The digital expert, who led tech operations at the benefits department for over four years, has been appointed to an advisory role working with the body for investigating complex crime

The former digital leader of the Department for Work and Pensions has joined the boardroom set-up of the Serious Fraud Office.

Simon McKinnon (pictured above) spent more than eight years with the DWP, during the latter half of which he served as the chief digital and information officer. He departed government – and retired from full-time work – in summer 2023.

Following his exit, he held the position as independent chair of the DWP-managed Pensions Dashboards Programme – a major government project costing almost £300m and intended to provide a single online service through which citizens can accessing information on both the state pension and any employer or private schemes in which they are enrolled.

Related content

• Serious Fraud Office seeks UK player for £10m ‘future-proof’ software system
• Top tech firms urged to prep for new anti-fraud obligations
• Serious Fraud Office given £9.3m to invest in tech

Since late last year, he has been a non-executive director of the SFO, according to his biography on GOV.UK. The online record indicates that the former DWP digital chief will provide the fraud investigation agency with technical skills.

“Simon McKinnon… has extensive experience in technology leadership roles in both the public and private sectors,” the biography adds. “He spent 16 years in the public sector responsible for child maintenance, health and pensions systems. Most recently, he was director general digital and the chief digital information officer at the Department for Work and Pensions, responsible for the delivery and transformation of national benefit systems. His previous experience included roles at PwC, Global Asset Management and a range of entrepreneurial businesses.”

Operating as a non-ministerial department, the SFO has a remit to investigation and prosecute complex or organised financial crimes.

“We take on a small number of large economic crime cases,” the agency’s website says. “The director may investigate any suspected offence which appears to him on reasonable grounds to involve serious or complex fraud, bribery or corruption.”