led the organisation’s FinTech programme and worked to create an enabling environment for developing countries to take advantage of the socio-economic benefits of FinTech.
Before moving to the UK, Heather worked at the Office of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas and the Central Bank of The Bahamas.
Heather holds a Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP, a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from LSE, and a BA in Economics and Sociology from Macalester College.
Ellie joined techUK in March 2018 as a Programme Assistant to the Public Sector team and now works as a Programme Manager for the Central Government Programme.
The programme represents the supplier community of technology products and services in Central Government – in summary working to make Government a more informed buyer, increasing supplier visibility in order to improve their chances of supplying to Government Departments, and fostering better engagement between the public sector and industry. To find out more about what we do, how we do this and how you can get involved – make sure to get in touch!
Prior to joining techUK, Ellie completed Sixth Form in June 2015 and went on to work in Waitrose, moved on swiftly to walking dogs and finally, got an office job working for a small local business in North London, where she lives with her family and their two Bengal cats Kai and Nova.
When she isn’t working Ellie likes to spend time with her family and friends, her cats, and enjoys volunteering for diabetes charities. She has a keen interest in writing, escaping with a good book and expanding her knowledge watching far too many quiz shows!
Junior Programme Manager - Central Government, techUK
Charles Bauman
Junior Programme Manager - Central Government, techUK
Charles Bauman is a Junior Programme Manager in the Central Government Programme at techUK.
He supports the programme’s mission to represent the technology supplier community to the UK government and advocate for digital innovation to address public sector challenges. Charles helps facilitate market engagement, foster partnerships, and ensure that tech suppliers and the government work collaboratively to improve outcomes, deliver value for money, and enhance public services for citizens.
Before joining techUK, Charles gained significant experience in research, analysis, and strategic advisory roles. At H/Advisors Cicero, he specialised in public affairs and corporate communications, while at Verdantix, he supported sustainability research and advisory projects, focusing on regulatory and environmental challenges.
Charles holds an MSc in Theory and History of International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and an MA in Medieval History from King’s College London.
Charles enjoys volunteering with a think tank, reading, hiking, and spending time with his dog and family outside of work.
techUK members are transforming public services in the UK. Our community help to shape a smarter, digitally empowered public sector.
techUK drives public sector digital transformation by uniting the public sector and tech industry. Through early market engagement, efficient procurement, and innovative technology adoption, we help to modernise legacy IT, and enable efficient, secure, and personalised services.
Get involved: We run a busy calendar of activity including events, reports, and insights that demonstrate some of the most significant digital transformation opportunities for the sector. Our Transforming Public Services Hub is where you will find details of all upcoming activities. We also send a monthly public services newsletter to which you can subscribe here.
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techUK unites the public sector and tech industry. Through early market engagement, procurement, and technology adoption, we help to modernise legacy IT, and enable efficient, secure, and personalised services. Click here to see more events, reports, and insights on this topic.
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