Hazel Hobbs appointed as interim Chair of Building Digital UK
Hazel Hobbs has been appointed by the UK government as the interim Chair of Building Digital UK (BDUK), starting on 1 September 2024.
Hazel Hobbs has been appointed by the UK government as the interim Chair of Building Digital UK (BDUK), starting on 1 September 2024. BDUK is an executive agency of DSIT with responsibility for delivering the government’s two major digital infrastructure programmes, Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network.
Hazel has also been reappointed as a non executive director of BDUK, having been a member of the Board since the organisation became an executive agency in March 2022. She will serve as interim Chair whilst an exercise is launched to recruit a permanent Chair.
Hazel previously chaired BDUK’s Audit and Risk Committee. Her wider experience includes being former job-share Director at the Government Digital Service where she led on implementing the transformation strategy for digital government and championed innovation to bring modern, digital services to every community in the UK. Hazel is an Associate at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) and regularly leads assurance reviews of the highest profile major projects in government. She consults widely on governance and public service reform and has led three public body reviews for Cabinet Office and Northern Ireland Ministers. She is an Associate Fellow at the Oxford University Said Business School and teaches and coaches on a range of programmes, including the Major Projects Leadership Academy.
Commenting on her appointment, Hazel Hobbs said:
I’m delighted to have been appointed as BDUK’s interim Chair and will continue working with DSIT, the Board and Chief Executive to drive forward the Government’s commitment to achieve full gigabit coverage by 2030.
As a citizen, independent business director and parent, I know how critical our work is to power economic growth and ensure nowhere is left behind. My priority will be to build on the hard work and brilliant foundations established by BDUK staff and prepare for the forthcoming Spending Review. We remain focused on collaborative working with the telecommunications industry and devolved governments to secure fast, effective and good value digital infrastructure for the taxpayer.
More information on Project Gigabit can be found here and information on the Shared Rural Network can be found here.