Chief executive for civil service appointed

John Manzoni, the current head of the Major Projects Authority (MPA), and previously Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Talisman and BP Downstream, was yesterday appointed by the Prime Minister to the new position of Chief Executive of the Civil Service. The new chief executive will have executive control over the key functions that make government as a whole work more efficiently and improve Whitehall’s ability to deliver. These include getting a better deal for taxpayers from commercial decisions, the digital transformation of public services, ensuring we have the best people with the right skills in the civil service, and managing major projects better. He will work very closely with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, Jeremy Heywood, and the Treasury to accelerate the government’s efficiency and reform agenda and civil service transformation. He will take up the new post on Monday 13 October 2014.

The new civil service reform progress report says that more people from outside the civil service will be brought in to address skills gaps, with more training and support for existing civil servants. By April 2015, there will be a new presumption that senior civil service appointments below permanent secretary level should be open to external candidates. Civil servants applying for permanent secretary posts will be expected – and after summer 2016 required – to have completed an appropriate business school leadership course before taking up an appointment, ensuring that leadership skills are prioritised for the top management posts in the civil service.

John will act as the most senior permanent secretary responsible for driving the efficiency programme, sitting on the Civil Service Board, attending Cabinet and supporting the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service in performance managing the other Whitehall permanent secretaries. He will work with permanent secretaries across government to ensure that reforms are implemented with pace and rigour.

A former president and CEO of Canadian oil and gas company Talisman Energy Inc., John has more than 30 years’ experience in the private sector, including 24 years at BP, where he contributed to its global growth and held senior strategic and operational leadership roles at global, regional and local level.