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Watmore to start in September

Kablenet.com

Published: 26 May 2004 12:15 BST

The managing director of a major consultancy has been appointed to lead the UK's information age government campaign

The Cabinet Office announced the appointment of Ian Watmore, currently UK managing director of Accenture, on 25 May, 2004. He is scheduled to move into the position in September.

Watmore holds a number of other positions, which include chair of the IT Industry Board of eSkills UK. He will be accountable to Douglas Alexander, minister for the Cabinet Office, and report to Sir Andrew Turnbull, the cabinet secretary. He will replace the outgoing e-envoy Andrew Pinder, although there will be changes in the job title and responsibilities.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, said: "I am delighted that Ian Watmore is to take up this role. He will be playing a pivotal role ensuring that IT supports the business transformation of government itself so that we can provide better, more efficient, public services."

Watmore said: "The head of e-government is one of the biggest and most challenging IT positions in the UK today.

"Douglas Alexander and Sir Andrew Turnbull have set a formidable challenge in not only driving up use of government services online but also driving change, reform and efficiencies throughout the public sector by using IT. I'm looking forward to starting in the position and supporting all the work that departments are delivering."

Prior to the new chief taking over, the Office of the e-Envoy (OeE) will become the e-Government Unit, which will be based in the Cabinet Office. Its role will be to work with government departments to deliver efficiency savings and join up e-services around the needs of customers. It will also provide sponsorship of information assurance.

Douglas Alexander said the change from the OeE to the e-Government Unit, which begins on 2 June, represents an increase in emphasis from getting services online to transforming delivery and improving operational efficiency. Its specific responsibilities will cover the following areas:

Strategy: developing policy and planning for ICT within government and providing an element of programme management for implementation, to support the government's objectives for public service delivery and administrative efficiency.

Architecture: providing policy, design, standards, governance, advice and guidance for ICT in central government; commissioning government-wide infrastructure and services; and addressing issues of systems integration with other levels of government.

Innovation: providing high level advice to government bodies on innovative opportunities arising from ICT to improve efficiency

IT finance: in partnership with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), monitoring major IT projects in government and advising on major investment decisions.

IT human resources: acting as head of the IT profession in government and leading its professional development.

Projects: undertaking ad hoc policy and strategy studies as necessary to support ministers, the Prime Minister's Office, Cabinet Office or the Treasury.

Research: identifying and communicating key technology trends, opportunities, threats and risks for government.

Security: overseeing government IT security policy, standards, monitoring and assurance, and contingency planning for the critical national infrastructure (the functions of the central sponsor for information assurance, a responsibility of the current e-envoy).

Supplier management: in partnership with OGC, managing the top-level relationship with strategic suppliers to government and conducting supplier analysis.