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Fellow of BCS (FBCS), Fellow of IET (FIET), Chartered Engineer (C.Eng), Batchelor of Engineering (B.Eng), MPLA Graduate.
Rob is an accomplished CDIO & CTO. He spearheads digital, technology and innovation at the UK Home Office. Renowned for strategic vision and impactful leadership, he excels in digital transformation, digital product development, and leading large-scale IT organisations, delivering critical services in complex organisations.
Rob joined the Home Office as CTO in 2018 and has recently transitioned to the role of CDIO, setting the department 2030 Digital Strategy which has recently been published on GOV.UK.
In addition to his role at the Home Office, Rob is also a Non-Executive Director & Trustee of the British Computer Society, supporting the wider UK IT industry.
Public Sector Tech Talk with Rob Thompson, Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer, Home Office Wednesday @ 4:05 PM
Joining up Public Services – the opportunities and obstacles Wednesday @ 1:45 PM
Harness the Power of AI for Public Good (Powered by Cognizant) Wednesday @ 11:55 AM
Heather is Head of Central Government Programme at techUK, working to represent the supplier community of tech products and services to Central Government.
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.
Public Sector Tech Talk with Rob Thompson, Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer, Home Office Wednesday @ 4:05 PM
Julian David is the CEO of techUK, the leading technology trade association that aims to realise the positive outcomes that digital technology can achieve for People, Society, the Economy and the Planet.
He leads techUK’s 100+ strong team representing 1,100+ British based tech companies, comprising global and national champions and more than 600 SMEs and ScaleUP companies. techUK is the voice of the tech industry in the UK with 21 member led programmes covering all of tech from ‘Chips to Clicks’ and addressing 11 market sectors from Defence and Central Government, through to Health, Consumer Electronics and Financial Services.
In 2021 techUK launched TechSkills, the employer-led accreditation organisation that aims to improve the flow of talent into the digital workforce and open up access for all to high value tech jobs.
Julian represents techUK on a number of external bodies including the Digital Economy Council, the National Cyber Security Advisory Council and the Department of Business and Trade’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group. He is member of the NTA Advisory Board of DIGITALEUROPE and is a member of the Board of the Health Innovation Network the South London Academic Health Science Network.
Julian has over thirty years of experience in the technology industry. Prior to joining techUK, he had a series of leadership roles at IBM including Vice President for Small and Medium Business and Public Sector. After leaving IBM he worked as a consultant helping tech SMEs establish successful operations in the U.K. His personal interests include Football (West Ham, Balham FC and Real Madrid) and Art.
techUK Welcome - Julian David OBE, CEO, techUK Wednesday @ 9:30 AM
Matthew Evans leads techUK’s Market Programme teams and is a member of the senior leadership team.
The Market Programme teams help techUK members apply innovative technology solutions across a range of sectors, including the Public Sector, Financial Services and Cyber.
Prior to his appointment in early 2019, Matt led techUK’s Smart Infrastructure and IoT work, as well as being CEO of the Broadband Stakeholder Group. During this time he led the telecoms industry’s approach to lowering the cost of network deployment, played a key role in coordinating it’s response to Brexit and was closely involved in the development of the Government’s Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review. He also assisted in the development of the UK’s first secure by design Code of Practice aimed at consumer IoT, oversaw the publication of a paper outlining the tech sector’s view of future mobility services and drove engagement around the use of digital twins.
Matt sits on the Steering Board of the Electric Vehicle Energy Taskforce, Digital Framework Task Group, andthe advisory board for the Prospering from the Energy Revolution industrial challenge fund.
Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked in Arqiva's public policy team, across the broadcast and telecoms markets. Before that he was a researcher for an MP at Westminster.
Closing remarks – Matt Evans, COO and Director of Markets, techUK Wednesday @ 4:55 PM
Focused on enabling secure, next generation, government services, Adele and her team work with complex ecosystems bringing value to government and their transformation agenda. Adele is passionate about closing the digital skills gap and works proactively with academia, start ups, government and large business to collaboratively establish regional training hubs and programmes to uplift skills across communities.
Prior to joining Cisco, Adele spent 17 years at Capgemini. As a Vice President she led a high performing cross functional team to deliver on their largest global account fulfilling programmes of national importance including BREXIT and COVID 19 support packages. She has also established and sat on innovation programme boards within the public sector focused on bringing a broad ecosystem of partner offers to support the transformation and SME agenda.
She is a trustee for the National Centre for Universities and Business and has a mature network across government, connecting MPs, lobby groups, SME tech partners and start ups and has featured in many tech publications including, Technology Record, IT Pro Journal and the New Statesman.
