UK-based digital identity provider Orchestrating Identity has appointed David Rennie as its first Chief Trust Officer, a move intended to address rising concerns around digital trust, compliance, and user confidence.
Rennie brings over two decades of experience spanning the public and private sectors, including key roles in the Home Office’s Identity Cards Programme, GOV.UK Verify, Idemia, and the Open Identity Exchange. In his new position, he is tasked with helping organizations navigate complex regulatory and ethical challenges in the digital identity ecosystem, from data protection to liability management.
“You can count the number of Chief Trust Officers in the UK on one hand,” said Rennie. “That’s a problem in light of the transition to a smart data economy. If organisations want to take advantage of the inherent opportunities, they need to codify what trust really means in the digital world.”
While titles like Chief AI Officer are becoming increasingly common in corporate governance, Chief Trust Officers are still rarely seen in UK boardrooms, including those of FTSE 100 companies. The creation of this role reflects a growing recognition that trust—spanning technical, legal, and ethical domains—is now a core strategic issue for digital identity providers.
The announcement follows Orchestrating Identity’s dual certification by Kantara Initiative as both an Identity Service Provider (IDSP) and an Orchestration Service Provider (OSP) under the UK’s Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF). Kantara is currently the only accredited certifier under the framework, underscoring the importance of the designation. The certifications were achieved in partnership with IDEMIA Smart Identity, enabling the company to offer government-grade identity solutions to commercial clients.
“Their open-orchestration has the potential to change the way the benefits of trusted identity verification is applied across a wide range of services,” said Kay Chopard, Executive Director of Kantara Initiative.
The role of trust is receiving increased attention globally. A recent digital economy trust index from Checkout.com ranked the UK tenth out of sixteen countries surveyed – placing it above most European peers, but behind China, the Gulf states, and the United States. The results highlight both progress and lingering challenges in building consumer confidence in digital services.
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By Ali Nassar-Smith
