The National GovTech Show and Exhibition 2026
15Hatfields, London 13 May 2026, 9:00am - 4:30pm
Register your interest
Fill out the form below to register your interest for this conference or course and a member of our sales team will contact you to discuss your requirements.
8:30am
Registration
9:30am
Chair's Welcome Address
David Bicknell, Principal Analyst, GlobalData
9:40am
A National Blueprint for Local Government Digital Transformation
Helen Stevenson, AI & Digital Innovation, Local Government Association
10:00am
The Future of Digital Local Government: From Strategy to Delivery
- Explore how local authorities can move beyond strategy documents and into delivery
- Discuss what successful digital leadership looks like in practice, and how councils can build the capability, culture and confidence to transform at pace
Nadira Hussain, Chief Executive Officer, Socitm, and Barry May, Assistant Director, Resident Experience, Digital & Commercial, London Borough of Barnet
10:20am
Presenting Partner
TBC, Plinth
10:40am
Questions and Answers Panel
10:50am
Break and Networking
11:20am
Building the Foundations for Smarter Public Services
- Understand what the National Digital Twin Programme is, and how it supports national ambitions for public sector modernisation and infrastructure transformation
- Learn how digital twins can improve strategic decision-making
- Identify practical first steps that councils and public bodies can take to align with the national direction of travel and prepare for future digital twin integration
- Questions and answers
Alexandra Luck, Programme Director - National Digital Twin Programme, Department for Business and Trade
11:40am
Digital Leadership in a Unique and Complex Authority
- Leading digital transformation across complex organisations and embedding digital, data and technology as a core strategic function
- Building high-performing digital teams and the capability to support long-term innovation and service improvement
- Balancing innovation, resilience and operational stability when modernising legacy systems and infrastructure
Zakki Ghauri, Group Director of Digital, Information & Technology, City of London Corporation
12:00pm
Presenting Partner
12:20pm
Embedding Sustainability into Digital Transformation
- Transforming end-user services at Defra by embedding sustainability into digital delivery while improving user experience, efficiency and reducing costs
- Balancing resilience, cost and sustainability across government digital estates
- Collaborating with industry, partners and academia to deliver on governments net zero and digital sustainability commitments
Lydia Tabbron, Digital Sustainability Lead, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
12:40pm
Lunch and Networking
1:40pm
Presenting Partner
2:00pm
Building Quantum Readiness Across the Public Sector
- Understanding the implications of quantum technologies for public sector systems, data and infrastructure
- Preparing for the transition to quantum-safe security, including the impact on encryption and cyber resilience
- Building organisational awareness and capability to support future quantum adoption
- Exploring early use cases and opportunities for quantum across public services and national infrastructure
- Questions and answers
Faiyaz Amin, Senior Policy Adviser - Quantum Readiness and Adoption, Office for Quantum, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
2:20pm
Reimagining Case Management Systems with AI
Jonny Hoyle, Group Manager, North Yorkshire Council, and Elliot Hudson, Microsoft, in partnership with Simpson Associates
2:40pm
Rethinking Procurement and Legacy Systems in Government
- Explore how councils can escape the “incumbency trap,” reduce vendor lock-in, and build a more flexible, responsive digital ecosystem
- Questions and answers
Sarbjit Bakhshi, Digital Best Practice Manager, London Office of Technology & Innovation
3:00pm
Break and Networking
3:30pm
How Digital is Enhancing the Delivery of Procurement in an LGR World
- Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is taking a fundamental look at the structure and responsibilities of local authorities resulting in councils being merged, changing their functions, or creating new unitary authorities. Whilst the ambition for LGR is to simplify local government, improve efficiency, and enhance service delivery, the majority of council services are being delivered through many hundreds if not thousands of contracts. Surrey County Council is at the forefront of this change and this session will explore how Digital solutions are supporting this mammoth task to ensure a safe and legal transition.
- Questions and answers
Darron Cox, Director of Procurement, Surrey County Council
3:50pm
Building a County-Wide Digital Service in Essex: Vision, Priorities and Preparing for Local Government Reorganisation
- What structures, governance and priorities are needed to drive transformation at scale across a complex authority?
- Preparing digital, data and technology functions for Local Government Reorganisation
- Creating the foundations for sustainable transformation
- Questions and answers
Nathan Pierce, Director of Essex Digital Service, Essex County Council
4:10pm
Delivering Organisational Transformation Through Skills and Culture Change
- Restructuring the organisation to enable transformation, aligning services, leadership and ways of working to deliver better outcomes
- Investing in workforce development and digital skills, equipping staff with the capabilities needed for a modern, digitally enabled council
- Improving staff engagement and organisational culture to support sustainable change and better service delivery
- Questions and answers
Judith Greenhalgh, Executive Director, Resources, Walsall Council
4:30pm
Chair's Closing Summary
4:35pm
Close
*programme subject to change without notice