The Police Digital Service (PDS) has seen the departure of Allan Fairley, a former Accenture UK executive who served as a non-executive director. Fairley joined the PDS board on 6 June 2024 but has now left due to a conflict of interest, as confirmed by a Companies House filing on 30 July 2024.
Prior to joining PDS, Fairley had a long history at Accenture, holding various roles before becoming the UK police and justice managing director. His departure follows the resignation of CEO Ian Bell, whose directorship was terminated on 16 July 2024.
In a statement to Computer Weekly, a PDS spokesperson mentioned that Fairley resigned due to a perceived conflict of interest, without providing further details. Fairley also holds a position on TechUK’s Justice and Emergency Services Management Committee, which remains unaffected by his departure from PDS.
Fairley’s exit comes amid a turbulent period for PDS, which recently had two employees arrested on suspicion of fraud, bribery, and misconduct in public office. The individuals have been bailed pending further investigations, and PDS has committed to conducting an employee misconduct review and reassessing its operational procedures.