Leading Digital with Purpose: An Interview and Case Study with Peter Floyd
Queensland’s Chief Digital Officer shares his journey, leadership philosophy, and the creative thinking behind the department’s CyberAwareness Program.


Describe your work in a single sentence.
As Chief Digital Officer, I lead the department’s strategic digital agenda—driving digital innovation, enterprise capability uplift, and transformation, while shaping the frameworks that guide enterprise architecture, data security, and digital governance.
What challenges do you own in your organisation?
I’m responsible for all things digital. That means shifting the focus from how IT works to why and what we use it for. In a complex government environment with a broad legacy history and tightening resources, we face a constant balancing act: adopting the “new and shiny” without being able to discard the “rusty and crusty.”
Share your career journey so far. Would you say it was conventional?
My path has been more technical than most, but always with a strong management and engagement lens. Now, in a leadership role where I’m accountable for outcomes but not hands-on delivery, I draw from all those experiences to serve the department’s greater good. I wouldn’t call it conventional—but it’s been cohesive.
What’s your advice for someone looking to progress to the next level in the public sector?
Own it. Own it now. Start operating at the next level before you’re formally given the title. At the executive level, your judgment matters—often more than you realise. You'll rarely have all the data, so get comfortable making smart decisions in uncertainty.
What problem will you be sharing a solution to onstage?
See "The Motivation" from my Case Study (below). Cyber security isn’t just a technical issue—it’s everyone’s business. We needed to build a culture of awareness, engagement, and shared responsibility across the department, in a way that didn’t rely on fear or jargon.
What’s the secret ingredient to your project’s success?
Enthusiasm and creativity. Our communications officer was given full creative licence—and we pushed that boundary even further. The result? A cyber awareness campaign that was bold, engaging, and refreshingly human.
How does your agency measure success—and does that change depending on the stakeholder?
At the heart of it, our goal is to protect the information entrusted to us. Success might look different to different groups—whether it’s compliance metrics, user engagement, or reduced incidents—but the common thread is trust and confidence in our digital environment.
Don’t miss Peter Floyd live at the Government Innovation Showcase QLD on the 3rd of September 2025. He will be discussing Digital capability and a tech empowered workforce: practical and proven steps to building necessary skillsets sharing his insights on government uplift.
Register here.
View the agenda here.
Case Study: CyberAwareness Program
Department of Local Government, Water and Volunteers, Queensland
Peter Floyd – Chief Digital Officer
The Motivation: Cyber Security—It’s Everyone’s Business
Let’s be honest—when people hear “cyber security,” they often think of it as something reserved for tech wizards buried in code. But in reality, the biggest threat isn’t sophisticated hackers—it’s everyday people making everyday mistakes.
As Chief Digital Officer in a mid-sized government department, I’ve seen firsthand how the most vulnerable point in our cyber defence isn't our firewalls—it's the rushed staff member clicking a dodgy link or reusing a password one too many times.
Our CyberAwareness Program is about changing that mindset. We’re building a culture where every team member—from interns to executives—understands their role in keeping our systems secure. Because awareness isn’t just the first step to stronger security—it’s a critical way we uphold public trust.
The Strategy: Making Cyber Awareness Engaging and Relatable
We made culture-building one of the six pillars of our Cyber Security Strategy. Our approach is designed to be simple, relevant, and a little bit fun:
Monthly “CyberTips”: Short, topical articles posted to our intranet. They’re readable, practical, and tie cyber threats to everyday life—both at work and home.
Hook Photos: Each tip is paired with a quirky or eye-catching image that gets people talking.
Branch vs Branch CyberQuiz: A fun, gamified quiz hosted on SharePoint using PowerApps and Power BI—turning cyber awareness into friendly competition.
The Results: Awareness that Sticks
Engagement Goals Met: Our “CyberTips” hit an average of 40% staff engagement monthly, tracked via intranet views vs total headcount.
Quiz Success: The CyberQuiz introduced four answer types—from fun to perfect—and published team results to spark competition. Finance and North Region claimed victory this year, and it’s still being talked about six months later.
Cultural Shift: We're seeing a clear change in attitudes. Staff now proactively include cyber considerations in business continuity plans and team discussions.
Cross-Departmental Influence: Our sister departments are starting to adopt similar approaches—though we like to think our photos are still the best!
Don’t miss Peter Floyd live at the Government Innovation Showcase QLD on the 3rd of September 2025. He will be discussing Digital capability and a tech empowered workforce: practical and proven steps to building necessary skillsets sharing his insights on government uplift.
Register here.
View the agenda here.
The Future: Sustaining and Spreading the Culture
Next steps include broadening the scope of topics we cover while staying agile enough to respond to current events. We're also sharing our approach with peers across government—starting here at the Public Sector Network Showcase.
Cyber awareness doesn’t have to be boring. With the right mix of relevance, fun, and competition, we’re proving it can drive real, lasting change.
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