Emily Middleton is the Interim Director General for Digital Transformation within the Government Digital Service (GDS) at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). She is responsible for leading cross-government digital transformation, including the public sector adoption of AI, digital assurance and performance, and reforming service delivery, plus the digital foundations that enable transformation such as data, technical architecture and digital skills and capability.

Emily was previously a partner at the consultancy Public Digital. She set up the firm’s international practice, working with multilateral development banks, UN agencies and philanthropies. She has worked with governments around the world to develop digital strategies and to design, scale and reboot digital and data units.

Prior to joining Public Digital, Emily led the design of the London Office of Technology and Innovation. Earlier in her career, while at the Boston Consulting Group, she worked on digital strategy and transformation programmes in Europe and Southeast Asia. She has also worked for UNICEF Innovation and the European Union Delegation to Ethiopia.