back to article London Mayor's chief digi officer: 'Have faith and give us a chance'

Cynics could be forgiven for seeing the Mayor of London’s newly created six-figure chief digital officer role as a policy wonk title. Speaking to The Register on a rainy morning at City Hall, Theo Blackwell describes it as "a digital leadership role." So four months into the job, what key point would he communicate to reassure …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Ultimate Waffle Job

    1. tiggity Silver badge

      ..sshh

      Talkie Toaster might hear you

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Would you like some Toast?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          I'd prefer Mrs Purchase.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Miss Purchase

            FTFY

            1. BebopWeBop

              Ms Purchase

              FTFY

    2. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
      Facepalm

      he advised Martha Lane-Fox in her role as Digital Champion

      With his political background, won't be long before he'll be joining her in the Lords.

      I'm off to the bookies to see what odds I can get. I feel lucky

  2. wolfetone Silver badge

    Trying to work out whether this clown was given the title inspired by George Orwell's 1984 (Ministry of Truth), inspired by the Head of the Central Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of Vietnam, or just inspired by the character Jessica Stevenson plays in W1A?

    1. Voland's right hand Silver badge

      Trying to work out whether this clown was given the title inspired by George Orwell's 1984 (Ministry of Truth)

      You are overestimating his capabilities and competence.

      1. wolfetone Silver badge

        So he's the right level of competence for Vietnam?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Either way I notice that "things that matter most to Londoners" seems to be a matter of opinion as another headline I saw today says "City Hall announces two-year suspension of road improvements as Transport for London reacts to reduced income".

      2. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
        Coat

        The Man from the Ministry

        @Voland's right hand

        You are overestimating his capabilities and competence.

        Why, is he from the "General Assistance Department"?

        https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009smq5

  3. Peter2 Silver badge

    What i'm carrying away from this article is that the "chief digital officer" of london is a professional party politician of the local political party controlling london, who has no technical qualification or experiance, he has no defined objectives that his performance can be measured against and yet is being paid £107k p/a, putting him in the top 3% of earners in the UK.

    1. Voland's right hand Silver badge

      he has no defined objectives that his performance can be measured against

      Even worse - he is a PR professional. So in addition to not having any objectives, he has the professional skills to present his "achievements" in the appropriate rosy colours.

    2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      But don't worry he will only have to survive on this miniscule public sector salary for a couple of years before joining one of the companies that so successfully win all the bids for "digital infrastructure"

  4. BebopWeBop
    Facepalm

    Cynics could be forgiven for seeing the Mayor of London’s newly created six-figure chief digital officer role as a policy wonk title.

    And this article supports that view.

  5. msknight

    If you see him trying to cut red tape with the sword of a thousand truths... it's time to pull the plug. Are we SURE he doesn't play WoW any more, or does he think he's in the game?

  6. hatti

    Softly softly catchee data

    “It needs to be a conversation that starts with consent, rather than forcing people to do things,” he says, adding that a “coalition of the willing” is more effective than forcing boroughs to open up their data.

    Digital word salad, what could possibly go wrong?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Softly softly catchee data

      “It needs to be a conversation that starts with consent, rather than forcing people to do things”

      That sounds like something a twitter feminist would say.

      Maybe he hates men as well ;)

      LOL

  7. Fullbeem

    So this guy plays/played WOW. Elon plays KSP. Next we find out Sadiq Khan plays PUBG

    Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I agree with the casual dress code...

    ...I hope its allowed for the other staff. Why companies still have dress codes is beyond me. Especially when there are reports that show more people turn up for work when they can wear what they want.

    Anyway. Bar that, just another "hipster" that probably knows fuck all about what he's talking about. He just has a gift for the bullshit and is able to sell that bullshit to the clueless fools that pay him.

    Seen it before.

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: I agree with the casual dress code...

      just another "hipster" that probably knows fuck all about what he's talking about. He just has a gift for the bullshit and is able to sell that bullshit to the clueless fools that pay him.

      But digital .....

  9. Mark 85

    . And I quote: "So I’d say to your readers: have faith and give us a chance."

    Reminds me of the scariest words in the world: "I'm from the government and I'm here to help." Be afraid. Be very afraid.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Yeah - Trust me

      I'm a politician.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Gee, whiz...

    All his hair slid to the bottom of his face!

    1. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
      Joke

      Re: Gee, whiz...

      @AC

      All his hair slid to the bottom of his face!

      Titter ye not. It's wicked to mock the afflicted

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