Kanwar Brar
Chief Digital Information Officer
Go-Ahead
I'm a technology executive with a career spent in complex, operationally critical industries, most recently leading digital and IT at one of the UK's largest public transport operators. I lead a sizeable technology function spanning multiple countries, and am on the board of a rail e-ticketing joint venture.
Fun fact: I hold a PCV licence, so I can drive our buses when the mood takes me.
Learn more about the UK & Ireland CIO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
I've spent more than a decade in public transport, progressing through several roles from programme delivery into senior technology leadership. Before that, I worked across a range of industries, building the commercial and delivery grounding that shapes how I lead today.
What's defined my trajectory is a deliberate choice to stay close to the operational edge of the business, whether that's depots, control rooms or on the buses themselves. That's where you learn what technology is really for.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
Technology is a means, never an end. The best work comes from teams who understand the business deeply enough to challenge it, and who treat the front-line colleague and customer as the ultimate judge of whether we've done a good job.
What is the greatest challenge CIOs face today, and how are you addressing it?
The pace of AI is exciting, but the real challenge is helping the organisation absorb change responsibly. I stay honest about trade-offs, pick a few high-conviction bets rather than sprinkling pilots everywhere, and spend time on the front line where the genuinely useful ideas quickly separate from the noise.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CIO?
Listen before you transform. Get into the operation, and build your team early. The people around you will matter more than any strategy document you write.
How do you measure success as a leader?
My team gets stronger, more confident, and more ambitious over time. And colleagues stop talking about IT, and start talking about what they're achieving with it.
What is the value of being a member of Gartner C-level Communities?
The community is where I test ideas and borrow shamelessly from peers in other industries who've framed a familiar problem in an unfamiliar way.
Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.
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