Boyle to leave DIA and government CIO role

Brendan Boyle appointed to CEO of Ministry of Social Development

Brendan Boyle is to leave his role as government CIO and Department of Internal Affairs CEO, after being appointed CEO of the Ministry of Social Development.

Boyle assumed the government CIO role in February 1 this year, however he has been head of DIA since 2008. During his tenure at DIA, the department oversaw the transfer of government technology services from the State Services Commission, along with the establishment of the network one.govt.

The DIA, which last week released a government ICT roadmap, is also responsible for the major Infrastructure as a Service contract that is currently being decided from a panel of three vendors.

In announcing Boyle’s appointment as head of MSD, the State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie noted that Boyle has 28 years’ experience in the public service.

“In his current position he led the Auckland governance reforms, which required the integration of eight councils, and successfully managed the Canterbury civil defence emergency response,” Rennie says.

“Brendan has demonstrated the ability to work successfully through high-profile change like these, as well as the integration of the National Library of New Zealand and Archives New Zealand into DIA, and Land Information New Zealand’s Landonline project.”

Upon being appointed as government CIO late last year, he told Computerworld that the role – which had been left vacant for a year following the resignation of Laurence Millar — had been sanctioned by the prime minister.

“He [John Key] saw the advantages of a modern ICT environment and is a great believer in what ICT can do in terms of productivity. Rather than benchmark against other government departments, people now benchmark against online services such as those provided by banks,” Boyle told Computerworld back then.

Boyle will take up the role of Ministry of Social Development CEO on October 1, for a five-year term.

The departing MSD CEO, Peter Hughes, will assume the role of Head of Victoria's School of Government on October 11.

Meanwhile a SSC spokesperson says the role of DIA CEO/government CIO will be advertised shortly.