John Houston

Director of the Essex + Herts Digital Innovation Zone

The DIZ is an award winning local digital partnership, one of the first of its kind in the country. Its key focus is on becoming the “best connected place” of its type through a collaborative, place-based approach to digital infrastructure and deployment. For the last four years it has been working on shared challenges that cross business, public services and the voluntary and community sectors. It works successfully across a range of administrative boundaries (five districts and two County Councils) linked to its functional economic area, which sits between London and Cambridge. John also heads up economic development at Epping Forest District Council.

John has worked for six local authorities in the UK and has held senior management posts in local government and partnership organisations for almost 25 years. He has served on the governing bodies of local schools, independent health organisations and advice agencies.

Twitter: @DIZMatters