Drupal as the Digital Backbone: Transforming Government Digital Services at Scale
Time: Wednesday 13th May 13:50-14:20
Room: Te Aro
Track: People & Culture
Governments across Australia and New Zealand are under increasing pressure to deliver reliable, secure, and citizen‑centred digital services—often with shrinking budgets and rising expectations. Drupal has become a strategic enabler for many of these platforms, but genuine success depends on more than technology. It requires clear vision, strong governance, disciplined delivery practices, and the ability to align digital platforms with policy and organisational outcomes.
In this session, I’ll share perspectives from leading large‑scale government digital programs—what creates sustainable success, what commonly derails it, and how to build platforms that support long‑term service transformation. We’ll look at operating models, multisite and content governance approaches, risk and security considerations, and the organisational capabilities required to get value from Drupal at enterprise scale. Whether you’re a digital leader, program manager, strategist, architect or advisor, you’ll leave with practical insights to strengthen your digital agenda and translate platform investments into meaningful business outcomes.
In this session, I’ll share perspectives from leading large‑scale government digital programs—what creates sustainable success, what commonly derails it, and how to build platforms that support long‑term service transformation. We’ll look at operating models, multisite and content governance approaches, risk and security considerations, and the organisational capabilities required to get value from Drupal at enterprise scale. Whether you’re a digital leader, program manager, strategist, architect or advisor, you’ll leave with practical insights to strengthen your digital agenda and translate platform investments into meaningful business outcomes.
Speakers
Ian Laslett
Ian Laslett is a Partner at EY and Studio Plus Customer Technology Lead specialising in digital strategy, enterprise platforms, and government transformation. Based in Canberra, he has led major digital programs across the public sector, helping agencies modernise service delivery through scalable architectures, thoughtful governance, and user‑centred design. In his Studio Plus leadership role, Ian brings together multidisciplinary teams to solve complex problems and deliver high‑impact digital platforms. With deep experience in Drupal and open‑source ecosystems, he connects technology, people, and policy to create solutions that endure.