Jon Harding joins PA Consulting as a partner in the Economic Development team in Public Services

Jon Harding joins PA Consulting (PA), the consultancy that’s bringing ingenuity to life, as a partner in the Economic Development team in Public Services, with a focus on Government trade priorities. Jon will be working closely with PA’s teams to support the Department of International Trade, and will also be aligned to PA’s Sourcing, IT and Corporate Services capability.

Jon brings over 25 years of cross sector B2C, B2B and government experience in senior leadership roles across the private and public sectors, having most recently been appointed Commercial Specialist and workstream lead on the UK Ventilator Challenge Programme. Jon worked closely with the Cabinet Office, PA and UK design and manufacturing companies to produce over 15,000 medical ventilators for the NHS in a matter of months during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Having started out as a corporate lawyer, Jon has since then worked in commercial and operational transformation roles across the public and private sectors, including Chief Operating Officer at the Department of International Trade, where his main responsibilities included the roll-out and operationalisation of its new corporate strategy, initiating and embedding its first Innovation Hub and setting up a cross-government commercial strategy. Jon has also worked with commercial aviation companies based in Europe and Asia Pacific, such as Virgin Atlantic and Qatar Airways, to develop strategic, commercial and operational leadership of international teams.

PA’s public services experts connect services to the public, combining problem solving with insights from across the public sector and private industry. They work closely with government departments, local leaders and policing and borders organisations to create a better living and working environment for people. From achieving the impossible with the UK Ventilator Challenge, to help vulnerable people stay independent during the Covid-19 outbreak with Argenti, an innovative approach to technology-enabled care, our experts provide support and advice amid global uncertainty and change to make resources go further and improve life for everyone.

Shaun Delaney, PA Consulting’s Economic Development lead said: “I’m thrilled to have Jon join our team at PA. His extensive experience in commercial and operational transformation roles across the public and private sectors, and deep expertise in operationalising cross-Government commercial strategy will amplify and extend our ability to support clients.”

Jon Harding added: “The UK Government faces significant changes and challenges right now. Having led complex transformation and delivery projects across Government and the private sector for over 25 years, I’m delighted to join PA and an incredible Public Services team to deliver successful outcomes for clients together. I’m excited to help grow the collective success of the firm and support delivery programmes across the Public Sector.”