Previous head of Common Technology Services takes on wider brief in support of Liam Maxwell
Andy Beale has been appointed as the new deputy chief technology officer for government, in a move that will bring together a group of technology teams within the Government Digital Service (GDS).
Government CTO Liam Maxwell announced the move in a blogpost, saying that Beale's role will pull together the work on architecture, policy and standards, service assurance and controls, and strategic change.
Beale (pictured), who has been director of common technology services since December 2013, will also work with GDS specialists on commercial and cyber functions. He steps into a role that was vacated by Magnus Falk in September.
“The role will ensure government technology is even better placed to support the technology leader community across government,” Maxwell said.
Beale joined the GDS in November 2012, originally working on strategic change, having followed its now departed chief Mike Bracken from Guardian News & Media. He was not involved in the mini-exodus of senior officials when Bracken left last September.
Over the past five years he has led the GDS work on cyber resilience, its takeover of the Public Services Network and the launch of the Crown Hosting Service.
Joining up reform
Beale commented: “This is a fantastic opportunity to better support CTOs by joining up IT reform efforts and the great teams we have across the Cabinet Office.
“I’m incredibly proud of the transformation of civil service technology, starting with the Cabinet Office Technology Project” and continuing with the creation of Common Technology Services (CTS). And I’m delighted that Iain Patterson now takes over the reins to make CTS the industrial strength function that government needs.”
Image from GOV.UK, Open Government Licence v3.0
