Trust the IT? Governance lessons from the UK Post Office scandal

Overview

While there has been some reporting about the UK Post Office scandal, a statutory inquiry  has flown largely under the radar in New Zealand.  There is more to come with a report on governance (Phase 6) to be delivered by the Inquiry later this year.

The Post Office Scandal, also known as the Horizons IT scandal, a significant event in UK history, highlighted critical governance issues such as the failure to disclose crucial evidence and the misuse of the Horizon IT system. The scandal led to the wrongful conviction of hundreds of post office workers due to accounting discrepancies, later found to be caused by faults in the Horizon system provided by Fujitsu.

This case has raised serious questions about corporate governance  and the responsibilities of those in power, prompting a public inquiry and discussions on the importance of accountability in public bodies. The government's role in the scandal, particularly in terms of oversight and management of large contracts, has also been scrutinised, emphasising the need for transparency and integrity in public office.

Dr Roger Barker, Director of Policy and Corporate Governance at the Institute of Directors UK, will join us to talk about the way this scandal developed, its impact on the lives of those involved in this scandal, the role that board members played (or should have played) and the general lessons for directors and boards.

Dr Roger Barker

MInstD

Roger has been the IoD’s Director of Policy and Corporate Governance since September 2020. He also served as Director of Corporate Governance and Professional Standards at the IoD from 2008-2016.

He is honorary associate at the Centre for Ethics and Law at University College London and was previously managing director of Governomics Ltd, a corporate governance advisory firm. He is also the author of numerous books and articles on corporate governance and board effectiveness.

A former investment banker, Roger spent almost 15 years in equity research and senior management roles at UBS and Bank Vontobel in the UK and Switzerland. He has a doctorate from Oxford University and taught Politics at Merton College Oxford between 2005 and 2008. Until January 2020, he served as a UK member of the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels.

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