Interview: dxw, Digital Technology Leaders Awards finalist

"dxw is an employee-owned digital agency which creates public services that improve peoples' lives."

Computing's Digital Technology Leaders Awards exist to celebrate the technical professionals at the heart of IT.

One of the finalists this year - hoping for a win at the live ceremony in London on the 6th July - is dxw, in the running for Best Place to Work in Digital - SMEs.

We talked to David Mann, Managing Director at dxw, about what makes the company different from its competitors.

In a digital career spanning almost 25 years, David has worked with government, media companies, start-ups and is now the managing director of dxw.

Since joining dxw in 2015 and becoming MD in 2018, he has led the company through a period of sustained growth from a permanent team of 13 to a team of over 80 in London and Leeds. In that time, dxw has cemented its place as one of the leading public sector digital agencies in the UK.

Before dxw, David was part of the team that founded the Government Digital Service (GDS) and was a product manager on GOV.UK. He has a wealth of experience delivering large transformation projects that involve multiple stakeholders and complex dependencies.

Before GDS, he was Head of Innovation for Directgov and led the development of central government's first content APIs, as well as mobile and interactive TV services. In 2001, he was hired as a consultant at the Office of the e-Envoy, the forerunner of GDS, after working with Lineone (now TalkTalk) and one of the UK's first digital commercial property services.

Computing: Please provide some background on your company for our readers.

David Mann:. dxw is an employee-owned digital agency which creates public services that improve peoples' lives. We work with the public and third sectors and have made it our job to fix some of the really difficult stuff in government. We're proud to have supported critical national infrastructure through the pandemic, hosting and operating the NHS England website and Homes for Ukraine. Our employees and clients are across the UK, with our HQ in Leeds and hubs in London. We have 14 years of experience in using digital and technology to create better services for the people who need them most and last year worked on over 90 projects, as well as supporting around 110 public sector and charity websites.

What makes you different from other technology companies?

DM: At dxw we pride ourselves on working in diverse, multi-disciplinary teams. Our teams have the skills to research, design, securely build and operate digital public services. We hold our values high and work for the public good and aim to make a positive impact through everything we do. We work in the open wherever we can, sharing the way we work and our culture in our playbook. We are employee-owned which means we are unique in that we run the company in the best interests of the staff and people who use public services and that is written into the legal basis on which we operate. Employee ownership is central to our mission and sets us apart from other companies as we all have a voice. We work on projects that fit our values and with clients where we can make a real difference.

What one company achievement in the last 12 months are you most proud of?

DM: Last year we became employee-owned and it is one of my proudest achievements. After seeing so many agencies being bought up by larger ones or becoming part of bigger groups, we see employee ownership as a way of growing while maintaining our identity, values and culture. Through employee ownership, we protect our independence and have the freedom to work on projects we're passionate about and where we know we can add real value.

What are you working on this year?

DM: This year we are working on some incredible projects making a real difference to society. We are working with the Ministry of Justice to help some of the most vulnerable to avoid homelessness when they leave prison. We are supporting the Department for Education, helping them improve services for schools, which are the bedrock of our communities. We continue to host the NHS England site which played a crucial role during the pandemic and are also working on using user-centred design to make Leeds2023 festival more accessible to all. These are just a snapshot of some of the great projects we are working on this year, but give a flavour of what dxw is all about and how passionate we are about making a difference.

Why are events like the Digital Technology Leaders Awards important to the IT Industry?

DM: Events like this play an important role in highlighting the breadth of talent the industry has to offer. It not only offers a chance to network and share best practice, but it importantly demonstrates the diversity of these teams and the range of skills, experience and personalities that the UK IT and Tech industry have.