Building the Smarter State 2024

Kamal Bal

Director of Digital, Ministry of Justice

Kamal was appointed as Director of Digital at the Ministry of Justice in January 2023.

He is responsible for the 750 staff who design, run and maintain the digital services that are the bedrock of the UK’s justice system. This includes those used in His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the Legal Aid Agency, the Office of the Public Guardian and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. 

As Director of Digital, he has a crucial role in delivering on the Justice Digital strategy, to create simpler, faster and better services for the people interacting with the justice system. 

Before joining the Civil Service, Kamal held a range of digital roles including Chief Digital Officer at Pizza Hut Digital Ventures, Director of Global Digital Customer Experience at Avon and Head of Digital Customer Experience at Marks & Spencer.

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Roz Barrance

Head of Business Development, Civil, Leidos UK

Roz Barrance is the Head of Business Development for Leidos UK’s Civil Division. Previously, she was the Portfolio Development Lead for Leidos UK’s National Security Portfolio, and Programme Director, leading the delivery of one of Leidos’ largest UK government programmes.

Roz is a strong advocate of collaborative working, and passionate about technology and the benefits the combination of both can deliver to public services. Roz works in close partnership with her customers and colleagues to develop and deliver innovative solutions to help solve some of their biggest challenges.

Before joining Leidos in 2017, Roz established a business development consultancy working with SME Clients to support their growth as an integrated part of their team. Prior to that that she worked with multiple clients in IBM’s Global Services business, and in an environmental, technology and sustainability consultancy.

Roz is a keen supporter of women in technology, and mentors STEM graduates and apprentices helping them to make the most of the incredible opportunities that the sector offers.
 

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Thomas Beautyman

Lead for Government Digital Capability, Cabinet Office

Thomas joined the Cabinet Office in 2021, in the new Central Digital and Data Office, and is responsible for transforming how Government grows capability in digital and data.  This includes attracting, recruiting and developing critical deep expertise, through to developing the many leaders in government who have specialism in other domains, but increasingly need digital and data confidence to deliver.  Thomas moved to the Cabinet Office from DWP Digital, having joined Government in 2019 from BT where he led workforce planning, apprenticeships and learning transformation.
 

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Christine Bellamy

CEO, Government Digital Service (GDS)

Christine Bellamy is CEO of the Government Digital Service (GDS). Prior to her appointment, Christine Bellamy held the role of Director, GOV.UK at GDS, joining in 2022 from the BBC where she led digital transformation and delivery. Before this, Christine was a Managing Director at Johnston Media.

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John Bleasdale

Chief Architect – UK Government & Public Sector, Kyndryl UK

John is Chief Architect for Public Sector at Kyndryl UK, developing strategic relationships with key Government and Public Sector organisations, including Defra, HMRC and DVLA. John is focused on ensuring Government Departments understand and realise how they can digitise public services for UK citizens.

John has 25+ years’ experience in Public Sector IT, with a background spanning enterprise architecture, IT strategy, infrastructure and application modernisation, scaled offshore agile software development, data platforms and AI.

He was previously Group Chief Architect at RM PLC, leading the technology strategy for high-stakes exam platforms, the National Pupil Database, School Performance Tables and the Scottish Schools National Intranet.
 

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Simon Bourne

Chief Digital, Data, and Technology Officer, Home Office

Simon joined the Home Office in September 2020 and is the Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer (CDDaTO). Prior to joining the Home Office, Simon spent six years as the Chief Information Officer for the Co-op Group. He has over 30 years of experience of digital and technology leadership roles, working in both financial services and retail sectors.

As the Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer (CDDaTO), Simon is accountable 
for the delivery of digital, data and technology solutions that support the department’s current operations and future business transformation programmes.  These cover both core Home Office operations as well as delivery of national law enforcement capabilities.  

Simon gained a Masters in Mathematics from Cambridge University. He is married with two children and lives in West Yorkshire.

