The Government has appointed Dr Dave Smith as its national technology adviser, following the departure of Sir Patrick Vallance from the role.
The announcement said he will advise the technology secretary on the best approach to building and enhancing the UK’s technology strengths, working across government to champion the science and tech industries, and build networks across industry and academia to feed into policy making.
He will report directly to the Department for Science Innovation and Technology’s permanent secretary.
Smith has worked across the technology industry, most recently as technology director for Rolls-Royce and with positions in cyber security, networking and in public sector and technology consultancies including Ricardo and PA Consulting.
He commented: “Throughout my career, I’ve consistently advocated for the transformative power of technology and innovation to redefine societies. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to harness the growing potential of the British tech sector to drive growth and tackle society’s biggest challenges.”
