How governments decide what to fix, modernise and fund
Free webinar | 18 June 2026
Every government organisation is being asked to do more with technology.
There are opportunities to improve services, modernise legacy systems, make better use of data, and explore AI. But there is never enough time, money or capacity to do everything at once.
So how do leaders decide where to invest first?
What makes one project a priority while another waits? How do you identify the systems and processes that are creating the biggest barriers to delivery? And how do you make sure investment leads to real improvements rather than just more activity?
Join senior government leaders from Canada, Norway and the UK as they share how they approach these decisions in practice. Drawing on experience across procurement, digital transformation, cloud services and public sector finance, they will discuss how governments are prioritising investment and delivering value from technology spending.
This is an interactive webinar, giving you the opportunity to put your questions directly to the panel, share your own experiences and take part in the discussion with peers from across the public sector.
You’ll hear about:
- How organisations identify the areas where technology investment can have the biggest impact
- Common challenges that prevent digital programmes from delivering results
- How leaders balance short-term pressures with longer-term transformation goals
- Approaches to prioritising competing investment demands
- Lessons from large-scale public sector transformation programmes
Who should attend?
This session is designed for public sector leaders involved in digital, technology, transformation, procurement, finance and service delivery.
Why attend?
Most organisations are facing similar questions:
- Which systems should we modernise first?
- Where can technology make the biggest difference to services?
- How do we make the case for investment?
- How do we know whether we’re spending money in the right places?
Alongside insights from senior government leaders, you’ll have the chance to ask questions during the live Q&A and hear how others across government are approaching the same challenges.
Whether you’re shaping investment decisions, delivering transformation programmes or building the case for change, you’ll leave with practical perspectives you can apply in your own organisation.
Public servants can register here for free to attend this webinar
Time Zones:
- USA/Canada (EST): 09:30 – 10:45
- UK (BST): 14:30 – 15:45
- CEST: 15:30 – 16:45
- SGT: 21:30 – 22:45
- AEST: 00:30 – 01:45
Panel
Dag Strømsnes, Division Director, The Norwegian Agency for Public and Financial Management, Norway
Dag Strømsnes is a division director and the Chief Procurement Officer in Norway. He has had this position since 2008.
As head of the Norwegian public procurement department Dag is in charge of public procurement in Norway. He is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to ensure that public procurement in full compliance with the financial regulations and rules, and for ensuring that it provides value for money and that innovation and sustainable goals are included in the public procurement.in Norway.
Dag is also responsible for the CPB, the unit in charge of negotiating framework agreements for the Norwegian government
Dag’s department works in relation to covers all kind types of procurements such as for; goods, services, ICT, works/construction and infrastructure investments, and has a remit to improve public procurement in Norway. There are 100 employees in his department.
Before Dag started as CPO in Norway, he was a director in PwC. He worked as a procurement consultant for eight years.
Arianne Reza, Deputy Minister, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Arianne Reza was appointed Deputy Minister of Public Services and Procurement on November 2023.
In her role, Ms. Reza oversees key government internal services as part of the work Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) does as central purchasing agent, real property manager, treasurer, accountant, pay and pension administrator, integrity advisor, common service provider and linguistic authority.
Previously, as the Assistant Deputy Minister for Procurement at PSPC, Ms. Reza was the senior official responsible for federal procurement. She oversaw 1,400 employees across Canada who procured billions worth of goods and services annually on behalf of over 100 federal departments and agencies. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Reza led the urgent procurement of critical goods and services to ensure the health and safety of Canadians, including vaccines and personal protective equipment.
Ms. Reza directs the development and implementation for the simplification of procurement practices. These efforts focused on building an accessible procurement system that drives value for money while advancing government socio-economic objectives, simplifying the procurement system for suppliers and client departments, and delivering results for Canadians. She is Chair of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Working Party of the Leading Practitioners on Public Procurement.
Ms. Reza has over 25 years of experience in the federal public service. She worked at the Canada Border Services Agency, where she held senior executive roles in regional and international operations and oversaw commercial and traveller border programs.
Dina Kakaras, Deputy Director, National Cloud and Infrastructure, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, United Kingdom
Dina Kakaras leads the National Cloud Infrastructure Programme that will harness the collective buying power of the whole of the public sector to procure cloud services and shape the UK cloud market.
She brings 18 years of commercial and procurement experience across the public and private sectors, including as Head of the Software, Data, AI and Cloud Services category in Defence Digital Commercial within the MOD. She founded and led the Commercial X programme, simplifying the way MOD procures digital, innovation and technology products and services.
She has overseen multi‑billion‑pound portfolios spanning cyber, cloud, intelligence and software. A recognised innovator, Dina is passionate about digital transformation and building high‑performing teams that maximise value and capability.
Ian Owen FCPFA, Senior Director, Industries and Global Head of Public Sector and Higher Education, Unit4
Ian Owen FCPFA is Senior Director, Industries and Global Head of Public Sector and Higher Education at Unit4, where he leads global strategy and growth across government, healthcare, and education markets.
Ian brings over 25 years of experience working with enterprise software and public sector organisations, with a strong track record in navigating complex procurement environments and delivering transformation programmes
Ian is a qualified accountant and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (FCPFA), who combines commercial leadership with deep domain expertise in public finance, enabling him to support CFOs and senior finance leaders across government and education sectors.
Webinar chair: Siobhan Benita, Moderator, Global Government Forum
Siobhan was a senior civil servant in the UK with more than 15 years’ Whitehall experience. She worked in many of major delivery departments, including Transport, Environment, Health and Local Government. She also had senior roles at the heart of government in the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, including supporting the then Cabinet Secretary, Lord O’Donnell, to lead work on civil service reform and strategy. Siobhan left to run as an independent candidate in the Mayor of London election. She subsequently joined her alma mater, Warwick University, as Chief Strategy Officer of Warwick in London and Co-Director of the Warwick Policy Lab
