Open Standards Board members revealed
The Rt Hon Francis Maude MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office, today (15th April 2013) announced the appointment of members of the Open Standards Board. The board will concentrate on making sure that government’s open standards meet users’ needs and achieve a level playing field for open source and proprietary software. The standards will encourage more flexible IT contracts and provide access to the wider marketplace, reflecting the government’s determination to move away from tie-in to long-term deals.
Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said "Open standards are at the heart of making government IT cheaper, more flexible, more connected and attuned to providing user-focused public services. With interoperable systems based on open standards we can build in flexibility and cut costs by avoiding lock-in to suppliers or products, achieve a truly level playing field for a diverse range of suppliers, and provide better services for taxpayers. We expect savings on IT in 2012/13 alone to be over £400m – and we know we can save more."
The Board appointees include experts from inside and outside government with proven track records in open standards development and implementation. The Open Standards Board members appointed today are:
- Liam Maxwell, Government Digital Service (Chair)
- John Atherton, Surevine
- Matthew Dovey, Jisc
- Adam Cooper, Bolton University
- Paul Downey, Government Digital Service
- Jeni Tennison, Open Data Institute
- Lee Edwards, London Borough of Redbridge
- Tim Kelsey, NHS Commissioning Board
- John Sheridan, The National Archives
- Chris Ulliott, CESG
An introduction to the Board members is available on the Standards Hub.
