Working for and with government organisations, at various levels and around the world, Tom has spent a decade developing and improving use of data and AI to inform policy, strategy, and operational decisions. He has extensive hands-on experience working across Data Science, Data Analysis, Data Architecture, Software Development and Data Engineering, and has provided technical advice to blue chip companies and startups as well as intergovernmental organisations.

Chris Boyland is the Scottish Government’s Head of AI & Digital Growth, with responsibility for leading work to develop a new AI Strategy for Scotland, to be published in Spring 2026. This will build on the 2021 AI Strategy produced by the Scottish Government in partnership with The Data Lab, and will set out actions to harness the opportunities of AI for Scotland and create a globally competitive AI ecosystem. Chris has worked for the Scottish Government for more than fifteen years, covering policy areas such as debt advice, social security and digital economy. He returned to government, to take on his current role after two years on secondment as Vice-President: Regional Engagement with Codebase, the UK’s largest start-up incubator.  

Colin is Chief Technology Officer, Digital Office for Scottish Local Government and Chief Digital Officer at Glasgow City Council 

He brings eight years of experience of local government technology transformation having worked with Glasgow City Council, where he recently acted as the lead architect for the £24M Innovate UK Glasgow Future Cities Demonstrator. Prior to this he spent ten years in the telecommunications sector based at Adastral Park in Suffolk. 

Alison is a recognised  digital leader in Scotland with a wealth of experience of many ground-breaking digital programmes across the public sector.  She has worked with many organisations across the Justice sector including Disclosure Scotland, Scottish Prison Service, Scottish Courts and Crown Office.  Her experience also includes a 2.5 year secondment as Head of the Digital Transformation Division of the SG Digital Directorate, during which she was involved in the Digital Justice DESC programme.

Alison is a former Chair of ScotlandIS and now works as a digital transformation strategist working with public and private sector to drive digitally enabled change. 

Ingrid Severn is the Head of Corporate Data & Compliance at Scottish Water, with thirty-nine years of service to the citizens of Scotland.  She leads the organisation’s approach to data governance, privacy, protection, and AI ethics. With a strong public sector background, she is passionate about using data responsibly and ethically to benefit both the businesses and the citizens of Scotland. 

Ingrid’s role encompasses policy design, privacy, identity and access rights, data architecture, and lifecycle management, ensuring data is treated safely and responsibly, as a valuable asset. She champions Data Citizenship, aiming to empower individuals to engage with data meaningfully and safely. Ingrid views AI as a convergence of technology and psychology, advocating for transparent and principled AI application.  She strongly advocates for innovation with integrity being vital to harnessing the value of an AI future. 

Anna Ashton-Scott is Head of Skills at The Data Lab, with responsibility for education and training strategies aligned to the vision and purpose of Scotland’s Innovation Centre for Data & AI. Anna’s team supports organisations and individuals – from senior leaders to career changers and early talent – to embrace the potential of data & AI, collaborating with higher and further education to ensure graduates are industry-ready, and companies can access and retain talent in today’s rapidly changing world of work. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Anna has held roles in external relations, knowledge exchange, researcher development, and has led the implementation of national industry-focused postgraduate internship and placement programmes. 

Chloe has spent the past decade helping governments and large organisations get digital and AI initiatives off the ground, and keep them moving after the consultants leave. She’s led multi-million dollar transformation programs, built and scaled multi-disciplinary teams from 10 to 100+, and trained dozens of public servants to lead delivery independently. Her key areas of interest include compressing multi-year transformation timelines by up to 70% and helping teams go from problem statement to working proof of concept in under three months. Chloe founded Dualtrack because she believes the best transformations are led from within, not outsourced. 

Dr Dervla Carroll graduated from the University of Oxford in 2021 with her primary medical degree. Having completed foundation training in Glasgow, she subsequently completed a PGCert in Health Technology Assessment. She is presently conducting an MD with a focus on using novel artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the NHS. Current projects include the deployment of an AI CXR algorithm in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Emergency Department and the use of AI tools to detect transthyretin amyloidosis using retrospective electronic healthcare data. She continues to work as a resident doctor in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.  

Colin was appointed Director of Economic Development within The Scottish Government in 2021, responsible for Entrepreneurship, Regional Economic Development, Innovation and Science and Strategic Commercial Assets. Prior to this he was Director Digital, responsible for delivering Scotland’s national digital strategy, including work on the digital transformation of the public sector and public services, Scotland’s data strategy, digital connectivity and the IT shared services used by up to 16,000 public servants in Scotland. 