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Ben Cheetham

Deputy Director, Local Digital, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

No bio provided

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Eddie Copeland

Director, London Office for Technology & Innovation (LOTI)

Eddie oversees LOTI’s activities, member relations and strategic direction. Previously he was Director of Government Innovation at Nesta, the innovation foundation, and Head of Technology at the think tank, Policy Exchange. He is the author of seven think tank reports on government use of technology and data and has advised senior officials in the European Commission, United Nations and many national and local governments on innovation, data and digital strategy.

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Heather Cover-Kus

Head of Central Government Programme, techUK

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.

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Julian David

CEO, techUK

Julian David is the CEO of techUK, the Digital Technology Trade Association. 

Julian leads techUK's 60 strong team in representing over 800 member companies, comprising global and national champions and more than 500 SMEs. He is a member of the UK Government and Industry Cyber Growth Partnership, the Digital Economy Council and the Department of International Trade’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group. He is also the Vice President for National Trade Associations, on the Executive Board of DIGITALEUROPE, Vice President representing Europe on the board of WITSA the Worldwide IT Association, and a member of the board of the Health innovation Network, the South London Academic Health Science Network. 

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David Fearne

Global Head of generative AI, Cognizant

No bio provided

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Karl Hoods

Group Chief Digital and Information Officer, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, and Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

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 at the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology 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 a number of marathons
 

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Amit Kumar

Agile Delivery Lead, Public Sector, Cognizant

No bio provided

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Yatin Mahandru

VP and Head of Public Sector and Health UK, Cognizant

No bio provided

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Paul Martin

Healthcare Executive, Cognizant

No bio provided

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Eilidh McLaughlin

Deputy Director, Digital Ethics, Inclusion and Assurance, Scottish Government

Eilidh McLaughlin is the Deputy Director for Digital Ethics, Inclusion and Assurance and is head of the Digital Citizen Division within the Scottish Government.  The Division is new within the Digital Directorate and covers the Connecting Scotland programme and the Ethical Digital Nation team.  It also comprises Information Management and Assurance teams, thus considering digital citizenry from an internal and external perspective. This role combines Eilidh’s previous experience in corporate governance, equalities and information management.  The ethos of the Division is to make sure that No One is Left Behind and to ensure that digital work is done in an ethical, inclusive way.  

Previously, Eilidh was the Associate Director, Information Security and Governance in mid-January 2020, combining previous information security and information governance teams from separate parts of NHS National Services Scotland.  The team led on ensuring the integrity of the IT estate and the quality and security of service across critical business systems to stay ahead of threats, internal and external as well as maintaining a strong confidentiality and privacy ethos to all work in NSS.  The team was pivotal in relation to the digital covid response work.

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The Rt Hon Lord Maude of Horsham

Former Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General,

Francis Maude was Minister of State for Trade and Investment from 11 May 2015 to 11 April 2016. Francis was previously Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General from May 2010 to May 2015.

Francis was the Conservative MP for Horsham, West Sussex, from 1997 to 2015. He has held several government posts, including Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 1990 to 1992 and Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1989 to 1990.

He was Chairman of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2007. Among other roles, he was Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2007 to 2010 and Shadow Foreign Secretary from 2000 to 2001.

After a career at the criminal bar between 1977 and 1985, he served as a councillor for the City of Westminster for 6 years. His other jobs outside politics have included being a non-executive director of ASDA Group, director at Salomon Brothers and managing director of Morgan Stanley.

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Ayan Sengupta

Sr. Director, Enterprise Platform Services, Cognizant

No bio provided

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Claire Smout

Head of Digital Skills, Skills for Care

Claire Smout is the Head of Digital Skills at Skills for Care. With over 19 years experience of working the in adult social care sector, Claire has specialised in roles including digital technology implementation, workforce development and change management.

Passionate about leveraging technology to enhance social care, Claire advocates for a digitally skilled workforce which is equipped to best support individuals in their daily lives. Claire has been a key architect behind several transformative initiatives in the care sector, including the development and delivery of the Level 5 Digital Leadership programme, the sector Digital Skills Framework and its accompanying e-learning. 

