Venue – Public Service Data.AI

Visiting the Business Design Centre

Situated in Islington, London, the Business Design Centre is a premier venue for exhibitions, conferences, and office spaces.

Strategically located just 4 minutes walk from Angel Underground Station and within easy reach from King’s Cross and St Pancras international stations, the venue is easily accessible by public transportation, car and airport, making it an idea setting for hosting a government service event focused on public data and artificial intelligence.

Dates & Time:

Public Service Data.AI– Open Conference

Date: Thursday 15th October 2026
Opening/closing times: 8:30am – 6:30pm

Venue:

Business Design Centre
52 Upper St, N1 0QH, London, UK

A gentle reminder that this event is free to attend for those working in the public sector.

For all private-sector enquiries please contact Matt.Hoare@pendragonim.com

How to get there

 Underground and Train

You can easily reach the BDC via, London Underground and Overground and we’re a short walk from National Rail stations at Kings Cross and St Pancras International. The nearest tube stop is Angel Station, 4 minutes walk from the BDC.

 Bus

The nearest bus stops are Islington Green and Angel Station.

 Car

It’s easy to reach the BDC by car – although it is a stone’s throw from Central London, we’re not in the Congestion Charge zone. Visit the venue’s Parking section to find the address for your sat nav and to pre-book your parking space.

 Bicycle Parking Stations

If you choose to cycle to the BDC, they offer free cycle storage in their on-site car park. You can also rent Santander bikes from several hire stations in the Islington area.

 Accessibility

BDC is fully accessible. It features step-free access and elevators to all levels, DDA compliant restrooms, and designated accessible parking. Service animals are welcome throughout the facility. For more detailed information or to request accommodations for specific disabilities, please see here.

 Accomodation

For information on accommodation click here and for our special rate with a range of hotels near the venue and in Westminster, please see the link here.

Christopher Griffin

Chief Architect National Armaments Directorate Group, Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom

Christopher Griffin is a Chief Architect within the UK Ministry of Defence’s National Armaments Director Group, where he provides strategic leadership for the architecture, governance and evolution of complex digital, data and information capabilities supporting Defence operations and Enterprise services.

With over fifteen years of experience spanning engineering, operational delivery, service management, enterprise architecture, data exploitation and digital transformation, Chris has worked across land, maritime, air and joint environments, delivering technology capabilities that support both deployed operations and enterprise-scale organisations.

His expertise includes enterprise architecture, data governance, information management, digital transformation and technology design and assurance. Throughout his career, he has championed the use of data as a strategic asset, helping organisations establish governance frameworks, architectural standards and operating models that enable secure data sharing, exploitation and evidence-based decision making. His work has focused on creating the conditions for operational data advantage by ensuring information is trusted, accessible, interoperable and actionable across complex organisational boundaries.

Chris has led the design and assurance of large-scale information systems and digital services, bringing together technology, data, security and business stakeholders to deliver sustainable transformation. He is particularly interested in the challenges of balancing innovation, governance and operational effectiveness, and in helping organisations unlock greater value from their data through modern architectures, effective stewardship and proportionate governance.

A graduate of the Advanced Command and Staff Course, Chris holds a Master’s degree in Defence Studies and is a Chartered Manager. He is a regular contributor to strategic discussions on digital transformation, enterprise architecture, data governance and the future use of information and AI-enabled capabilities across government.

Richard Henderson

Assistant Deputy Minister and Corporate Chief Information Officer, Government of Alberta, Canada

Richard Henderson is Assistant Deputy Minister and Corporate Chief Information Officer for the Government of Alberta, where he leads enterprise technology strategy, digital transformation, and IT operations across one of Canada’s largest and most complex public sector environments. In this role, he is responsible for enabling secure, reliable, and scalable digital services that support government programs and improve service delivery for Albertans.

Prior to joining the Government of Alberta, Richard served as Chief Information Security Officer for Alberta Health Services, overseeing cybersecurity strategy and operations for one of the largest integrated healthcare environments in the world. His leadership experience spans enterprise technology modernization, cybersecurity operations, digital resilience, and large-scale public sector transformation.

Richard is a strong advocate for practical and responsible AI adoption within government. Under Alberta’s leadership, the province is emerging as the national leader in AI enablement across the public service, advancing the use of artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiency, support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen cybersecurity capabilities, and enhance citizen services at scale. His work emphasizes the responsible integration of emerging technologies while maintaining public trust, security, and transparency.

A recognized technology leader, Richard frequently speaks on topics including digital government, AI adoption, cyber resilience, and public sector innovation. He is committed to building high-performing teams, fostering cross-jurisdictional collaboration, and helping shape the future of modern public service delivery in Canada.

Sessions featuring Richard Henderson:

Building a more resilient and cyber secure state with AI

Making AI work: Moving from pilots to practice

Visiting the Business Design Centre

Dates & Time:

How to get there

 Underground and Train

 Bus

 Car

 Bicycle Parking Stations

 Accessibility

 Accomodation

Sessions featuring Jake Richards MP:

Sessions featuring Aimee Smith:

Sessions featuring Dr Kion Ahadi:

Sessions featuring Maryam Ahmed:

Sessions featuring Beatrice Baribeau:

Sessions featuring Maciej Baron:

Sessions featuring Priya Basker:

Sessions featuring Sue Bateman:

Sessions featuring Thomas Beautyman:

Sessions featuring Ayub Bhayat:

Sessions featuring Phillip Bland:

Sessions featuring Michaela Breilmann:

Sessions featuring Tina Clapham CBE:

Sessions featuring Dr. Gurpinder Dhillon:

Sessions featuring Phil Disbury:

Sessions featuring Holly Ellis:

Sessions featuring Tim Faber:

Sessions featuring Pippa Fernandes:

Sessions featuring Nigel Garner:

Sessions featuring Toby Hayward-Goulding:

Sessions featuring Richard Henderson:

Sessions featuring Ed Hiley:

Sessions featuring Matthew Hills:

Sessions featuring Dan James:

Sessions featuring Fiona James:

Sessions featuring Hlynur Karlsson:

Sessions featuring Vesa Lipponen:

Sessions featuring Toby Livesey:

Sessions featuring Jonathan Macdonald:

Sessions featuring Laurence Mallows:

Sessions featuring Yatin Mahandru:

Sessions featuring Ally McAlpine:

Sessions featuring Simon McLellan:

Sessions featuring Sarah Merriam:

Sessions featuring Saleyah Miah:

Sessions featuring James Mitton:

Sessions featuring Professor Mark Mon-Williams:

Sessions featuring Su Morgan:

Sessions featuring Jenny Murray:

Sessions featuring Dr. Iliya Peter Nickelt:

Sessions featuring Lord Gus O’Donnell:

Sessions featuring Ust Oldfield:

Sessions featuring Matteo Ragni:

Sessions featuring Hugo Rayne:

Sessions featuring Dr. Daniel Smith:

Sessions featuring Tiffany St James:

Sessions featuring Caroline Tudor:

Sessions featuring Véronique Van Vlasselaer:

Sessions featuring Martin Waudby:

Sessions featuring Zach Whitman:

Sessions featuring Peder Wiese:

Sessions featuring Michael Wilkinson:

Sessions featuring Kiran Chahal: