New chief digital officer to move from BEIS as transforming justice programme and upgrading IT top ministry’s digital agenda
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has confirmed that Tom Read is to take over as its chief digital and information officer in the near future.
He will move into the role from his current position as chief technology officer at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), although so far there are no details of when the transition will take place.
Read has spent just seven months in the BEIS job, but previously did a longer stint as CTO in the Cabinet Office where he was involved in its technology transformation programme. Before that he held a number of positions at Guardian News & Media.
The move to the MoJ comes weeks after the outgoing chief information officer, Arif Harbott, outlined a strategy aimed at boosting its technology provision to level up with what its staff are able to use at home. It includes nine principles including the use of mobile devices and a preference for cloud over mobile storage.
The MoJ is also set on implementing the Transforming Our Justice System programme, published earlier this month, which includes a strong emphasis on stepping up the use of digital technology. Among the key measures are an increase in the use of pre-recorded video evidence from witnesses in criminal trials and the ability to plead online for minor offences.
Image from GOV.UK, Open Government Licence v3.0
