Earlier this week Sir Gus O’Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, announced the appointment of Robert Devereux as the new Permanent Secretary of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Mr Devereux will be taking over from the current Permanent Secretary Sir Leigh Lewis who will be retiring at the end of December. The appointment was approved by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Ian Duncan Smith.
Mr Devereux will commence his new position at the beginning of January 2011.
Commenting upon his appointment, Robert Devereux said:
“I am delighted to be returning to DWP, to lead the Department at such an important time for welfare and pension reform. I have learned a great deal from my experience, and enjoyed working with excellent colleagues, at the Department for Transport over the last eight years, and look forward to the challenges ahead”
Sir Leigh Lewis said:
“I welcome Robert’s appointment and am certain that he is the right person to help the Department deliver our ambitious programme of welfare and pension reform in the coming years.
“It has been a pleasure and a privilege to lead the Department for the last five years and I know that its staff will support Robert in the way they have supported me.”
Robert Devereux Biography
Robert Devereux began his Civil Service career in 1979, with a degree in mathematics from St Johns College, Oxford. He began working with the Overseas Development Administration and during his career has held posts in HM Treasury, the Department for Social Security, the Department for Work and Pensions, as well as a secondment to Guinness Brewing Worldwide.
He joined the Department for Transport in 2003 and took over as Permanent Secretary in May 2007. He became Head of the Policy Profession for the Civil Service in April 2009.
Sir Leigh Lewis Biography
Having graduated in Hispanic studies from Liverpool University, Leigh Lewis joined the then Department of Employment as an Administrative Trainee in September 1973. Since then Leigh’s career has spanned the public and private sectors. He has been Principal Private Secretary to Lord Young, Minister without Portfolio and Secretary of State, in 1984 and in 1988 joined Cable and Wireless plc as group personnel director. He was subsequently appointed Director of Finance at the Department of Employment and Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
In February 2003 Leigh Lewis was appointed to the Home Office as Permanent Secretary for Crime, Policing, Counter-Terrorism and Delivery. He was appointed to his present post in November 2005.
