Ian Makgill – Founder, Open Opportunities
Ian Makgill is the Founder and Managing Director of Open Opportunities, a leading organisation dedicated to transparency and open data in global public procurement.
Ian has led the development of one of the world’s largest open datasets on government spending and contracting. The platform, born from his frustration with the inaccessibility of official procurement data, now hosts information on trillions of pounds in public expenditure and millions of tender documents. His work has been part of the Open Data Institute’s Start-Up Programme and is widely cited in UK open-data policy circles.
Ian created Open Opportunities (OpenOpps.com)—the world’s largest repository of Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) tender notices, publishing over 10,000 new records per day and powering APIs used by the UK Department for International Trade and other organisations. His work has supported governments in the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Colombia and Indonesia, as well as international institutions including the OECD and the Inter-American Development Bank. Ian has advised governments from Colombia to Indonesia on how to implement and improve procurement data systems, to combat corruption, improve efficiency and reduce carbon.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Ian is a recognised open-data researcher and advocate. He has contributed to landmark studies on procurement transparency, including for the Institute for Government and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, and serves as an advisor to the Open Contracting Partnership.
His analysis and commentary on open government and procurement reform have appeared in The Financial Times, The Times, The Telegraph, The Economist, and The Spectator.
Academic and Research Contributions
Ian has collaborated extensively with academic researchers on the economics and social impact of open data. His company’s datasets are regularly used in scholarly work on procurement transparency and corruption reduction. Ian has written and presented on the use of data to improve public procurement, he has a particular interest in using open data to reduce CO2 emissions. Ian sat on the UK Government’s Open Data User Group and continues to make the case for transparency in contracting and spending around the world.
5 years ago I started publishing our “Christmas Grinch” series. Essentially all we did was name names and point fingers at the procurement villains who were asking bidders for responses to bids during the Christmas holidays*. It struck a chord probably because I was sufficiently cheesed off to name names and also because there is […]
We care about search. At its heart Open Opportunities is a search engine. So we watch the market, explore the technology and examine the potential of new technologies in search. The latest trend in search engines is GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) a derivation of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) its proponents argue that they can help […]
We’re adding new sources at a gallop. In September we added fourteen new sources, including grants from Australia, data from Bahrain, two new sources in the nordics, a new NATO source and yet another source from Iowa in the USA. We’ve also been adding attachments to our sources so now we’re gathering new attachments from […]
How much do you hate the digital obstacle course that is part of qualifying bids? The real data that bidders need is hidden in the specification docs but these can’t be found without visiting multiple sites which you also have to register for. Today we’re starting to bring that to an end. Today we’ve started […]
We’ve just added four new states to our USA opportunity data. Welcome to the Open Opportunities family Montana, New Mexico, Iowa and Delaware. Users can now search for contract and tender opportunities across all of these states with more data on the way. We’re expanding our sources in other countries too, with new data coming […]
We’ve added new context for customers typing into our search boxes. A long list of search terms can be hard for users to make sense of. We also wanted to add extra search context for our customers. Using lozenges provides that context, as well as making it easier to dismiss a search term. You no […]
Users can now create their own groups of countries in Open Opportunities. If you’re responsible for selling into a specific market, whether that’s EMEA or DACH or the Nordics it can be bothersome to have to enter all of those countries multiple times. Now users can save any list of countries into a ‘collection’ for […]
A Comprehensive Guide to Securing Government Contracts in France: Trade Policies, Registration Requirements and Documentation France maintains one of Europe’s most structured public procurement systems, governed by European Union directives and national regulations designed to ensure transparency, competition, and value for money. For businesses seeking entry into this market, understanding the interplay between legal frameworks, […]
Comprehensive Guide to Securing Government Contracts in Poland: Navigating Regulatory Frameworks and Strategic Opportunities Poland’s public procurement market presents considerable opportunities for businesses seeking entry into one of Central Europe’s largest economies. Governed by European Union regulations and complemented by domestic reforms aimed at transparency and efficiency, recent deregulation initiatives have streamlined processes while maintaining […]
Navigating Government Contract Procurement in Spain: A Comprehensive Guide Spain’s public procurement market offers meaningful opportunities for businesses that understand and comply with regulatory requirements and strategic priorities. This guide provides essential insights and practical instructions on Spain’s public procurement regulations, including legal frameworks, registration requirements, documentation procedures, and compliance with EU-level trade policies and […]
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