Colin started his career in marketing within the packaging and chemical industries.  He then joined Royal Mail, eventually becoming marketing director of the £4 billion core letters business and enjoying a spell as Assistant to the Chairman and Chief Executive of The Post Office.  He first joined Scottish Government in 2003 as Deputy Director,  Public Health, where he led the consultation that led to the smoking ban and then Deputy Director, Healthcare strategy and planning.  Prior to joining digital, Colin Spent 4 years on secondment to Cabinet Office / MOS as Marketing Director, British Army Recruitment where he introduced an award winning online recruiting process 

From Pilot to Impact: Building Agentic Public Services: 

Public sector organisations are moving beyond experimentation with AI to delivering real, measurable outcomes. In this session, we’ll explore how to build truly agentic services – powered by a strong data foundation – that enable faster, smarter, and more resilient citizen experiences. Through real-world examples, including Bobbi, the first virtual AI assistant in policing, we’ll look at how AI agents can handle complex interactions, seamlessly collaborate with human teams, and scale support while maintaining trust and empathy.

Emily Hill has vast experience in regulatory industries with background in insurance and law prior to joining Salesforce. Now Emily has seven years of expertise in Salesforce specialising in digital transformation for the public sector, particularly in Defence, Justice & Policing. A passionate public speaking workshop leader, she now focuses on guiding public sector organisations across EMEA in harnessing Agentic AI to transform digital labour. Her work offers a unique perspective on the future of work and the use of AI technology in government. 

Starting his career in the UK Home Office, Kevin has led significant digital transformations across diverse public and private sector organisations. His journey has included leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency and the citizen experience. As UKI Government CTO at Salesforce, Kevin brings a global perspective, drawing insights from AI implementations in public services worldwide. His work centres on translating the potential of AI into tangible, impactful solutions, helping organisations navigate the evolving digital landscape 

Andrew began his career in Technology within Civil Engineering sector with a focus on technology solutions across transport systems. Following this he moved into leadership roles in Construction and Utilities sectors. 
Moving into Energy – He held senior leadership roles with a focus on Digital, Transformation and redesigned Target Operating Model development across global organisations. In September 2019 Andrew was appointed as Police Scotland’s first Chief Digital and Information Officer. Joining the Police Scotland Executive Command & Leadership Team, Andrew has overseen a wide portfolio consisting of Transformation, Digital & Data Division, Service Design and Innovation. He is the Senior Responsible Officer for a range of programmes including Digital Evidence Sharing Capability, National Body worn Video Programme and Digital Contact. 

Shona Nicol is the Head of Technical Data Policy at the Scottish Government, leading efforts to strengthen data maturity across Scotland’s public sector. A passionate advocate for the transformational power of data, she champions its role in increasing transparency, empowering communities, and driving innovation. Through her work, Shona shapes policies that enhance the design and delivery of public services, ensuring data is harnessed effectively to improve outcomes for Scotland. 

Paul is Co-founder of Storm ID, where he leverages over 20 years of experience in leading digital and data transformation. He now focuses on AI strategy development, advising senior leadership and boards across public and private organisations on how to integrate AI into their core products, services, and business processes. Paul’s guidance is grounded in his deep experience with real-world applied AI, particularly in healthcare and the wider public sector, where he has delivered solutions that improve both patient outcomes and service efficiency 

Eilidh McLaughlin is the Deputy Director for Digital Ethics, Inclusion and Assurance and is head of the Digital Citizen Division.  The Division is within the Digital Directorate and covers the Connecting Scotland programme and the Ethical Digital Nation team.  It also comprises Information Management and Assurance teams, thus considering digital citizenry from an internal and external perspective. This role combines Eilidh’s previous experience in corporate governance, equalities and information management.  The ethos of the Division is to make sure that No One is Left Behind and to ensure that digital work is done in an ethical, inclusive way.  

Professor Mark Parsons is the Director of EPCC, the supercomputing centre at the University of Edinburgh. EPCC is known internationally for the breadth and scale of its large-scale computing and data science activities. Since 2018, EPCC has hosted the Edinburgh International Data Facility, the key underpinning technology of the Data Driven Innovation programme which is part of the Edinburgh & SE Scotland City Deal. He leads the £750m next National Supercomputer Project announced in 2025. 

Closing the Implementation Gap – Turning AI Ambition into Operational Reality:  Keith Dargie is Chief Digital Information Officer at COPFS, Scotland’s independent prosecution service, where he leads digital and information services across a complex national justice organisation.  He brings extensive senior executive experience across government and the public sector, with a strong track record of translating digital ambition into delivered outcomes and improved citizenfacing services.  Keith’s current priorities include the strategic delivery of innovative digital casework systems, scaling AI, data analytics and process automation from pilots to impact, and enabling practical, trustworthy digital transformation at enterprise and system level. 

Dr Brian Plastow is the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner. He is appointed by the King on the nomination of the Scottish Parliament to exercise independent oversight over the use of biometric data and technology used for policing purposes in Scotland. 

Brian has been the Commissioner in Scotland since 2021. He is a former senior police officer and has worked in the justice sector in Scotland since 1978.  

Lee Dunn is Head of the Digital Academy at the Scottish Government, leading the Digital and Data Profession and advancing digital skills and capability across the public sector. With over 28 years’ experience in education, technology, and leadership, he has worked as a schoolteacher, Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow, and product manager. Lee is a Chartered Manager Fellow (CMI), a member of the Institute of Leadership (IoL), and a professional coach with XSectorMentor.