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https://www.cisco.com/c/en_uk/index.html
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Cisco
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@CiscoUKI
Opening Panel Session– Building the Modern Digital Government Wednesday @ 10:05 AM
Karl is an experienced Chief Information Officer (CIO) and has worked in the private, public and third sectors. He is currently the Group Chief Digital and Information Officer for the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology at Integrated Corporate Services where he is responsible for the delivery of core services, digital transformation, innovation, knowledge management and shared services.
Prior to joining BEIS Karl was CIO for Save the Children where he was responsible for the delivery of technology and digital services to support humanitarian, policy, advocacy, and fundraising activities. He has also held business technology leadership roles with web and sports media startups and led major change programmes for publishing leading publishers. His career in startups fostered his interest in how emerging technology can be applied to business problems.
Outside of work Karl is interested in education and sits on the boards of the Harris Federation, Bournemouth University, the Safe & Trusted AI Centre for Doctoral Training and King’s College London’s Department for Informatics Industry Advisory Board. In addition, he is on the global steering council for an international metaverse association.
Karl is also a keen runner and has completed many marathons.
Strengthen and Extend Digital Public Infrastructure (Powered by Leidos) Wednesday @ 3:15 PM
Peter Kyle was appointed Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on 5 July 2024, and is the member of parliament for Hove & Portslade.
Peter Kyle was first elected as MP for Hove and Portslade in 2015, and has twice been re-elected.
Before being appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology he was Shadow Secretary for Northern Ireland and Chair of the influential Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee, where he has served on the high-profile Carillion and Thomas Cook inquiries. Peter also chaired the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Southern Rail, and on Further Education and Lifelong Learning.
Since his election Peter has led campaigns in Parliament to protect victims of domestic abuse and reform family courts, to lower the voting age to 16, and proposed the amendment for a confirmatory public vote on Brexit. Locally he has supported affordable housing, campaigned against school cuts, worked with the council to create 1,000 local apprenticeships, and spearheaded the response to the Southern Rail crisis.
He campaigned for remain during the EU membership referendum, 2016. In June 2018, he said “Brexit is a big deal but it’s not a done deal”. In March 2019, alongside fellow Labour MP Phil Wilson, Peter put forward an amendment to Theresa May’s Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. Dubbed the “Kyle-Wilson” amendment, it aimed to pass the Withdrawal Agreement Bill on the condition that the deal on offer would go back to the British people through a confirmatory vote.
Peter overcame difficulties with severe dyslexia to return to school aged 25 and achieve a PhD in community economic development from Sussex University. In his earlier career he worked as an aid worker in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, helping children and young people whose lives had been radically affected by war. The orphanage he set up in Romania still exists today. He then moved on to work as a policy maker in the Cabinet Office, focusing on social exclusion.
Prior to his election Peter was deputy chief exective of ACEVO, the umbrella body for the voluntary sector, and he was head of youth employment charity Working for Youth.
He has lived in Hove for over 20 years.
Keynote Address - The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Wednesday @ 4:40 PM
Yatin is a thought leader and advisor with 40 years of experience in the public and private sectors supporting the delivery of complex, large-scale transformational programmes in the UK and globally. A member of the UK leadership team, in his role, Yatin sets and executes the growth strategy with a focus on how and where advances in technology can be beneficial to citizen services while delivering through empowered teams. He is certified coach, mediator and board-level advisor with an interest in developing future leaders and supporting boards in developing inclusive growth strategies.
Harness the Power of AI for Public Good (Powered by Cognizant) Wednesday @ 11:55 AM
Opening Panel Session– Building the Modern Digital Government Wednesday @ 10:05 AM
Joining up Public Services – the opportunities and obstacles Wednesday @ 1:45 PM
As CTO for the NHS, Sonia’s key priorities focus on delivering a clear vision of what successful digital transformation looks like at a national level. She is dedicated to strengthening the digital foundations of frontline organisations, ensuring equitable access to cutting-edge technology, and supporting local boards in taking ownership of their digital transformation strategies. Central to her mission is building a digitally confident workforce, capable of harnessing technology and data to empower citizens in managing their health and well-being in new, meaningful ways.
Opening Panel Session– Building the Modern Digital Government Wednesday @ 10:05 AM
Report Launch: Financing the Future; Building the Smarter State Through Digital Public Services Wednesday @ 1:30 PM
Opening Panel Session– Building the Modern Digital Government Wednesday @ 10:05 AM
Hannah Roden is the Digital Innovation Officer for the Integrated Digital Service, providing digital services for both Leeds City Council and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) in Leeds, with a passion for driving positive change through technology and connectivity. Hannah plays a pivotal role in driving strategic initiatives and fostering innovation. With a keen eye for identifying emerging trends and a strategic mindset, Hannah excels in developing and implementing innovative solutions that address complex challenges. Hannah is particularly passionate about AI, smart city initiatives and technology enabled care, aiming to harness innovation to enhance the quality of life for residents in Leeds and beyond.
