Goodbye and Hello

Today is my last day with Lloyds Banking Group. Its been an interesting couple of years, and in that time, we've built what I'd call a "pretty good" innovation group. Its done some really leading things, like Innovation Market which now has a couple of copies in other institutions around the world. And of course, it has provided a fertile ground for material for Future-proofing, which is out next week.

Whilst most things come to an end eventually, innovation at the bank is not one of them. There is a highly competent team in place, one more than able to carry on the work we've started. Of course, in the context of the major merger presently under way, the kinds of innovation one can do is necessarily different than if you had a clear playing field. The team, however, will add their contribution of uniqueness to that process as they have always done.

This is also my last day as a card carrying banker, as I've accepted a role with the UK's largest government department, the DWP. I'm not entirely leaving financial services, though, as the department is one of the biggest makers of payments in the country, as well as being accountable for pensions. In the department, I'll have innovation, strategy and architecture responsibilities.

I'll be continuing this blog, and retaining the Bankervision title. I'll continue to comment on banking related matters as well, but you can expect to hear much more on innovation and technology. It should be an interesting transition.

Anyway, so I start with the department on Monday. I'd anticipate at least a week of no blogging from me while I get the lay of the land sorted out and work out what I can and can't say here. When you start a new job, that's always something that can be tricky. Every organisation has different boundaries, but rest assured I'll be back shortly.

In the meantime, thank you everyone whose been reading for the last three years, and I hope you'll continue to read me for a few more years to come. I can promise some interesting discussions, and, now that I am no longer employed directly by a bank, much broader commentary on things I felt constrained to avoid before.

See you in a week, or perhaps a bit less.

Comments

[Andrew]

Good luck with the new role. It's an interesting decision to move from banking to the public service.

[Euan]

Congratulations James - I hope you will be able to keep blogging with such style

[Aden Davies]

Does this mean you are no longer a luddite banker but a luddite civil servant? ;)

Good luck in the new role and I look forward to your gloves off posts about the banking industry...the gloves on ones weren't too bad though.

[Taylor Davidson]

Congrats, and looking forward to the continued range, depth of thinking and sparkling conversation :)

[Joe Young]

Good luck in your new role James. Government should provide a whole new perspective for your readers to enjoy.

Joe

[Colin Henderson]

James .... big surprise !!! Best wishes in the new role. I am sad you are no longer in banking, but am glad to hear you will maintain the blog, as you did long before Lloyds. There have been some great discussions here, and looking forward to many more.

If we see all the pensioners running around with smart cards, we will know how made that happen!

[William Azaroff]

Good luck, James!

[Giles Andrews]

Good luck in your new role James, sorry to see you go. I have enjoyed our sparring - can you appoint a sub please?

Best wishes, Giles

[Chris Skinner]

All best in DWP ... I'm also a member of the DWP btw - Drinking With Pals, that is ;)

[Bruno Hyppolito]

Hello James, bad for banking good for the government that you're changing now.

Best of luck, I'm sure they chose well, and please continue with the dialogue/provocations on the blog!

Cheers mate!

[Jeffrey Phillips]

James:

Good luck. The financial services community is losing a great advocate for innovation. I hope you enjoy your new role, and you keep blogging about innovation.

[Carol Jack]

.........our loss is the DWP's gain! Enjoy! I wish you well!

[:-David Shea]

I'll keep looking forward to your postings, innovation must go on! Still holding you an autographed copy of the book if you come to the states. :-D

[benry]

All the best in your new role James

[Steve Harris]

Wow! That's quite a change. Good luck in the new role.

[Thomas Barker]

Quite a jump! Congratulations.

I think our government needs you more than the bank :-)

Good luck!

[Fernando Egido Egaña]

Congratulations James!

Good luck in your new role.

Regards.

[Andrés Fuentes-Torres]

Hi James: Like your friend I wish you the best in your new role and in the next step of the Bankervision.
Thank you for follow Sciac Card, my financial innovation project, in Twitter.
I hope that someday you understand the Sciac concept. I am sure you will be surprised.
Best regards,

[Neil Robinson]

An extraordinarily brave decision if a voluntary one, I fear a desperate one if forced.

The DWP, like the NHS, is a grave yard for free thinking and ruled by bungling in-it-for-the-pension-perks management and the most incompetent IT support group in the world, EDS.

Ironically, you've found a group whose customers hate more than banks!

I wish you the very, very best of luck and I hope everyone here recognises the gargantuan task you have taken on board to achieve anything in DWP, whose record speak for itself.

Go get em tiger - just remember to stop the flogging when you detect a lack of pulse.

PS: No more free lunches or jollies allowed in the public sector!

[Billy Bigwords]

"The DWP, like the NHS, is a grave yard for free thinking and ruled by bungling in-it-for-the-pension-perks management"

That is the problem with the internet. Certain people feel free to make the sort of comments that they would never make in any other forum of society. Deeply offensive and ill informed and potentially subject to libel issues. My thoughts - "First know thyself" Mr Robinson...

Regards
BB

[Neil Robinson]

BB, Perhaps you ought to add Google to your law suit... just type in "DWP Blunders" and see what you get...

As for my view on EDS, just check out the UK Government website article, in which the DWP's own union makes a valid point. Clause 25 to 26...

25. PCS believes that in highlighting these examples, Mr. Purnell has omitted to mention the myriad of problems and financial costs that have been absorbed by the DWP as a result of these prime contractors. Members of the Select Committee will remember, for example, the problems that the Child Support Agency had with EDS in providing the CS2 IT system.

26. Despite such problems with established prime contractors like EDS, DWP has had little choice but to continue to award contracts with these providers as they have effectively created a monopoly situation that has diminished the ability of their one-time competitors to bid for new contracts.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmworpen/memo/dwp/ucm1102.htm

All public domain, BB.

[James gardner]

BB, thank-you for your support. I agree with your remarks.

Everyone else - I am so grateful for your well wishes. THe journey ahead will be an interesting one, I think.

[Gordon Rae]

Goodness me, James, you're a brave man. But I'm sure there are some real challenges at the DWP and I hope you make a difference.

[Karin Thomassen]

Hi James,

Congratulations and good luck!
I'm looking forward to read about your experiences.

[Tom Cooke]

Out of the pan and into the fire in terms of legislation, red tape and 'ways of doing things' maybe?

Anyway, if anyone can then it's you! Good luck.