The Department for Transport (DfT) Permanent Secretary, with
the approval of the Prime Minister, has today (3 May 2023)
announced that Jo Shanmugalingam, currently a Director General at
the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
(DSIT),
has been appointed as the new Second Permanent Secretary at
DfT.
The Second Permanent Secretary, appointed following an open
competition, will provide leadership of a number of high-profile
areas across DfT,
including decarbonising transport, and will start formally at the
end of May.
Jo is currently Director General for Science, Innovation and
Growth at DSIT.
Since taking up this role in 2019, she has led on:
- the government’s overall investment and policy strategy to
maximise the value of research and development on the economy and
society
- the government’s support for small businesses, including the
debt and equity schemes to support small and medium-sized
enterprises through the pandemic
- some of the key sectors and technologies of the future
Having previously served as Strategy Director at the Department
of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), as part of a job-share with
Susannah Storey, and Director of Corporate Effectiveness at the
Ministry of Defence, Jo started her career at the Department of
Trade and Industry (DTI). She spent 6 years at the Shareholder
Executive – now UK Government
Investments (UKGI) – where she was responsible for taking the
legislation to privatise Royal Mail through Parliament and for
the government’s shareholder interests in businesses including
National Air Traffic Services Ltd,
Post Office Ltd and Ordnance Survey.
Throughout her career, Jo has worked alongside DfT colleagues from air traffic
control to industrial strategy and now space launch and
regulation.
Transport Secretary said:
I am delighted to be welcoming Jo, who brings a wealth of
experience from across government departments. I look forward to
working with her to improve transport right across the country,
including leading on delivering some of our top ambitions like
decarbonisation and levelling up.
Permanent Secretary for the Department for Transport said:
Jo’s appointment is great news for the department – she has
demonstrated outstanding skills in leading the government’s work
on science and innovation. In this new role, I know she will
bring momentum and energy during what is an exciting time for
DfT.
Jo Shanmugalingam said:
I’m proud to be appointed Second Permanent Secretary at the
Department for Transport and to be working with teams who have
been delivering important work to keep the country moving during
challenging times.
It will be a privilege to help drive forward the government’s
work to decarbonise and level up transport for the travelling
public.
