Talking 5 with Local Public Services Member Infoshare+
This month's Talking 5 guest is Guy Giles, Managing Director of InfoShare+
Each month, techUK's Associate Director for Local Public Services, Georgina Maratheftis, interviews a member active in the local government space about their vision for the future of local public services and where digital can make a real difference to people and society. This month we talk with Guy Giles, Managing Director of InfoShare+, to explore how digital innovation and data-driven insights are transforming decision-making and enhancing service delivery.
Welcome Guy. Firstly, tell me more about you, your career and how you got to this position today?
I began my career in pharmaceuticals and management consulting but was drawn to public service and digital transformation. That led to a role at the Cabinet Office (then the Office of the e-Envoy), where I worked on early government tech initiatives.
From there, I became involved in national digital inclusion projects - particularly through interactive television, which was a big push in the early 2000s to reach those without online access. We developed a platform used across local and central government, which evolved into DigiTV and later Looking Local.
Looking Local shifted away from interactive TV and into broader digital solutions for local government, with a strong focus on adult social care in the past decade.
Most recently, the opportunity came up to join InfoShare+, which made perfect sense. Our work at Looking Local aligned closely with their vision - data-led, digital solutions for local government. So early in 2025, we formally became part of InfoShare+. With our shared vision and goals and combined expertise, we are enhancing the impact we have in supporting the public sector deliver meaningful outcomes for the communities they serve.
What is the greatest opportunity for local government when it comes to digital?
The greatest opportunity for local government when it comes to digital is the ability to harness data to transform both decision-making and service delivery.
With rising demand and financial pressures, councils must rethink how they operate. Digital tools not only streamline services but also unlock the value of the data councils already hold. By joining up and analysing this information, local government can better understand local needs, spot risks earlier, and target support more effectively. In areas like child safeguarding, this can mean identifying issues sooner and intervening earlier – making a real, lasting impact on people’s lives.
People are more comfortable than ever engaging with services online. This moment is an opportunity to embrace a digital-first model, where resources are focused on the minority who genuinely can’t or won’t use digital channels. That’s not about excluding anyone - it’s about prioritising and adapting in a sustainable way. This enables staff to spend more time where they’re most needed – providing meaningful human support.
The opportunity is clear – to create more responsive, efficient, and preventative public services. The tools, platforms, and appetite are all there - now it’s about bold leadership and execution.
What is your vision for the future of local public services and places?
My vision is for local public services to be truly seamless – where digital is at the heart of everything councils do, not a separate channel or bolt-on.
Currently, services operate in silos, with little integration between digital and in-person interactions. But people don’t live their lives in channels – they expect to move seamlessly between them, whether that’s from a mobile device to a laptop, a call centre, or an in-person conversation.
The future should be about joined-up, human-centred design, where both staff and the public use the same core tools and platforms. This way, digital becomes a shared environment, supporting consistency and better outcomes for all. It also means that data is continuously monitored and used to drive improvements, ensuring support is targeted, responsive, and that councils can compare their performance to identify best practices.
Crucially, this isn’t about replacing human contact – it’s about using digital to streamline the experience, so in-person capacity can focus where it’s most needed.
Ultimately, local services should be digitally confident, inclusive, and designed around how people actually live, not around organisational structures or legacy processes.
Ileana Lupsa
Programme Manager, Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, techUK
Ileana Lupsa is the Programme Manager for Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, at techUK.
Ileana studied electronics, telecommunications and IT as an undergraduate, followed by an MSc in engineering and project management at Coventry University.
She refined her programme management expertise through her most recent roles working in the automotive industry.
Ileana is passionate about sustainability and creating a positive impact globally through innovation.
Georgina is techUK’s Associate Director for Local Public Services
Georgina works with suppliers that are active or looking to break into the market as well as with local public services to create the conditions for meaningful transformation. techUK regularly bring together local public services and supplier community to horizon scan and explore how the technologies of today and tomorrow can help solve some of the most pressing problems our communities face and improve outcomes for our people and places.
Prior to techUK, Georgina worked for a public policy events company where she managed the policy briefing division and was responsible for generating new ideas for events that would add value to the public sector. Georgina worked across a number of portfolios from education, criminal justice, and health but had a particular interest in public sector transformation and technology. Georgina also led on developing relationships across central and local government.
If you’d like to learn more about techUK, or want to get involved, get in touch.
