As the UK public sector continues its rapid journey towards digital transformation, the spotlight is increasingly turning to the leadership that could make or break that ambition.
For Julian David OBE, CEO of techUK, there’s no doubt about the strength of commitment to modernising public services, but the question now is how to ensure that public sector leaders - particularly at senior levels - are equipped with the digital knowledge, support, and structures needed to deliver on that vision.
Speaking to us ahead of his appearance at the Leaders Night at the Government Transformation Summit on 23 June for the panel discussion “State of Digital Leadership in Government: From Technology to Transforming Outcomes”, David shared his reflections on both the progress and the ongoing challenges in this space.
Recent changes in digital governance, including updates to leadership roles and reporting lines across departments, signal a renewed focus on capability, which David sees as a promising foundation, even if some pieces are still falling into place.
“There’s a good logic to how things are now being structured,” he noted. “Bringing together innovation, science and delivery under a common framework offers real potential to accelerate progress.”
However, some senior digital roles remain unfilled, and clarity around responsibilities continues to evolve. For David, this is a natural part of the transition. “In any large organisation - public or private - these shifts take time to embed. What matters is ensuring they’re aligned with the ultimate goal: better outcomes for citizens.”
One persistent theme is the need for greater integration across services and departments. “Up until now, a lot of transformation efforts have been contained within individual silos,” said David. “That makes it difficult to track and improve a citizen’s experience across areas like housing, health, education and transport.”
A more joined-up approach to data and digital infrastructure could yield significant improvements. “There’s a real opportunity to rethink how data and technology underpin the delivery of public services. That requires alignment, but also trust and collaboration across departments.”
When it comes to public sector procurement, David advocates for a shift in mindset. Rather than continually piloting new technologies in isolation, he encourages a focus on proving business fit, scalability, and delivery capability.
“The technology itself is rarely the issue - we’ve already seen it work across the private sector. The key is understanding how to implement it effectively in a public sector context, and how to support it long-term.”
This doesn’t mean abandoning caution altogether. Instead, it’s about being deliberate in where to invest time and resources. “Proofs of concept should be about validating how a solution can scale, not just whether it works,” he said. “That’s where the real value is.”
If leadership is the engine of transformation, digital skills are the fuel. And according to David, more needs to be done to equip public sector leaders with the digital understanding they need to make informed decisions.
If leadership capability and talent development are core to digital transformation, many senior civil servants don’t yet see themselves as part of that solution. “One of the challenges that they have at the top of the shop is the way they see digital. Do they really see that they need to be tech savvy, smart and able to work on tech?”
He advocated for government to engage more actively with those who have already led such change. “Interaction with private companies already doing this stuff will drive that point home.”
David highlighted the role techUK can play here, helping connect public leaders with peers in industry who have tackled similar transformation journeys. “Those conversations can be hugely valuable - helping demystify what digital transformation really involves.”
He’s also a strong advocate for building a broader pipeline of talent through initiatives like degree apprenticeships. “These programmes bring in people who earn while they learn, which opens up access and builds long-term capability. Plus, they tend to stick around — which is exactly what public sector organisations need.”
While techUK isn’t responsible for digital upskilling in government, David sees clear ways the industry can support those efforts. “Our members include companies that have navigated complex change across sectors - finance, energy, healthcare - and they’re keen to share what they’ve learned and many of them use our Tech Industry Gold Accreditation partner universities to find the right people with job ready skills either as graduates or apprentices.”
Whether through structured programmes, targeted placements, or joint initiatives with smaller suppliers and universities, there are many ways to build capability together.
“There’s an ecosystem around government that is full of ideas and innovation,” said David. “The challenge - and the opportunity - is to harness that in a way that delivers real outcomes.”
As public sector leaders gather next month at Government Transformation Summit to share ideas and explore next steps, the hope is that these conversations will not only raise questions - but begin to shape the answers.