Paul Johnston, Head of European Public Sector, Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group

Paul Johnston heads the European public sector team in Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG). Prior to joining Cisco, he led the local government team at the UK Treasury, where he worked for a succession of Chief Secretaries to the Treasury. As a policy advisor, he shaped the UK government's 2000 housing white paper, helped finalize the UK's market abuse legislation, and played a significant role in three Spending Reviews. Prior to joining the treasury, he worked at a senior level for three different public sector organizations. He also had a successful career as a journalist, working for Reuters in London, Bonn, and Frankfurt, as a producer for the BBC and as lobby correspondent for Tyne Tees Television.

Johnston has written a wide range of thought-leadership papers during his time at Cisco including The Connected Republic 2.0. This paper (which he wrote with colleague Martin Stewart Weeks) explores the potential impact of Web 2.0 on the public sector. The ideas expressed in it are being further developed via www.theconnectedrepublic.org.