Our Local Public Services Programme helps techUK members to navigate local government. We champion innovation that can create truly digital local public services helping to create thriving, productive and safer places for all. Visit the programme page here
Local Public Services Innovation Summit 2025
Attend techUK’s annual Local Public Services Innovation Summit where we will convene local authorities with tech industry to showcase good practise and facilitate greater collaboration between councils and industry.
Call for submissions: Get involved in techUK’s Local Public Services Innovation Awareness Day 2025
techUK members and local government stakeholders are invited to contribute to techUK’s Local Public Services Innovation Awareness Day with key initiatives, on 21 May.
We are partnering with the LGA to deliver a webinar as part of Women's History Month, where we will be hearing from women leaders in both local government and techUK members on their career journeys, barriers they have overcome and what both the tech and local government sector can learn from each other to continue increasing women representation and progression across our sectors.
Join us to hear more about their digital strategy, initiatives, their ambitions for the future and how you can get involved. We will be joined by Heather Clark (Economics), Head of City Economy and External Funding Strategy at City of Wolverhampton Council.
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Do you work with an innovator or a problem solver?
Do you have an inspirational colleague who deserves the spotlight for their work? The President’s Awards are back for 2025 and open for nominations. All techUK members are encouraged to nominate one colleague.
Our members develop strong networks, build meaningful partnerships and grow their businesses as we all work together to create a thriving environment where industry, government and stakeholders come together to realise the positive outcomes tech can deliver.
Alison Young is the Associate Director Local Public Services.
Alison has background in International Trade & Investment, with experience in the public, private and third sector, advising on international trade, new markets, inward investment and working closely with UK cities and regions around investment into innovation and partnerships and technology. Prior to joining techUK, she has her own consulting business and was Head of Global Investment with the Connected Places Catapult. This role had a focus on FDI around the built environment and mobility, working across NetZero mobility projects in the UK and globally. She worked closely with the Innovation Districts Group, to foster and network of knowledge sharing and helped set up the Freeport Innovation Network, to foster innovation in the context of freeports with a focus on investment.
She spent six years living and working in the Middle East, with the Department for Business and Trade. Based first in Oman, leading on a number of sectors, from Education to Infrastructure, then based in the UAE, setting up the Technology and Smart Cities sector, with a core focus on AI and Fintech.
She is passionate about economic growth for the UK, to create jobs and opportunities; the green agenda and the decarbonisation of transport. She has a degree in Russian Studies MA, from the University of Edinburgh and is currently learning Arabic.
Programme Manager, Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, techUK
Ileana Lupsa
Programme Manager, Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, techUK
Ileana Lupsa is the Programme Manager for Local Public Services and Nations and Regions, at techUK.
Ileana studied electronics, telecommunications and IT as an undergraduate, followed by an MSc in engineering and project management at Coventry University.
She refined her programme management expertise through her most recent roles working in the automotive industry.
Ileana is passionate about sustainability and creating a positive impact globally through innovation.
Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Tracy Modha
Programme Marketing Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Tracy supports the marketing of several areas at techUK, including Cyber Exchange, Central Government, Cyber Resilience, Defence, Education, Health and Social Care, Justice and Emergency Services, Local Public Services, Nations and Regions and National Security.
Tracy joined techUK in March 2022, having worked in the education sector for 19 years, covering administration, research project support, IT support and event/training support. My most outstanding achievement has been running three very successful international conferences and over 300 training courses booked all over the globe!
Tracy has a great interest in tech. Gaming and computing have been a big part of her life, and now electric cars are an exciting look at the future. She has warmed to Alexa, even though it can sometimes be sassy!
Georgina is techUK’s Associate Director for Local Public Services
Georgina works with suppliers that are active or looking to break into the market as well as with local public services to create the conditions for meaningful transformation. techUK regularly bring together local public services and supplier community to horizon scan and explore how the technologies of today and tomorrow can help solve some of the most pressing problems our communities face and improve outcomes for our people and places.
Prior to techUK, Georgina worked for a public policy events company where she managed the policy briefing division and was responsible for generating new ideas for events that would add value to the public sector. Georgina worked across a number of portfolios from education, criminal justice, and health but had a particular interest in public sector transformation and technology. Georgina also led on developing relationships across central and local government.
If you’d like to learn more about techUK, or want to get involved, get in touch.
techUK’sAnnual Dinner, the tech industry gathering of the year, is back on 1 July. Join leading industry figures, senior government representatives, and influential voices for an evening of high-impact networking, thought-provoking insights, and unforgettable celebrations.
Additionally, we’ll be celebrating the best in tech with the techUK President’s Awards, spotlighting trailblazers who are making a real impact on People, Society, the Economy, and the Planet. Nominations are open here.
