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Louisiana Technology Leader Heads to Dell Technologies

Derek Williams was elevated to state CIO last year after having served as deputy CIO since late 2022. He is a veteran Louisiana technologist, and has been with the Office of Technology Services since its creation.

The Louisiana Capitol
Louisiana’s state chief information officer has posted online that he is heading to the private sector, after a year in the position.

State CIO Derek Williams, who took on the role in January 2024, has updated his employment history on LinkedIn. Williams joined Dell Technologies in February as state and local government chief technology and innovation strategist, according to LinkedIn. He has worked in Louisiana state IT for nearly two decades and is still listed as CIO on the state website. Williams and state officials did not respond to requests for comment; this article may be updated.

Williams, who entered state service in June 2006 as an applications programmer at the Louisiana Department of Revenue, has been in leadership roles for much of his subsequent career. He was named deputy CIO in November 2022. His previous state experience includes serving as director of data center operations at the Division of Administration in 2014, when it was consolidated into the Louisiana Office of Technology Services (OTS). From June 2008 to February 2024, he was a partner in Phase Shift LLC, a Baton Rouge technology company, according to LinkedIn.

In Louisiana, the state CIO helps set IT priorities for policy and practice with the Legislature, governor and agency heads. As an example, OTS worked with state legislators to enact and implement Act. No. 734, which took effect in August. The law streamlined IT procurement processes, in part by modernizing procurement terms and enhancing how agencies contract for tech and cyber products or services. It also enabled the Joint Legislative Committee on Technology and Cybersecurity to approve certain contracts.

Williams served in the Marines for six years. He has a bachelor’s of science and a master’s of science, both in computer science, from the University of Kentucky.