Leadership and reform in Whitehall

Sir Simon Fraser reflects on his experience and the lessons he has learned in leading BIS and the FCO as Permanent Secretary over the last six years in times of austerity and reform for the Civil Service.

He discussed the challenges facing Civil Service leaders today, including the consequences of continuing austerity for cross-Departmental working, the roles of Departments and the centre of Government, and reward, diversity and inclusion in the workforce.

The Permanent Under-Secretary and Head of the Diplomatic Service is the senior foreign policy adviser to the Foreign Secretary, and responsible for the management of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and our Embassies and High Commissions around the world.  He is a career diplomat and his previous appointment was as Permanent Secretary in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in London.

Simon served as Chief of Staff to European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, and as Deputy Chief of Staff to Leon Brittan when he was Trade Commissioner.  Simon’s earlier positions in the FCO include Director for Strategy and Innovation, including policy planning, and Political Counsellor in the British Embassy in Paris. He started his career as a Middle East expert, serving in the British Embassies in Baghdad and Damascus, and as Private Secretary to Minister of State, William Waldegrave.

Peter Riddell, Director, IfG, chaired this event.