Mike Bracken reunited with former GDS colleagues at Co-Operative Group

The Co-Op hires the team that Bracken credits with creating the Government Digital Service

Mike Bracken has hired four of his former Government Digital Service (GDS) employees - who he credits with creating GDS alongside him - to work with him once again, in his new role as chief digital officer of the Co-Operative Group.

Bracken shocked the industry when he stepped down from his joint role as head of GDS and the government's chief data officer back in August. Shortly after his resignation, he was named CDO of the Co-Operative Group, a role which he began this month.

His departure from government kick-started an exodus at GDS, with several senior members leaving their posts - many of whom hadn't secured new roles before quitting.

Three of those GDS employees were deputy director Tom Loosemore, director of strategy Russell Davies, and director of design Ben Terett. Bracken has hired all three to work alongside him at the Co-Operative Group.

Davies will be the firm's digital strategy director, Loosemore will be the company's new digital services director, and Ben Terett has joined as group design director.

The fourth former GDS colleague of Bracken's to join the Co-Op is Mat Wall, who had been a technical architect for GDS for about four years after stints at The Guardian and Sony.

"Together, Ben, Tom, Russell, Mat and I founded the Government Digital Service. With our colleagues there, and across government, we delivered GOV.UK, saved billions for the taxpayer, won the Design of the Year Award and - most importantly - delivered substantially improved services for millions of people," Bracken said in his blog.

"We're used to working as a team so we hope it won't take us long to get up and going," he added.

Bracken said that the group would bring "extraordinary" skills and experience to the Co-Op, but he emphasised that they wouldn't be the last people that the Co-Op would bring in.

In his blog post, Bracken said his team's aim is to make the Co-Operative a "world-leading digital player". He said in order to achieve this, the firm will need to build on its position of trust with its members, create teamwork around a commitment to digital excellence, and continue to develop and attract the best digital skills.

Other members of GDS to leave since Bracken's departure include head of user research Leisa Reichelt, GDS director of performance and delivery Richard Sargeant, transformation director Michael Beaven, and government deputy CTO Magnus Falk.