Former Aus Govt CIO Archer joins Gartner

Former Australian Government CIO Glenn Archer will shift to the analyst sector following his surprise departure from the public service early this year.

Glenn Archer

Archer will join the ranks of research firm Gartner on May 19, as research vice president for its public sector arm.

Archer resigned from the Federal Government’s top strategic IT role in January this year after just over a year in the position.

He told iTnews he was looking forward to being able to delve more deeply into issues involving electronic government, which he lacked the time to comprehensively research while leading operations at the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO).

He also said the independence that came along with being a consultant had been a selling point.

“I think the opportunity to contribute more broadly to the better use of technology in governments in general was definitely something that attracted me to the role,” he said.

“One of the jobs I enjoyed the most in my career was heading online services at Centrelink, because it showed me how profoundly digital transformations can change not only the operations of an agency but also the experience and satisfaction of clients."

In his new role, Archer will consult globally on digital service delivery and how governments can best leverage the new technologies available to them.

He has more than a decade of government IT experience to call upon, having previously worked in executive positions for Centrelink and the Education Department before rising through the ranks at the Department of Finance.

Archer’s new boss, Gartner managing vice president Andrea Di Maio, said in a statement that governments worldwide were seeking a “quantum improvement” in the availability and quality of the online services available to their citizens, while at the same time looking to cut costs.

“Glenn’s experience in balancing these demands will make him a very valuable advisor to Gartner’s public sector clients globally,” he said.

AGIMO is being led on a temporary basis by Leslie Seebeck as it negotiates a new IT strategy for the public sector in keeping with the policy promises of the new Coalition Government.