Following full external recruitment campaigns, the Prime Minister has approved the appointment of a new Government Chief People Officer and a new Government Chief Digital Officer.
Fiona Ryland will be the new Government Chief People Officer, joining the Civil Service from University College London where she has been Vice President Operations / Chief Operating Officer.
Mike Potter will be the new Government Chief Digital Officer, joining the Civil Service from Thames Water where he was most recently interim Executive Director, Digital Transformation & Group CIO.
Both will join in Autumn 2022 and will help accelerate the delivery of key reform ambitions across the Civil Service.
Cabinet Office Minister Heather Wheeler said:
After a full external search, it's great to see the Civil Service attracting such high calibre leaders to help sharpen our focus on delivering for the British public.
Building a more skilled and efficient Civil Service is a key priority, supported by innovative use of the best technology available - and Fiona and Mike will be at the heart of that work.
Alex Chisholm, Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Permanent Secretary for the Cabinet Office said:
I am looking forward to welcoming Fiona and Mike to their new roles, both of which are at the centre of our current Civil Service transformation.
As the new Government Chief People Officer, Fiona will be leading our HR function at a time of huge change, as we work in partnership with Ministers to equip our people to deliver Civil Service reform. Setting the standard on people issues across the Civil Service is a tremendous opportunity to focus on skills and professionalisation.
As the new Government Chief Digital Officer, Mike will be harnessing the unprecedented opportunities for digital technologies and data across the Civil Service, strengthening UK Government delivery both immediately and in the years to come.
I look forward to working with them both as we continue to reshape the Civil Service to meet our future challenges head on.
Fiona Ryland, Government Chief People Officer, said:
It is a real privilege to join the Civil Service in this role. I am looking forward to supporting the tremendous work that our teams deliver for people across the UK.
Mike Potter, Government Chief Digital Officer said:
It's an honour and a privilege to take on the role of Government CDO and I'm delighted to be returning to public service at such an important time.
I'm looking forward to working with colleagues across the civil service to continue to grow the digital skills we need for the future and deliver the roadmap for digital and data.
