NSW digital chief off to Queensland

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Chris Fechner is leaving his position as digital chief at Service NSW to become Queensland’s first chief digital and customer officer.

Fechner will join the state government’s Department of Housing and Public Works (DHPW) in early February, according to iTnews.

He was with Service NSW — one of the top ten places to work in the country — for only nine months, and is set to lead the customer and digital group within DHPW.

The Queensland government created the new role in September in an effort to look after local businesses and keep the state up to date with changing global technology. It was first announced at a meeting of the Australian Data and Digital Council last year, where federal, state and territory ministers discussed ways to collaboratively improve services with data.

The chief digital and customer officer will implement customer-centric digital transformation to help make government services easy to access and use, according to Minister for Digital Technology Mick de Brenni.

“Our customers need to have confidence and trust that we are listening to their needs,” he said last year.

“This new role of chief customer and digital officer will ensure we will provide assurance at every level of the government’s digital systems, reduce duplication and that we invest in digital projects that meet the needs of Queenslanders.

“Whether it’s accessing concessions or rebates, renewing a driver licence or starting a business, Queenslanders expect it to be easy to do business with their government.”

The officer will also make sure the government invests in “the right things, at the right time and for the right outcome”.

Fechner joins Queensland’s current chief information officer Andrew Mills.

Prior to joining Service NSW, he also worked as chief information officer at the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, the Office of Environment and Heritage, and the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.