Bill McCluggage is Managing Director of Laganview Associates Ltd. He became the first CIO for the Irish Government in 2013 and was CIO for the Northern Ireland Civil Service (2005 – 2009). He joined the Cabinet Office in 2009 as deputy UK Government CIO. While in the Cabinet Office he was the Executive Director responsible for the UK Government’s ICT Strategy and was instrumental in the development of the Government G[1]Cloud, and was SRO for the Identity Assurance Programme, now GOV.UK Verify.

Paul Duffy is currently the Deputy Secretary in the Department of Finance responsible for the delivery of Digital, Security and Finance Shared Services across the Northern Ireland Civil Service. He is the Senior Responsible Owner for the Integr8 Programme, which will transform how Finance, HR and Payroll services are delivered across Central Government, enabled through the introduction of a new integrated, cloud-based technology solution. Paul is a Fellow Chartered and Certified Accountant and is a graduate of the Major Projects Leadership Academy and the Orchestrating Major Projects programme at the Saïd Business School at Oxford University.

Professor Helen McCarthy was formally appointed as Chief Scientific and Technology Adviser (CSTA) in June 2024. Her key responsibilities include co-ordinating a regional strategy to put science and technology at the heart of policy development. She also chairs the newly formed NI Science and Technology Advisory Network (NISTAN), plays a key leadership role within the NI Civil Service (NICS) scientific community, and represents NI’s scientific policy development globally.

Paul Rice has joined the Department of Health as Chief Digital Information Officer (CDIO) having held the same portfolio at board level in Bradford Teachings Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Airedale NHS Foundation Trust in West Yorkshire. Paul had previously been the Regional Director of Digital Transformation for NHS England and Improvement in the Northeast and Yorkshire.
Over his 25 year plus career he has been the senior responsible owner for substantial national digital transformation programmes in the NHS, delivering hospital electronic patient records, technologies to support Nurses release time to care, Primary Care clinical and operational workflow innovations and change programmes in maternal and child health.
Paul was formerly the Director of the Long-Term Conditions programme in Yorkshire and Humber with a focus on Telehealth. He has been a Primary Care Trust director, a transformation director in the NHS Modernisation Agency and a Primary Care policy lead in the English Department of Health.
Paul holds a BA degree in Law and Accounting (Manchester), a Masters in Informatics Leadership (Imperial) and a Doctorate in Medical Law and Bioethics (Manchester). He is also a graduate of the Said Business School (Oxford), where he completed the Major Projects Leadership Academy Cabinet Office Executive Programme, and a Fellow of the British Computing Society.
Paul was a trustee of Yorkshire Cancer Research and remains a volunteer fundraiser with Macmillan Cancer Support. A Belfast native, whose formative years were spent in County Down Paul is married to Heather and they have 3 children and 1 fox red labrador. Outside of work, good food, great live music and an afternoon at Elland Road or on the Knavesmire are when Paul is in his happy place.

As Digital Strategy Lead at Manchester City Council, Sherelle oversees the citywide Doing Digital Together Strategy, which explores the intersection of technology and socioeconomics. The strategy’s Delivery Plan drives collaboration to build digital skills, future-proof infrastructure, and enable a thriving, ethical and resilient city. With a background in the arts and over a decade of experience in social change across public and community sectors, Sherelle is passionate about technology’s role in creating real-world solutions and enabling people to live full, empowered lives.

Eilidh McLaughlin is the Deputy Director for Digital Ethics, Inclusion and Assurance and is head of the Digital Citizen Division. The Division covers the Connecting Scotland programme, Digital Identity policy and the Ethical Digital Nation team. It also comprises Information Management and Assurance teams, thus considering digital citizenry from an internal and external perspective. This role combines Eilidh’s previous experience in corporate governance, equalities and information management. The ethos of the Division is to make sure that No One is Left Behind and to ensure that digital work is done in an ethical, inclusive way.

