Curran goes back to the well for Chief Technology Officer

Curran goes back to the well for Chief Technology Officer applications

By Pattrick Smellie

Feb. 12 (BusinessDesk) - More than 60 applications have been received for the newly created central government role of Chief Technology Officer, but Digital Services Minister Clare Curran has decided none quite fitted the bill.

Created, in part, at the urging of accounting software developer Xero's founder Rod Drury, the role is intended to give the government leading-edge, independent advice on national policy that fosters the use and deployment of fast-changing digital technologies.

Curran said in a statement that "after careful consideration", she had "decided not to make an appointment at this stage".

“While the candidates we looked at have an impressive range of skills and backgrounds, I am not confident that we have found the right person yet. We always knew it was going to be extremely difficult to find one person with all the skills we want so I’ve decided not to appoint anyone to the position at this time and to seek input and perspectives from a new digital advisory group which is being set up."

Once appointed, the CTO will be accountable to the Prime Minister and to the Digital Technologies Minister and will provide independent expert advice to ministers and be "responsible for preparing and overseeing a national digital architecture, or roadmap, for the next five to 10 years".

“They’ll do that alongside the Digital Economy and Digital Inclusion Advisory Group and the two other Advisory Groups that I have already signalled I will be establishing."

More than 300 people have expressed an interest in being on the Digital Economy Digital Inclusion (DEDI) Advisory Group.

(BusinessDesk)

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