Bio

Focus of work David divides his time between: working with Ministers and senior officials in Government Departments and national agencies, advising them on system reform and transformation; and working with top managers and leading professionals in regional and local public service organisations, helping turn round failing and under-performing organisations (including Local Education Authorities) and assisting high performing organisations to break new ground and push the leading edge. Areas of expertise From 2002 to 2005 David was Principal Adviser in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. In that post he co-authored the influential report Innovation in the Public Sector, led a major review of education policy and strategy, and led and coordinated the Unit’s advice to the then Prime Minister on public service reform. He chaired the review of the National College of School Leadership which resulted in the current leadership and direction of the College. Last year he advised Lord Darzi and the Department of Health on leadership, innovation and futures aspects of the Next Stage Review of the UK National Health Service. David continues to coach teams of and individual senior managers and professionals across the full range of public services, and to lead R&D programs on the relationships between technological innovation, organisational development and cultural change. Qualifications and Affiliations David’s undergraduate education was in physics and philosophy at the University of Sussex, and he undertook postgraduate training and research at the Ecole Pratique Des Hautes Etudes in Paris and at the Science Policy Research Unit, UK. As well as being Co-Chair of the Innovation Unit and a Visiting Professor at King’s College London, he is a Visiting Fellow at the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), a member of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills Public Sector Steering Group, an Expert Adviser to Capgemini, and an Associate of Demos. Before becoming a consultant, David held a number of senior management posts in higher education with responsibilities for corporate strategy, regional partnerships, educational development, information systems and engagement in urban regeneration.