The Blavatnik School's Dr Aaron Maniam is to sit on a new UK government advisory panel to shape the creation of a new digital centre of government. 

Appointed by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Dr Maniam, Fellow of Practice brings global expertise on issues connecting technology, public policy and public administration, as the co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Technology Policy, a member of the OECD’s Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence Futures and former Deputy Secretary at Singapore’s then-Ministry of Communications and Information. 

“Digital technology has the potential to truly transform citizen lives but can also bring risks,” says Dr Maniam. “Getting this balance right is a key challenge for all governments and requires constant learning from global examples of excellence.” 

He welcomed the “major step forward” from DSIT in convening the panel, adding that he is looking forward to working with colleagues to “harness the opportunities for digital government in the UK”. 

The panel of leading technology professionals and academics will help create a 10-year vision aimed at making better use of technology across the public sector, driving innovation, and enhancing public services. Co-chaired by entrepreneur Baroness Martha Lane Fox and Paul Willmott, Chair of the Central Digital and Data Office, the panel will guide the government's efforts to cut backlogs, improve service accessibility and unlock the potential of digital tools. 

With an end goal to redesign and reinvigorate a central digital, data & technology capability at the heart of government, the panel will advise on international and industry best practice, ensuring ambitious long-term thinking and acting as a sounding board for design proposals.