Free tickets to the public & voluntary sectors

Discount code PSI-IGPP

What does it take to build a government fit for the digital age?

Public services across the UK are going through significant change. The government's Blueprint for Modern Digital Government has set out a clear path, consolidating GDS and CDDO into a new integrated Digital Centre under DSIT. By 2030, the UK has committed to expanding public sector computing power twentyfold, rolling out the GOV.UK App and Wallet, and embedding AI across services through initiatives like the AI Accelerator and the National Data Library. The scale of ambition is unprecedented: over £573 million in AI contracts have already been awarded in 2025, with projected savings of up to £45 billion annually through automation of routine tasks.

Legacy IT systems still underpin many critical functions. Cybersecurity threats remain high. Citizens want faster, more personalised and more inclusive services, yet digital exclusion continues across regions and communities. Questions around data governance and the ethical use of AI highlight the need for greater transparency and accountability. At the same time, councils and local authorities face growing financial pressures that make it harder to invest and innovate. Addressing these challenges calls for strong leadership, close collaboration and a new approach to how government and citizens interact through technology.

The Institute of Government & Public Policy's National GovTech Show and Exhibition 2026 will bring together senior leaders from central government, local authorities, the wider public sector and technology innovators to showcase and debate the latest advances shaping the future of the UK public sector. The programme will focus on the realities of today's cybersecurity landscape, strategies for resilience, cultural change, innovation in service delivery and the importance of collaboration in meeting emerging threats and opportunities.

Join the Institute of Government & Public Policy at the National GovTech Show and Exhibition 2026 to explore practical solutions to the sector's most pressing challenges. Themes will include AI and data-driven government, cyber resilience, procurement reform and citizen-centred service design.

Agenda for the day

8:30am
Registration

9:40am
Chair's Welcome Address
David Bicknell, Principal Analyst, GlobalData

9:50am
A National Blueprint for Local Government Digital Transformation
Helen Stevenson, AI & Digital Innovation, Local Government Association

10:10am
The Future of Digital Local Government: From Strategy to Delivery

• Explore how local authorities can move beyond strategy documents and into delivery
• Discuss what successful digital leadership looks like in practice, and how councils can build the capability, culture and confidence to transform at pace 

Nadira Hussain, Chief Executive Officer, Socitm, and Barry May, Assistant Director, Resident Experience, Digital & Commercial, London Borough of Barnet 

10:30am
Presenting Partner
TBC, Plinth

10:50am
Questions and Answers Panel

11:00am
Break and Networking

11:30am
Building the Foundations for Smarter Public Services

• Understand what the National Digital Twin Programme is, and how it supports national ambitions for public sector modernisation and infrastructure transformation
• Learn how digital twins can improve strategic decision-making
• Identify practical first steps that councils and public bodies can take to align with the national direction of travel and prepare for future digital twin integration
• Questions and answers

Alexandra Luck, Programme Director - National Digital Twin Programme, Department for Business and Trade

11:50am
Digital Leadership in a Unique and Complex Authority

• Leading digital transformation across complex organisations and embedding digital, data and technology as a core strategic function
• Building high-performing digital teams and the capability to support long-term innovation and service improvement
• Balancing innovation, resilience and operational stability when modernising legacy systems and infrastructure

Zakki Ghauri, Group Director of Digital, Information & Technology, City of London Corporation

12:10pm
Presenting Partner 

12:30pm
Embedding Sustainability into Digital Transformation

• Transforming end-user services at Defra by embedding sustainability into digital delivery while improving user experience, efficiency and reducing costs
• Balancing resilience, cost and sustainability across government digital estates
• Collaborating with industry, partners and academia to deliver on governments net zero and digital sustainability commitments

Lydia Tabbron, Digital Sustainability Lead, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

12:50pm
Lunch and Networking

1:50pm
Presenting Partner

2:10pm
Building Quantum Readiness Across the Public Sector

• Understanding the implications of quantum technologies for public sector systems, data and infrastructure
• Preparing for the transition to quantum-safe security, including the impact on encryption and cyber resilience
• Building organisational awareness and capability to support future quantum adoption
• Exploring early use cases and opportunities for quantum across public services and national infrastructure
• Questions and answers

Faiyaz Amin, Senior Policy Adviser - Quantum Readiness and Adoption, Office for Quantum, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

2:30pm
Reimagining Case Management Systems with AI

Jonny Hoyle, Group Manager, North Yorkshire Council, and Elliot Hudson, Microsoft, in partnership with Simpson Associates

2:50pm
Rethinking Procurement and Legacy Systems in Government

• Explore how councils can escape the “incumbency trap,” reduce vendor lock-in, and build a more flexible, responsive digital ecosystem
• Questions and answers

Sarbjit Bakhshi, Digital Best Practice Manager, London Office of Technology & Innovation

3:00pm
Break and Networking

3:30pm
Building a County-Wide Digital Service in Essex: Vision, Priorities and Preparing for Local Government Reorganisation

• What structures, governance and priorities are needed to drive transformation at scale across a complex authority?
• Preparing digital, data and technology functions for Local Government Reorganisation
• Creating the foundations for sustainable transformation
• Questions and answers

Nathan Pierce, Director of Essex Digital Service, Essex County Council

3:50pm
Delivering Organisational Transformation Through Skills and Culture Change

• Restructuring the organisation to enable transformation, aligning services, leadership and ways of working to deliver better outcomes
• Investing in workforce development and digital skills, equipping staff with the capabilities needed for a modern, digitally enabled council
• Improving staff engagement and organisational culture to support sustainable change and better service delivery
• Questions and answers

Judith Greenhalgh, Executive Director, Resources, Walsall Council

4:10pm
Chair's Closing Summary
4:15pm
Close