John Seabourn

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

As Chief Digital & Information Officer, John Seabourn leads the Environmental Data Services and IT teams developing APEM's digital, data and technology. He builds credibility and capability by developing teams alongside a pipeline of innovation and technological solutions.

John joined APEM Group last year, with 20 years' experience in digital and data transformation. Most recently, he worked as CDIO for the North Sea Transition Authority, the UK government's oil and gas, carbon storage and transportation and hydrogen regulator, where he led a team of digital, data and technology professionals providing services internally to geoscientists and externally to industry.

What's the most exciting part of your current role?

Having joined APEM Group in late 2024, I'm finding it particularly exciting to apply my knowledge from previous organisations and projects to this new environment. The opportunities within an environmental consultancy are wide and varied. Supporting our scientists with tools and technology to make a positive impact across sectors like water, renewables, infrastructure, and energy is incredibly rewarding.

The rapid increase in data generation in this sector is challenging but also full of potential to make a significant difference to our environment.

What do you consider your greatest IT achievement of the last 12 months?

When I joined APEM Group, I restructured the existing IT team and integrated it with our Environmental Data Solutions team. This has been a significant step forward in breaking down barriers between the traditional 'computer says no' view of IT and the parts of the business that typically always say yes, often considering IT as an afterthought. It has been brilliant to see a variety of digital, data, and technology professionals come together and learn from each other through governance processes and day-to-day work.

We still say no when necessary, but importantly, we say yes to the right things much more often. This collaboration has led to more effective and efficient solutions, fostering innovation and improving overall ability to deliver.

What's the biggest challenge facing IT leaders today, and how are you tackling it?

It would be easy to say data, AI or cybersecurity, but for me, the biggest challenge is skills. The pace of change is incredible, and when IT professionals are struggling to keep up, what chance do others have to stay on top of all the technology available to them?

To tackle this, we are aiming to develop a series of internal learning sessions, create data/technology champions across the business, and give our teams time to innovate. We will also aim to simplify the tools we use and clearly articulate 'what tool when' to give our teams confidence that they are getting the most out of their time and effort.

I look forward to seeing our staff engagement scores go up, innovation metrics increase, and overall staff retention improve.

What piece of technology could you not live without, and why?

It's a tough call between my golf smartwatch and Google Maps (other platforms are available), but it has to be the latter as someone who loves geography. I think maps and spatial data are incredibly powerful tools. Having the ability at your fingertips to get from A to B, view a location, access reviews, adapt to live traffic, find local businesses, and just view parts of the world you may never see in person is amazing.

What excites you most about the future of IT?

As a parent with two kids under six, I'm excited to see the jobs and opportunities they will have using IT to solve some of the world's most challenging issues. Having been in secondary school when we had a computing lab installed and growing up through Y2K, the dot-com bubble, and now gen AI, I can't wait to see what the future looks like for them. I just hope I can keep up with the skills so I can join in with them!

What’s the strangest job you’ve ever had?

I trained to be an air traffic controller for 3 years, but unfortunately didn't quite make it through one of the toughest recruitment processes in the world. As a result, I have a surprising amount of knowledge about aviation, which had mainly remained dormant until I joined APEM Group. Our Flight Operations team was very confused about why the IT guy knew so much about the airspace over the UK.

If you could instantly master one new skill, what would it be?

Speaking another language. As I've moved through my career, I've seen the importance of communication for successful projects. Technology is rarely the problem; it's all about communicating with the right people, at the right time, in the right way. As I move into a global role, I'd love to be able to do that in any language or culture.