Conor is a seasoned technology leader with responsibility for providing strategic, managerial, and technical oversight across significant change programmes in the public sector. With a breadth of experience in all aspects of project delivery and digital transformation, Conor has a proven track record of leadership in senior IT roles, as a Senior Application Architect, Enterprise Architect, and Head of Data and Geographic services. Currently, Conor serves as Acting Deputy Digital Director within Digital Services for the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Conor’s work for the department is focused on identifying opportunities, and delivering innovative technological approaches that improve decision making, enhance departmental efficiency, and drive excellence in digital, data, and AI initiatives.

Peter Grimley is Assistant Director of ICT and Digital Change at Clanmil Housing Association, a role he has held since 2023. His team is responsible for infrastructure & cyber security, data, business applications, and the project management office, while also leading Clanmil’s digital strategy and transformation work. With over 20 years of experience across the public, private, and voluntary sectors, Peter has a strong track record of aligning technology with organisational goals. He is also a trustee of Advice Space, a regional charity offering free, impartial advice to the public.

Peter Grimley is Assistant Director of ICT and Digital Change at Clanmil Housing Association, a role he has held since 2023. His team is responsible for infrastructure & cyber security, data, business applications, and the project management office, while also leading Clanmil’s digital strategy and transformation work. With over 20 years of experience across the public, private, and voluntary sectors, Peter has a strong track record of aligning technology with organisational goals. He is also a trustee of Advice Space, a regional charity offering free, impartial advice to the public.

Mary-Ellen is a dynamic Strategic, Technical Senior Leader with 18+ years of experience delivering complex digital and IT programmes across public and private sectors. With an International MBA, FCMA, (pending admission) and a BA (Hons) in Business & Computing, she specialises in digital strategy, cyber security, change management, and PMO leadership. Mary-Ellen has advised executive stakeholders, led multi-million-pound projects, and implemented high-impact solutions across diverse industries. She is passionate about learning, driving transformation, sharing knowledge, and delivering secure, future-ready outcomes. Mary-Ellen joined the Northern Ireland Assembly as Head of Information Services two and a half years ago.

Tony has over 25 years’ experience in Cyber Security, IT Auditing and Technology Risk, Governance and Compliance, holding positions such as Steering Committee member of the NI Cyber Cluster, Board Member and Trainer within ISACA Ireland, a member of the ISACA Emerging Trends Global Working Group, and a founder and membership accreditor for the Chartered Institute for Information Security. Holding many of the recognised qualifications in Information Security, he is also a holder of the Advanced Certificate in Investigatory Practices, specialising in digital evidence. His experience at senior level extends to cyber security strategy, incident response, and standards driven approaches to security in the public, private and academic sectors. Tony has written and contributed to a number of key Government Cyber Security strategies including those for critical national infrastructure and services. In his role with the Northern Ireland Audit Office, Tony is responsible for auditing the IT systems of organisations across central and local government, ensuring that systems, controls, and processes are secure, reliable, and efficient. He is also a tutor on the ISACA CISA, CISM and CRISC qualifications and lectures for Chartered Accountants Ireland on their Certificate in Technology Risk and Data Incident Management.

Mike Skelton is the Deputy Director of GOV.UK Web, Publishing, Platform & Design System, Government Digital Service. Mike is responsible for developing and running the GOV.UK website, the tooling that allows content to be published on it, ensuring that GOV.UK's infrastructure is secure, robust and scalable, while leading the team that creates the styles, components and patterns to help teams in government create user-centred digital services. Prior to joining GDS, Mike worked in technology roles across a number of sectors and industries, including as VP of Product at a health tech startup, 11 years working at the BBC in a variety of product leadership roles and 7 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

Caroline is the Cyber Security Programme Manager at Business Services Organisation (BSO), a pivotal entity within Health and Social Care Northern Ireland. Caroline leads the Cyber Programme for HSC, serving all Trusts, Arm’s Length Bodies, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Fire and Rescue Service, and GP organizations. With over 25 years of ICT and security experience, Caroline has spent the last six years driving cyber transformation across the region. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to strengthening cyber security capabilities, enabling a secure and innovative health and social care environment. She is passionate about enhancing the cyber experience for all stakeholders by aligning clinical and technological risk management, fostering collaboration, and promoting best practices in cyber resilience. Caroline’s work ensures that cyber security is not just a technical imperative but a strategic enabler for safe, effective, and forward-thinking healthcare delivery in Northern Ireland.