Joining up Public Services – the opportunities and obstacles Wednesday @ 1:45 PM
Sir Mark Rowley QPM is a leader in national security, crisis and risk management and transformation with a policing career that spans more than 30 years.
Sir Mark joined West Midlands Police in 1987 after graduating from Cambridge. He would spend the first ten years of his career with the force before joining the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) as a Detective Superintendent.
He spent three years with NCIS before joining Surrey Police. He ultimately became Chief Constable of Surrey in 2008, lifting public confidence levels to the highest in the country under his leadership.
In 2011, Sir Mark joined the Metropolitan Police as an Assistant Commissioner, responsible for Specialist Crime and Operations. In 2014 he took over responsibility for UK counter terrorism policing, leading the police response to the terror attacks in the summer of 2017.
Sir Mark received a knighthood from Her Majesty the Queen in 2018 for his “exceptional contribution to national security and national leadership at a time of unprecedented threat and personally providing reassuring national leadership through the attacks of 2017”.
Sir Mark left policing in 2018 and spent four years working on specialist security projects and on technology/data-led transformation in the private sector. Sir Mark co-authored ‘Operating with Impunity’ with the Commission for Countering Extremism, which was published in 2021 and made recommendations to Government for a step change in the law’s ability to tackle modern extremism.
In April 2022, Sir Mark published ‘The Sleep of Reason’, his debut novel co-authored with journalist David Derbyshire.
He was appointed as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in July 2022, tasked with reforming the organisation and restoring public confidence after a period of unprecedented challenge.
He took up his post in September 2022 and has set out an ambitious agenda to rebuild the Met’s relationship with Londoners by delivering More Trust, Less Crime and High Standards through the New Met for London Plan.
Keynote address - Sir Mark Rowley, QPM, Commissioner of Metropolitan Police Wednesday @ 11:10 AM
Thomas Rysgaard Christiansen is a partner at Netcompany and works with governments across Europe to drive digital strategies and transformations. He joined Netcompany in 2023 as Head of Digital Government and oversees key initiatives, including the large-scale EU EUDI Wallet project.
Before joining Netcompany, Thomas gained extensive international experience in the public and private sectors. Most recently, he spent seven years as CEO of KOMBIT Inc., leading the procurement, development and implementation of efficient, integrated and user-friendly IT solutions for Denmark's state and local governments. With his technical and business expertise, he played a key role in modernising critical case management and self-service systems while ensuring the implementation of new digital infrastructures across all Danish municipalities and local authorities.
As a strong advocate of digitalisation and a connected public sector, Thomas brings extensive experience from both the public and private sectors to his approach to digital transformation. He is an active member of expert committees and leads several networks focused on digital development and transformation.
Out of Legacy into Modern Digital Government (powered by Netcompany) Wednesday @ 2:10 PM
Joining up Public Services – the opportunities and obstacles Wednesday @ 1:45 PM
Gus leads Tussell, the market’s trusted source of data on UK government contracts. He discovered the power of data when he started his career in investment banking at Lazard and other banks. Then he pivoted to building data-driven businesses, first at Thomson Reuters where he was a Managing Director, and then by founding Tussell. A few years on, Tussell is a high-growth and profitable software business
Fund for Outcomes; Procure for Growth and Innovation (Powered by Tussell) Wednesday @ 11:20 AM
As Chief Executive for the UK & Ireland, Sarah Walker has direct responsibility for Cisco’s sales operations in the region and oversees a diverse community of employees who represent over 40 areas of Cisco’s global business.
Sarah has built a career in digital technology and communications, focussed on customer centricity and using technology to deliver outcomes aligned to business objectives. With early roles in mobile telephony, working her way up the technology stack, Sarah spent 25 years in BT in various senior leadership positions across both the public and private sector before joining Cisco two years ago to lead its Enterprise business in the UK and Ireland.
In her prior role leading Cisco’s Enterprise business, Sarah was responsible for the company’s relationships with more than a hundred large, private sector organisations across key sectors for the UK and Ireland – ranging from transport to pharmaceuticals and financial services.
Sarah is also an advisor to the UK Government’s Board of Trade, a Non-Executive Director at Liverpool Women’s Hospital Trust, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Greater Manchester Academies Trust as well as the proud Executive Sponsor for Women of Cisco UKI.
Sponsor Keynote Address - Sarah Walker, Chief Executive Cisco UK & Ireland Wednesday @ 9:40 AM
Out of Legacy into Modern Digital Government (powered by Netcompany) Wednesday @ 2:10 PM
Join us to hear The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, this year’s keynote speaker at Building the Smarter State Conference!
