Turning Data & Digital into Better Public Service Outcomes
The work of government has never been more complex. The demands that public service organisations face are increasing, with expectations from citizens are growing at a time of stagnant economic growth.
This challenge places a premium on making the most of every pound that the government spends – and therefore, policymakers must use all the tools available to them to drive improved services.
This session examined how policymakers across government can use data to tackle these “wicked problems” and tackle the big challenges they face now.
We discussed how civil servants can work differently – from partnerships between ministers and civil servants to a tighter focus on outcomes – and be supported to be more bold on delivery.
We discussed:
- How to develop effective priorities for government, and how ministers and civil service leaders can work together to develop strong stewardship principles – and committing to backing each other publicly.
- How government organisations can evolve ways of working so that partnership, shared accountability, and a stronger focus on citizen outcomes become the norm.
- How ministers and senior officials setting shared priorities, agreeing clear outcome-focused success measures, and use data to inform progress.
Panel
Alexis Castillo-Soto, Group Deputy Director, Digital Missions and Transformation Group, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, United Kingdom
I am a senior public‑sector digital and technology leader with a strong track record of delivering award‑winning IT solutions and large‑scale transformation programmes. My work has focused on improving public services, delivering efficiency and value for money, and enabling sustainable cultural and organisational change.
I led one of the first successful Transformational Government programmes, developing an approach that went on to be adopted as a template by other organisations meeting formal government standards. I have extensive experience working with a wide range of suppliers—from individual specialists and SMEs to Tier 1 service integrators—ensuring clear accountability, robust governance, and delivery against agreed outcomes.
My technology experience spans open‑source platforms, low‑code and integration technologies, cloud services (Azure and AWS), automation, and enterprise content management. I have built trusted partnerships with technology providers and delivery partners, leading to invitations to speak at sector conferences and contribute to advisory groups, sharing learning and best practice across government.
Michael Lewis, Deputy Head PD Digital, Data and Analytics, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom
Michael is a senior project delivery and transformation leader with extensive experience leading complex, high‑risk digital and transformation initiatives across Defence and wider government in the UK and overseas. He currently leads delivery of the Defence‑wide digital strategy for project delivery, driving adoption of advanced analytics, common data standards, and interoperable tooling to improve decision‑making and outcomes across complex portfolios.
His work focuses on turning policy intent into delivery reality by hard‑wiring data, analytics, and digital tools into how decisions are made, exposing risk early, improving prioritisation and strengthening delivery confidence at scale. Key milestones include leading portfolio‑level digital reporting and analytics, embedding risk‑based assurance, and delivering digital MVPs to support force design and strategic planning.
Michael is a Fellow of the Association for Project Management, a government‑accredited Senior Practitioner in the Government Project Delivery profession and holds an MSc in Information Management.
Gareth Thomas, Clinical Director, Digital and Data Products, Health Innovation Manchester
Gareth is Clinical Director for Digital and Data Products at Health Innovation Manchester. He joined the Greater Manchester health and care system early in 2023, and within his portfolio has delivery responsibility for the Greater Manchester Shared Care Record and the Secure Data Environment for Research and Innovation.
Gareth’s previous role was Deputy National Chief Clinical Information Officer (CCIO) within the Transformation Directorate at NHS England, where he brought clinical leadership to national policy, strategy, systems liaison, and workforce development initiatives.
Gareth continues to practice clinical medicine, with over 20 years’ experience as an active frontline NHS consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at Salford Royal, where he was also previously Clinical Director. Prior to his national role he was the Group Chief Clinical Information Officer at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.
Pamal Sharma, Director of Digital, Data and Technology, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, United Kingdom
Dr Pamal J Sharma, Digital, Data and Technology Director for Cefas (Defra Agency), has previous 35+ years’ private sector experience in technology. At Cefas he defines technology strategy to provide novel insights from 120+ years of science data assets using AI and ML on a new Data Lake. He has operated at Board, C-level and Non-Executive Director with some of the world’s largest organisations, managed 150+ staff and budgets to $100M. Pamal has worked as a technology executive for end-user organisations and in business consulting to client Boards. Internationally travelled and culturally diverse, he has enjoyed global responsibility with a variety of household-name organisations in multiple sectors. He holds BSc (Hons), MSc and PhD degrees in Physics and is a Chartered Engineer (CEng, MIET) and Chartered Physicist (CPhys, MInstP). A UK citizen since aged of 7 years, he enjoys time with family and friends alongside pro bono board work with a charity.
Webinar chair: Mia Hunt, Editor, Global Government Forum
Mia has been Editor of globalgovernmentforum.com since 2019. She has 15 years’ experience as a journalist and editor and specialises in writing for civil and public servants worldwide, including covering sustainability policy and related issues. She has led the Global Government Women’s Network since it launched in 2023.
Previously, she covered commercial property having been market reports and supplements editor at Property Week and deputy editor at Retail Destination.
She graduated from Kingston University London with a first-class honours degree in journalism and was part of the team that produced The River newspaper, which won Publication of the Year at the Guardian Student Media Awards in 2010.
