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Yesterday, Sadiq Khan announces plans to begin recruitment for London's Chief Digital Officer.

Yesterday, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan published further details on his pledge to appoint London's first ever Chief Digital Officer. A job description published recently outlines the role's key purpose in making London the world’s leading smart city. The London CDO role aims to convene the GLA, the Smart London Board, local authorities and the tech sector to encourage collaboration and common standards around data and service transformation. This will drive the development of smart city technologies, and build London’s reputation as the city that the world looks to for leadership in urban innovation.

techUK led calls for the creation of a Chief Digital Officer in its manifesto London’s Digital Future: The Mayoral Tech Manifesto, published jointly with Centre for London and Tech London Advocates in January 2016.

Responding to these developments, Julian David, CEO of techUK, commented:

“The Mayor of London’s announcement that he has launched a search for a Chief Digital Officer is a major step forward for London's digital future. By building on London's reputation as a world-leading tech hub, this role can now provide a critical focal point in creating a world-leading smart city that works for all of London's businesses and citizens. Done right, this appointment can send a beacon around the world that London is streets ahead when it comes to tech."

"This will not be a straightforward role - London's diverse tech sector combined with local government structures means that the CDO will have to show leadership across a complex range of stakeholders whilst also understanding where the latest tech solutions can make tangible differences to the life of the city. It is key that this role has capacity and resource to make sure the Mayor's vision for London's digital future is translated into delivery.

"With a wave of mayoral elections happening across the country this week, we urge the incoming metropolitan mayors to take note of what's happening in London and place a vision for digital at the heart of their administration.”

Further reading

London’s Digital Future: The Mayoral Tech Manifesto 2016

Digital Devolution: A Guide for Mayors