London CDO Theo Blackwell ranks data usage importance in smart cities

London’s Chief Digital Officer Theo Blackwell believes it is crucial to have data usage embedded as a foundation for innovation when building a smart city.

Appointed in September 2017 as the Mayor of London’s inaugural Chief Digital Officer, Blackwell was speaking to Computerworld UK where he said part of his new role includes a partnership with Mayor Sadiq Khan’s Smart London board to digitise the capital.

Blackwell explained that harnessing the power of data is a key concept to transforming the capital and making it a data-driven capital of the world.

“We define a smart city as something that harnesses the power of data from public to private sources for the benefit of Londoners and people who work and visit here. We see that as enabling us to seize the opportunities of a city that’s growing and dealing with its challenges as well,” he said.

“That means using data to find solutions and mobilising the different bits of brain centres of London together is how we envision a smarter London – and fundamental to that, which is a key part to my role, is doing that collectively.”

[Read full Theo Blackwell interview on Computerworld UK]