PRESS RELEASE : New Permanent Secretary, Gareth Davies, appointed to the Department for International Trade [December 2022]

The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has appointed Gareth Davies as the new Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Trade (DIT).

Gareth succeeds James Bowler who took up a new role as Permanent Secretary to HM Treasury in October. Gareth will take up his new role early in the new year.

Gareth will support the Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, the Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, and her Ministerial team and be responsible for leadership of the Department.

Gareth brings with him invaluable experience from his current role as Second Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport and from his time as Director General in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Earlier in his career, Gareth led the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and worked in 10 Downing Street and spent over a decade in the private sector.

International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

I’m delighted Gareth is taking on this role at a hugely important moment in the UK’s journey as an independent trading nation.

Gareth’s experience in both Government and business will help the UK win more valuable investment, boost our exports and secure world class trade deals.

He will also lead the department’s work with international partners to confront threats to the global market and show the UK as a beacon of free trade.

The Cabinet Secretary said:

I would like to congratulate Gareth on his appointment. Gareth takes on this vital leadership role in government at a critical time for UK trade and brings a wealth of experience from a variety of roles in government and the private sector.

I would also like to thank Crawford Falconer for his strong leadership of the department since October.

Gareth Davies said:

I am delighted to have been asked to lead the Department for International Trade at this crucial time. We will only get back to growth if companies have the confidence to invest and export.

The Department can be rightly proud of its achievements over its first six years. I’m looking forward to working with the Secretary of State and the leadership team to open up new markets, support companies across the country to trade and protect British businesses from unfair competition.

About Gareth Davies

• Gareth is currently Second Permanent Secretary at DfT where his responsibilities include decarbonising transport, technology, international and security. Prior to this, Gareth was a Director General in the department. He has also been Director General in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
• Gareth has spent over a decade in the private sector. He has worked for AIA, the life insurance company based in Hong Kong. He started his career in PriceWaterhouseCoopers, working across Central and Eastern Europe.
• Plans to identify his successor will be announced in due course.