Steven Fry
Director of Digital, Salford City Council Steven is a nationally recognised digital leader and AI strategist, driving the shift from cloud-first to AI-first and reshaping how local government delivers smarter, more human-centred services
About This Presenter
🔹Steven Fry
Director of Digital, Salford City Council
đź“ŤNorth West, UK
🧠Areas of Expertise
- AI-First Transformation in Public Services – Leading strategic shifts from cloud-first to AI-first operating models.
- AI in Citizen Services & Case Management – Applying automation, machine learning, and generative AI to improve customer journeys and reduce demand failure.
- AI for Decision-Making & Policy – Using data-driven and AI-enabled insights to support Cabinet, leadership, and frontline decision-making.
- AI & Ethical Governance in Local Authorities – Developing responsible AI frameworks, risk management, and public trust strategies.
- AI Innovation & Ecosystem Development – Driving partnerships to incubate civic AI solutions and regional economic growth.
đź“š Bio
As Director of Customer and Digital Services at Salford City Council, he lead one of local government’s most ambitious, award-winning digital public service portfolios—serving a thriving, diverse city of over 260,000 residents. Recognised for five consecutive years as one of the country’s top digital leaders in the CIO100, across both the public and private sectors, he built a reputation for driving bold, citizen-centred transformation. From reimagining frontline delivery to embedding intelligent systems—and more recently, cloud-first and AI-first strategies—his work is rooted in the belief that digital isn’t about tech; it’s about people, purpose, and public good.
At the heart of my role is Salford’s corporate transformation portfolio, where he lead the Programme and the Programme Management Office (PMO) and a cross-cutting suite of change programmes. These include a whole-council internal transformation agenda; major programmes in Children’s Services and Adult Services; and radical new community solutions across three directorates—all anchored in the principles of public service reform and innovation.
🛠️ Skills & Tools
- GenAI
- CoPilot
- Agentic AI
- LLM's
- MS Fabric
- Security CoPilot
- Azure AI Foundry
🏛️ Sector Experience
- Local Government
🗓️ Sessions offered
- Thought Leadership
- Coaching/Mentorship
📬 Availability
âś… Available for:
- Advisory
- Workshops
- Speaking
- Panel Moderation
- Consulting
- Mentoring / Coaching
- Virtual and in-person