Skills for Care is the strategic workforce development body for adult social care in England – everything Skills for Care does is about making sure the sector has enough people with the right skills and values to provide the best possible care and support.  
 

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Gill Stewart

Chief Digital Officer, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

With a background in technology and digital transformation across private and public sector, Gill’s career expands over several industries including insurance, education, retail and utilities. Gill joined the civil service two years ago as Chief Technology Officer at the Department of Levelling Up Housing and Communities, inspired by the digital transformation work in the public sector and how it drives a better service for its users.  She is now the Chief Digital Officer for the department, which has expanded her remit to encompass working in partnership with local authorities to build safe, resilient, cost effective and sustainable digital services.

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Gus Tugendhat

Founder, Tussell

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

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Mark Watson

Chief Architect, Civil Division, Leidos UK

Mark is the Chief Architect for the Civil Division of Leidos UK. Working across the Central Government, Devolved Government, Transport and Air Traffic Control sectors, Mark brings a wealth of experience to his customers

Mark is a seasoned professional known for introducing groundbreaking solutions to the market. His achievements include spearheading innovative projects such as Biometric services for Borders, Machine Learning applications, and Digital Twin technology for Intelligent Road Management. Mark has also led initiatives in Robotic Process Automation for Passport Control and has contributed to Security Accredited Shared Services, significantly reducing ownership costs for Government Departments.
With a distinguished career spanning over 28 years in the IT industry, Mark has held pivotal roles at renowned companies like IBM, CSC, Fujitsu, and Sopra Steria. In 2021, he joined Leidos UK, where he is dedicated to advancing cutting-edge solutions in the Civil space. Mark's mission centers on creating solutions that foster safety, health, and efficiency through the convergence of technology, engineering, and science. 
Mark is a pivotal member of the TechUK Steering Group for Digital Twin, playing a crucial role in driving the adoption of this transformative technology within the Government. He actively spearheads discussions across prominent entities such as the Cabinet Office, Number 10, NHS, DEFRA, Department for Transport, and HMRC. Mark's contributions are instrumental in fostering valuable conversations and initiatives that shape the digital landscape for the public sector.
 

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Helen Wylie

CTO, Department for Work and Pensions

Helen Wylie is Chief Technology Officer and Director of the Strategic Delivery Unit at DWP Digital. Helen is heavily involved in DWP’s broader service modernisation agenda, shaping the organisation of the future. Helen’s primary role is to support her teams in delivering and creating an environment in which they can thrive and removing blockers. She is passionate about the immense potential of digitalisation to help improve the services offered to millions of customers. Helen joined DWP Digital in 2018, previously working in a variety of technology and digital delivery roles in organisations including the Bank of England, Experian, and TNT Post Group.

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Alison Young

Associate Director, Local Public Services, techUK

Ali has background in International Trade & Investment, with experience in the public and private sector, advising on international trade, new markets, inward investment and working closely with UK cities and regions around investment into innovation and partnerships and technology. Prior to joining techUK, she has her own consulting business and was Head of Global Investment with the Connected Places Catapult. This role had a focus on FDI around the built environment and mobility, working across NetZero mobility projects in the UK and globally. She worked closely with the Innovation Districts Group, to foster and network of knowledge sharing and helped set up the Freeport Innovation Network, to foster innovation in the context of freeports with a focus on investment. 

She spent six years living and working in the Middle East, with the Department for Business and Trade. Based first in Oman, where she spent four years leading on a number of sectors, from Education to Infrastructure, followed by two and a half years in the UAE, setting up the Technology and Smart Cities sector, with a core focus on AI and Fintech. She is passionate about economic growth for the UK, to create jobs and opportunities; the green agenda and the decarbonisation of transport. She has a degree in Russian Studies MA, from the University of Edinburgh and her interests are, yoga, art, vintage shopping and she is currently learning Arabic. 
 

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