Efficiency & Reform in the Public Sector

Phil Pavitt

Chief Information Officer, Director General, HMRC

Biography

Phil Pavitt, Director General and Chief Information Officer of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for one of the UK's most complex and extensive IT operations that touches every single individual, family and business in the UK. Phil also leads HMRC's Change Programme with responsibility for the overall delivery of the spending review challenges.

A fellow of the influential British Computer Society where he was named the UK's IT Leader of the Year in 2009, Phil has regularly been listed as a member of the UK's Top 50 CIOs for influence and innovation. Phil has over 25 years experience in both private and public sector organisations and was previously CIO of Transport for London, where he led a major overhaul of the IT function. Prior to this he held positions as CIO at OneTel and NTL.

Rt Hon Francis Maude MP

Minister for the Cabinet Office, Paymaster General

Biography

Francis was born in 1953. He was educated at Abingdon School, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and the College of Law and is married with five children.

He practised at the criminal bar from 1977-85 and was a councillor for the City of Westminster from 1978-84.

Francis was Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire from 1983-92 during which time he was PPS to Hon Peter Morrison MP, Minister of State for Employment, (1984-85); Assistant Government Whip (1985-87); Minister for Corporate and Consumer Affairs at Department of Trade and Industry (1987-89); Minister of State at Foreign and Commonwealth Office (1989-90); and Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1990-92).

In June 1992 he was created a Privy Counsellor in the Dissolution Honours List. He was appointed a non-executive Director of ASDA Group Plc in July 1992. He was a Director of Salomon Brothers from 1992-93; a Managing Director of Morgan Stanley & Co Ltd 1993-97.

Francis was Chairman of the Government's Deregulation Task Force from 1994-97. He was elected Member of Parliament for Horsham in May 1997.

In June 1997, he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. He was Shadow Chancellor from June 1998 until February 2000. From February 2000 to September 2001, he was Shadow Foreign Secretary.

From May 2005 to June 2007, Francis served as Chairman of the Conservative Party. In June 2007, he was appointed Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

In May 2010, he was appointed Minister for Cabinet Office and Paymaster General within the Coalition Government

David Smith

Commercial Director, Department for Work and Pensions

Biography

David is the Commercial Director for the Department for Work and Pensions (the biggest Central Government Department) and is accountable for its annual procurement spend of over £4.2 billion.

He has specialised in Procurement and Commercial Matters in the Public Sector for nearly 20 years. Before moving to DWP, he was Head of Procurement for the Inland Revenue (1991-2002 – made Head of Procurement in 1997) and has previously held senior commercial posts in the Home Office (1985-1988) and HM Treasury's Central Unit on Procurement 1988-1991).

David is a well known and respected speaker on commercial strategy, delivery, e-commerce, and outsourcing and acted as Commercial Adviser to the E-Envoy on the 'Government Gateway', to the European Institute for Public Affairs (EIPA) and the Royal Institute for Public Affairs (RIPA).

David has a close working association with the Office for Government Commerce (OGC). He is a member of the Chief Executive's Procurement Advisory Group (CEPAG), the Government Procurement Service Management Board, and various other inter-departmental committees. He is also a member of the CIPS Board of Management.

Katja Hall

Chief Policy Director, Confederation of British Industries

Biography

Katja Hall's career with the CBI spans 12 years, and has covered a broad range of policy, including trade union relations, pensions, working time, welfare reform and EU and UK labour market issues.

Among her achievements, Katja lists securing a better result for business on the immigration cap, raising businesses' concerns over the Bribery Act, and making the employers' case on strike laws.

Working with CBI president Helen Alexander, Katja recently spearheaded the CBI's campaign to improve gender diversity on UK corporate boards. Previously, Katja played a key role in establishing the right for employees to request flexible working. She also led CBI work on reform of public sector pensions, which contributed to the creation of the independent Public Service Pensions Commission.

Katja has led the CBI's campaign in Brussels to protect the working time opt-out, and to make the case for labour market flexibility.

Previously Katja worked at the BBC on employee relations, change management, and reward.

Michael Whitehouse

Chief Operating Officer, National Audit Office

Biography

Michael Whitehouse was appointed Chief Operating Officer for the NAO on 1 July 2009.

Michael is CIPFA qualified and has had responsibility for a range of portfolios both as Assistant Auditor General (from 2002) and as Director (from 1990). Michael has extensive experience of value for money work across government including defence, foreign affairs and international aid, agriculture and economic regulation. Michael spent 15 months working in New Zealand with the Office of the Auditor General. In 1992 he was seconded to the Ministry of Finance in Zambia where he led a nine month review of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM). From 1994 to 1997, he was the UK Audit Commissioner for the European Space Agency.

As well as having responsibility for strategy and the operational performance and capability of the NAO Michael leads the NAO's work on cross government systemic issues. Michael is an executive member of the NAO Board.