Mayor of London to appoint capital’s first chief digital officer

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is to appoint the capital’s first ever chief digital officer (CDO) as part of an effort to turn London into a ‘smart’ city.

The new CDO will be responsible for building on existing digital initiatives and drafting a Smart London Strategy, designed to use more smart technologies.

The mayor said he wanted London to be the world’s leading smart city, with digital technology working to make London “an even better place to live, work and invest”.

London is arguably Europe’s leading technology hub - there are more than 40,000 digital tech firms in the capital, employing around 250,000 people.

The capital is already using technology to improve public services and city life. Examples include contactless technology on the city’s transport network and the London Datastore – an open resource where anyone can access data relating to the city.

Sadiq Khan said: “I am delighted to begin my search for a Chief Digital Officer, so we can make London an even smarter smart city and use our incredible technological abilities to the best effect.

“London is a world-leading hub for digital technology, data science and urban innovation. These technologies have the potential to transform the way that Londoners and visitors experience our city.”