MoD appoints former Post Office and TfL IT chief as CIO

Yvonne Ferguson begins work as a "3* CIO" in January 2014

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has appointed former Post Office chief information officer (CIO) and Transport for London (TfL) IT chief, Yvonne Ferguson as its CIO.

Ferguson took up the reins at the Post Office in June 2010 but lasted less than a year before being replaced by Network Rail's Catherine Doran.

In the MoD's most recent Defence ICT Strategy document, the organisation outlined what it expects from its CIO.

It says: "We must examine how we control the specification, procurement and use of ICT, seizing the immediate opportunity, generated by the appointment of a 3* CIO, to review our corporate governance arrangements and ensuring that they are fit for purpose in the provision of agile, innovative and fast-paced ICT services".

The "3*" is a ranking determined by the MoD's information operating model that it implemented in April 2013. There are four ranks, and the MoD CIO will be answerable to the 4* information board.

The MoD claims that the model has better empowered its CIO "enhancing their ability to enact information and ICT strategy and policy, and strengthening their roles as senior information risk owner and information skills champion".

Ferguson is set to start her new role in January 2014.

In the strategy document, the MoD said it "wants to reap the benefits of the modern consumer marketplace" as part of its strategy going forwards but said that it wants to "recognise the need to manage the increasing cyber threat" at the same time.

Reflecting that, the MoD said that it would not support a bring your own device (BYOD) policy because it presents "an unacceptable cyber threat", but suggested that a choose your own device (CYOD) policy would be better suited to the organisation, enabling users to choose an affordable device which the MoD will then procure.

"CYOD can be supplemented to enable users to connect indirectly to the defence network from their own devices where appropriate," it said.