Colin Cook

Digital Director, Scottish Government

Click play above to watch the opening keynote session from Colin Cook.

We live in a digital world. It is changing the way we work, do business, entertain, deliver services, shop and keep in touch with our family and friends, as well as the work of government. Back in 2017, the Scottish Government set out a vision to ensure that Scotland is recognised throughout the world as a vibrant, inclusive, greener, open and outward-looking digital nation. In 2020, the context in which we are working has changed profoundly, with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and the prospect of no-deal Brexit, and it is time to revisit and refresh this vision. The Scottish Government will shortly be consulting on a new Digital Strategy for Scotland, already shaped by contributions received during the Digital Nation challenge run in conjunction with ScotlandIS. Find out the plans laid out in the new strategy, and how to help shape them, at this session with the Scottish Government’s Digital Director, Colin Cook.

Colin Cook has been Digital Director, Scottish Government since May 2017. His portfolio covers the roll out of broadband and other forms of connectivity, data strategy, digital transformation, the delivery of Scottish Government’s shared IT service and CivTech, Scotland public services business incubator. Colin previously headed Scottish Government’s digital transformation and digital connectivity, economy and participation divisions. Colin’s previous roles include Marketing Director, British Army Recruiting, where he introduced an award winning online recruiting process and both Marketing Director and Service Specification Director of Royal Mail’s core Letters Business. Colin is a trustee of  Royal Caledonian Education Trust, a charity that supports the children of current and former service personnel to maximise their potential.