About me

My Story

I’m Rick Stock. I lead digital delivery and transformation in complex, high-stakes environments, working at the point where strategy meets execution, making sure digital ambitions turn into credible delivery with the right teams, governance and ways of working in place.

I have over 20 years of senior leadership experience across central government, regulators, corporates and start-ups. My focus is on the things that decide whether digital programmes succeed or fail: team leadership, operating model design, delivery governance, stakeholder alignment, and the practical application of emerging technologies including AI.

At the beginning of my career I led both large and small teams delivering software and services into markets across Europe and globally. I then worked at board level as a CTO and Director of Technology for a series of successful venture-capital backed start-ups.

Although I started work in the private sector, I’ve concentrated in the last decade or so around the public sector, working in a wide variety of senior roles in major UK government departments, as well as performing a number of consulting and training engagements for other governments internationally.

Since 2006 I’ve worked as an independent consultant through my company, RS Digital Ltd, whose website you’re reading this page on. For most of that time I’ve worked as an interim or contractor, and that remains my natural preference, though I’m always open to a conversation about a full-time role if it’s the right one.

Over my career I have done things like:

• Led European product and technology teams for a FTSE100 telco that introduced innovations like Europe’s first over-the-air music download service
• Worked in a VC start-up and launched the first major Hollywood studio online video service in Europe
• As CTO and then General Manager for another digital start-up, worked with all of the major music labels to launch a white-label streaming platform with a series of major brands in the UK
• Designed, set up and ran the first DWP Digital Academy, one of the first major digital capability building initiatives in UK Government, which went on to be adopted by the Government Digital Service and train thousands of civil servants across the UK
• As an interim programme lead, ran the digital transformation programmes at two major UK Government departments, DEFRA and then UKRI, steadying the ship as well as delivering many innovative services like Rod Licensing
• Worked on numerous other projects and programmes for UK Government including the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Centre for Digital Public Services in Wales and HM Land Registry

Recent work

• Leading the transformation of an AI-focussed delivery team at a major UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, moving it from waterfall to agile
• Restructuring a critical digital delivery programme at a UK government department to establish a realistic, achievable path to delivery
• Building and leading a special operations team for the UK Ministry of Justice delivering services into UK prisons, acting as portfolio and strategy adviser
• A range of shorter advisory and fractional engagements, including a digital-capability review for a Caribbean government and a productivity project with a multinational publisher

I also write Leading Indicators, a weekly newsletter on digital transformation, AI, agile, service design and leadership: a handful of reads worth your time, with a short note on why each matters.

You can check out my LinkedIn profile to see an overview of the roles I’ve done working on an interim or contract basis, as well as my broader career history.

Rates and availability

I take on a small number of interim and advisory engagements at any one time. I’m based in London and work flexibly, remote or hybrid. If the timing matters for what you’re planning, get in touch and I’ll tell you honestly where I am.

If I can help with something you’re working on, or you just fancy a conversation to hear more, get in touch to schedule a chat via my appointments booking page.