Former Macquarie Bank chief digital officer Damon Rees has been appointed to the newly created role of NSW Government chief information and digital officer (GCIDO).
Rees has also held roles as the chief technology officer and interim chief information officer at Woolworths, and as head of integrated delivery at Westpac.
The GCIDO will be the senior technology role within NSW Government, reporting to the Secretary of the Department of Finance, Services and Innovation. Individual agencies will retain their chief information officers, but all major ICT projects across government departments will require approval and oversight by the GCIDO.
Commencing in the role from 30 May, Rees will advocate for digital adoption across the NSW public sector, defining the long-term vision for ICT and digital technologies, implementing the NSW Open Data Policy, and improving integration across government agencies. The role will also involve oversight of major government ICT projects.
Announcing the appointment jointly with Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, Victor Dominello, Minister for Finance Services and Property Dominic Perrottet said it bolsters the NSW Government’s position as a leader in digital service delivery.
“As a Government we are determined to keep building our digital capability, because ultimately that results in better services for the people of NSW. Damon comes with an exceptional track record in the business world, so it’s exciting to have someone of his calibre to drive the Government’s digital agenda,” Perrottet said.
Dominello said having whole-of-government oversight will ensure better integration across departments and agencies.
“The GCIDO will be responsible for enforcing high standards of financial discipline on large-scale ICT projects across government. Damon will also play a critical role in accelerating the digitisation of government services,” he said.
