Committee publication · Correspondence · 13 November 2025

Letter from the Director for Digital Strategy and Assurance of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology relating to an Update on Chief Digital Information Posts 2025 following up from the Committee sessions on 16 and 20 October, 04 November 2025

Inquiry: Government services: Identifying costs and generating income

Summary

Bonnie Wang, Director for Digital Strategy and Assurance at DSIT, responds to PAC questioning on Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) retention. She reports that senior CDIOs are not leaving government faster than joining, with 24 roles across central departments showing median tenure of 3.6 years—slightly above the 2.5-year civil service average. Four roles are vacant or soon-to-be vacant with recruitment underway.

Key findings

Analysis shows it is not the case that more senior CDIOs are being lost than recruited across government; movement reflects normal career progression and planned succession.
Of 24 CDIO roles: 15 have been in post for at least two years; 5 for less than two years (three were internal moves); 4 are vacant or soon vacant with recruitment underway.
Median tenure for Central Department CDIOs is 3.6 years, compared to 2.5 years for Senior Civil Servants generally, indicating slightly greater stability in the role.
Two CDIOs have retired in 2025 with two further retirements anticipated; DSIT's own CDIO position undergoing organisational restructure with interim leadership in place.
Government is implementing quarterly talent planning and succession planning for CDIO and other critical digital/data SCS roles in partnership with departments.

Tone

Procedural

Topics

public-sector-workforcedigital-governmentcivil-service-managementgovernment-strategy

Key actors

Bonnie Wang, Public Accounts Committee, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Cabinet Office, Department for Education, Ministry of Justice, Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Notable line

“Our analysis has shown that it is not the case that more senior CDIOs are currently being lost than recruited across government.”

Key Quotes

“Our analysis has shown that it is not the case that more senior CDIOs are currently being lost than recruited across government.”
— Bonnie Wang · Responding directly to PAC's question about CDIO departures versus recruitment

“While there has been some movement among CDIOs, this reflects normal career progression and planned succession, rather than instability.”
— Bonnie Wang · Characterising the nature of CDIO movements

“The median tenure of a Central Department CDIO is around 3.6 years.”
— Bonnie Wang · Comparing CDIO tenure to broader civil service benchmarks

“Through our quarterly talent process, we actively plan for movement and are developing robust succession plans for CDIO and other critical digital and data SCS roles in partnership with departments.”
— Bonnie Wang · Describing forward planning mechanisms for CDIO role stability

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