Bank executive named CEO of Australia’s Digital Transformation Agency

A former bank executive has been appointed to lead Australia’s Digital Transformation Agency (DTA), which is spearheading the country’s e-government agenda.
Gavin Slater becomes the agency’s first full-time chief executive since its creation last year, taking over the reins from interim CEO Nerida O’Loughlin.
Slater was until last year a member of the group executive team of the National Australia Bank (NAB) where he oversaw an extensive digital transformation programme.
Australia’s assistant minister for cities and digital transformation, Angus Taylor, said Slater had led initiatives that overhauled NAB’s technology environment and improved customer experience.
“Gavin has a proven track record in driving transformational change to respond to digital disruption,” he said.
“He well understands the challenges faced by government agencies as they seek to transform their own services to better meet the needs of users. His experience will be invaluable as we move forward with whole-of-government improvements in digital delivery, a review of all major IT projects across government, as well as significant changes in the way we procure ICT services,” Taylor said.
Slater, who will take up the post on 1 May 2017, said in a statement on his appointment: “Making services simpler, faster and easier to use has been at the core of my leadership impact over many years. In support of the prime minister’s vision, I look forward to bringing my skills, experience and passion to the public sector as it looks to improve services to benefit all Australians.”
Launched last October to replace the Digital Transformation Office, the DTA was handed a brief of coordinating all government ICT policy and procurement functions.
The DTO’s former CEO, Paul Shetler, who was given a new role of chief digital officer, resigned from his post shortly after, amid suggestions of institutional resistance to the digital transformation programme.
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