Charles Ewen

Part of the IT Leaders 100 - a list of the most influential IT leaders in the UK in 2025.

Charles Ewen is not only CIO at the Met Office; he is also Director of Technology and Senior Information Risk Officer, accountable for all aspects of IT. He also sponsors the Data and Digital, Cyber Security and Knowledge and Information professions at the Met Office.

Charles began his career in the RAF, undertaking a degree apprenticeship and serving for eight years before working in systems design and engineering in the defence sector.

He has worked for the Met Office in a variety of senior technology roles since joining as Head of Web and Media in 2008. He became Director of Technology in 2014 and leads a large and capable team delivering world-class IT capability. He is accountable for integrating cutting-edge supercomputing, cloud adoption and modernising ways of working supporting our world-leading science and services. He is currently the Senior Responsible Officer of a £1.2bn Programme to deliver scientific supercomputing ‘in the cloud’, with Microsoft.

Charles sits on various advisory boards for large technology companies and public sector bodies such as AWS and the RSC. He is an active STEM ambassador and industry advisor to secondary schools. He enjoys all major sports, especially rugby and cricket as a player, coach, referee and umpire and lives on Dartmoor where he enjoys walking, horse riding and generally being outdoors.