I am Partner in Public Digital, helping governments, public institutions, commercial organisations and political leaders with digital transformation. I work globally, and at scale. Apart from when I’m being Dad.

I was the Chief Digital Officer for the Co-operative Group, the UK’s largest and most successful mutual commercial organisation for two years from 2015 to 2017.

I was the Executive Director of Digital and the Chief Data Officer for the UK Government until October 2015. I joined Government in July 2011, and was a co-founder of the Government Digital Service (GDS). GDS includes several parts of the Government’s digital estate: DirectGov, BusinessLink, Innovations, Digital Policy, the beta of GOV.UK and Digital Engagement. In addition, the GDS is developing the wider Government digital strategy, leading on developing transactional improvements and creating a performance framework for all Government services online.

Prior to joining the Cabinet Office, I worked as the Director of Digital Development at Guardian News & Media.

I joined GNM for the second time in February 2008 to lead its digital transformation. The digital development team delivered the core digital platforms, created dozens of innovative new products, co-devised the digital strategy for the organisation and opened up the Guardian’s content and data to developers and third parties.

Prior to this I was a Director at Wavex.co.uk, a leading UK technology services company. In November 2011 I sold my shares in the company to private investors.

I’ve done plenty of other things, a few worth mentioning.

I helped set up mysociety.org, in a very small way, but of which I’m proud, as it is a great organisation. Tom Steinberg and the team were years ahead in understanding what could be done with Government services and open data, and it was a pleasure to help them.

I wrote some policy pieces for the IPPR. One on the BBC, and the other on intermediaries.

I was VP Interactive at chello, the ISP brand of UPC, a long time ago. I just finished using the Air Miles.

I also have a life outside of digital. I love football. Proper football. I was chairman of the mighty Sporting Hackney FC, which is the job they give you when nobody will pick you anymore.

Official Bio

Mike is Chief Digital Officer for the Co-operative Group, a Manchester based £10bn mutual commercial institution. He is also a partner in public.digital, a consultancy which transforms Governments and large public institutions.

Mike was appointed Executive Director of Digital for the UK Government in July 2011. He was responsible for overseeing and improving the Government’s digital delivery of public services. Prior to joining the Government, Mike worked at Guardian News & Media as Digital Development Director for nearly four years; helped set up e-democracy site My Society and was a Director/Shareholder at technical services company Wavex.