DWP's Joe Harley appointed as new government CIO

Harley confirmed, and will report to Maude and Watmore

The Cabinet Office has confirmed that Joe Harley CBE will assume the position of chief information officer (CIO) for the UK government from today.

Harley will carry out the role in addition to his existing duties as CIO and director general at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

His responsibilities will include chairing the public sector-wide CIO Council and overseeing all new CIO appointments in central government. He will report to Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office, and the government's chief operating officer Ian Watmore.

Deputy CIO Bill McCluggage will continue his role in the Cabinet Office, and will report directly to Harley.

"Joe is one of the most successful CIOs from the private sector and for the past six years has been superb in his DWP role," said Francis Maude.

Harley added: "I believe we have a great opportunity to make a difference by transforming our ICT services to radically change the way we do business across government and deliver public sector reform."

The Cabinet Office also revealed that it will recruit a director of ICT futures, who will report to Harley.

It said the role will include responsibility for implementing new ways of designing and developing systems using agile methods and skunkworks environments; increasing the drive towards open standards and open source software; changing the terrain for SMEs to enter the government market; and maintaining a horizon scan of future technologies and methods.