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Ken Blackie

With over 35 years’ experience leading transformation across NHS bodies, local authorities, universities and commercial organisations, Ken specialises in delivering complex, multi-organisational change programmes that achieve real, sustainable benefits through robust programme management methodology.

Ken Blackie brings deep insight into how large-scale improvement is achieved in diverse environments. He is passionate about connecting organisations and teams to drive real operational improvement, particularly through IT-enabled change. His work is rooted in robust programme management methodology, but always tailored to the realities of each organisation, ensuring that technology investments create genuine value rather than simply automating existing processes.

Ken is known for developing clear governance structures that enable decision-making without creating bureaucracy, establishing benefits frameworks that drive accountability, and building programme teams with appropriate skills and authority. He builds organisational capability alongside delivering programme outcomes, ensuring improvements are maintained after external support concludes. His work with executive teams includes mentoring and training, helping senior leaders develop skills to manage future transformation programmes independently.

Ken’s expertise centres on:

  • Strategic Leadership: Programme set-up and governance, establishing solid foundations, clear structures and benefits frameworks that enable effective oversight and accountability
  • Efficiency and Transformation: IT-enabled transformation aligning technology portfolios with strategic aims, ensuring technology drives genuine operational improvement
  • Workforce and Skills: Early-stage executive engagement, mentoring and capability building, helping leaders develop skills to manage future transformation independently
  • Commercial and Negotiations: Cross-sector experience spanning central and local government, NHS, higher education, transport, energy, utilities and commercial organisations

Key achievements include:

  • Programme managed £45M international college development through joint venture between global education provider and top UK university, involving tripartite agreements, construction management and establishing shared business models
  • Led financial turnaround programme for metropolitan borough identifying £33M savings through efficiency projects and strategic outsourcing
  • Delivered social care transformation for large county council that halved case processing times and generated £2M additional revenue
  • Achieved procurement transformation for £370M organisation delivering £2M+ annual savings and catalysing wider transformation
  • Led IT-enabled transformation programmes identifying £60M of benefits in FTSE 250 organisation and supported NHS trusts to align technology portfolios with strategic aims
  • Set up new chemistry department at Swansea University achieving second-highest first-year intake for a new UK chemistry department in 75 years
  • Established research institute securing over £12M investment within two years
  • Managed £36M bid for new research organisation including programme mobilisation and executive team recruitment

Ken’s NHS work includes supporting trusts develop technology-enabled roadmaps, undertaking strategic reviews to identify operational improvements, and leading business change within organisation-wide IT implementations. He understands NHS operational pressures, commissioning landscapes and regulatory requirements, enabling credible engagement with clinical leads, NHS executives and IT architects.

Ken holds qualifications including APMG Managing Successful Programmes (Practitioner), APM Project Management (Practitioner), APMG Change Management (Practitioner) and CIPFA Better Business Cases (Foundation), alongside an MSc in Operational Research from Strathclyde Business School and BSc (Hons) in Engineering from Edinburgh University.

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