Andy Nelson, DWP CIO, Steps Down After One Year

Andy Nelson, CIO for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has resigned after spending just over a year in the role.

According to DWP, his work in the department included improving the day-to-day running of the department’s IT and welfare reforms.

One such reform was the Universal Credit scheme, a plan to turn six benefits into one. According to UK press reports, the programme has continually encountered problems and has now been delayed beyond the 2017 deadline.

“[We] have a strong IT team in place and Andy will continue in the post until the summer to ensure continuity and an effective handover to his successor,” claimed a representative from the organisation.

“Universal Credit and the progression towards a single tier will be unaffected,” they added.

A replacement for Nelson has yet to be publicly named, nor is it know what he intends to do next.

The former CIO took the position in February 2013 after the death of his predecessor Philip Langsdale in late 2012. Prior to this, he was information chief for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the government, a title which was scrapped after his departure.

The information chief role is gradually being removed across Whitehall in favour of a combination of CTO and digital chief, a model supported by the Government Digital Service.

At DWP, the current CTO is Jon Ayre and the director general of digital transformation is Kevin Cunnington.

© 24N.biz