Maxwell, Director of ICT Futures at the Cabinet Office, will take up the role following the departure of Bill McCluggage last November.

Maxwell will continue in his current role while reporting to government CIO Andy Nelson with his new responsibilities.

Nelson said: "I am delighted that Liam Maxwell will be taking on the role of deputy government chief information officer, this is an important step in delivering ICT services that are fit for a modern civil service. Liam has a strong track record of delivering success in government ICT and he also brings significant experience of turning the theory into practice."

An Oxford University graduate, Maxwell joined the Cabinet Office in July 2011. Previously, he was head of computing at Eton College for nearly seven years, according to his LinkedIn profile.