Gus O'Donnell
Encyclopedia
Sir Augustine Thomas "Gus" O'Donnell GCB
(born 1 October 1952) is a British
civil servant, who is the current Cabinet Secretary
, the highest rank in the British Civil Service. He is consequently, under current practice, Head of the Civil Service, which means he has authority over all civil servants except those who are part of HM Diplomatic Service
. He is also Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office
. He announced in August 2010 that he would step down before the end of the current parliament, and on 11 October 2011 Downing Street
announced that he would be retiring at the end of the year and will be succeeded as Cabinet Secretary by Number 10 permanent secretary Jeremy Heywood
, as Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office by Ian Watmore
and as Head of the Home Civil Service by another individual yet to be announced.
was born and raised in south London
. Educated at Salesian College
, Battersea
, he read economics at the University of Warwick
before taking his M.Phil.
degree at Nuffield College, Oxford
. He served as a lecturer for the University of Glasgow
in the Political Economy Department from 1975 until 1979, when he joined the Treasury
as an economist
.
In 1985, he joined the British Embassy in Washington, serving as the First Secretary of the Economics division for four years. In 1989 O'Donnell became Press Secretary for the Chancellor of the Exchequer
before transferring next door to serve as Press Secretary to the Prime Minister from 1990 to 1994.
From 1997 to 1998, O'Donnell was the United Kingdom's Executive Director to both the International Monetary Fund
and the World Bank
, again in Washington
, before returning to the Treasury to serve as both Director of Macroeconomic Policy and Prospects and also Head of the Government Economics Service, with overall responsibility for the professional economists in Her Majesty's Government. A year later, in 1999, he was appointed Managing Director of Macroeconomic Policy and International Finance, with responsibility for fiscal policy, international development, and European Union
economic and monetary union.
, now Lord Turnbull of Enfield, as Permanent Secretary of the Treasury when Sir Andrew became Cabinet Secretary
. Three years later, on 15 June 2005, it was announced that O'Donnell would again replace Turnbull, this time as Cabinet Secretary, on the latter's retirement at the end of that summer. He took up office in September 2005.
O'Donnell is known for his "wondrous interpersonal gifts" and his informal style. He regularly visits Civil Service departments outside London "to meet civil servants at work".
The annual remuneration for this position is £235,000.
In his role as Cabinet Secretary, O'Donnell was responsible for overseeing the review of Christopher Meyer
's controversial memoirs, DC Confidential, in November 2005. The previous month he had told the Public Administration Select Committee
that it was "wrong" for civil servants to publish personal memoirs.
Channel 4 News
on 10 August 2010 reported that O'Donnell will leave his post before the end of the current parliament.
In January 2011, it emerged that O'Donnell had decided not to publish correspondence sent between Tony Blair
and George W Bush prior to the 2003 invasion. The papers were, however, provided to the Iraq Inquiry itself. His reasoning is explained in several documents between himself and Sir John Chilcot.
In November 2010, O'Donnell published a draft copy of the Cabinet Manual. This document outlines the laws, rules and conventions that apply to the British executive.
On 11 October 2011, it was announced by Downing Street that O'Donnell is to retire at the end of the year. He will be succeeded by the current No 10. permanent secretary Jeremy Heywood.
First XI and for Oxford
, earning two Blues in 1973/4 and 1974/5. While Permanent Secretary at the Treasury he won a football medal at the annual Civil Service Sports Day - the first Permanent Secretary to do so. O'Donnell has played for the Mandarins Cricket Club for many years, the third Cabinet Secretary
to do so (the others being Sir Robin Butler and Sir Andrew Turnbull
). He is keen supporter of Manchester United.
O'Donnell is a governor of his alma mater
, Salesian College, Battersea. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2005 Birthday Honours
and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
.
He is married, with one daughter. He is a visiting fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford
.
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Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(born 1 October 1952) is a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
civil servant, who is the current Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
, the highest rank in the British Civil Service. He is consequently, under current practice, Head of the Civil Service, which means he has authority over all civil servants except those who are part of HM Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom, dealing with foreign affairs, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which deals with domestic affairs...
. He is also Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
. He announced in August 2010 that he would step down before the end of the current parliament, and on 11 October 2011 Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
announced that he would be retiring at the end of the year and will be succeeded as Cabinet Secretary by Number 10 permanent secretary Jeremy Heywood
Jeremy Heywood
Jeremy John Heywood CB, CVO is a British civil servant. He is currently Permanent Secretary at Downing Street, having previously served as the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister....
, as Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office by Ian Watmore
Ian Watmore
Ian Watmore , is an English accountant and current civil servant.Born in Croydon, Surrey, he was schooled at Trinity School, Croydon and then graduated with a degree in mathematics and management studies from Trinity College, Cambridge...
and as Head of the Home Civil Service by another individual yet to be announced.
Background
O'DonnellO'Donnell
O'Donnell , which is derived from the forename Domhnaill were an ancient and powerful Irish family, kings, princes, and lords of Tír Chonaill in early times, and the chief allies and sometimes...
was born and raised in south London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Educated at Salesian College
Salesian College (London)
-History:Salesian College was a Roman Catholic, Voluntary Aided school for boys aged 11 to 16. It was founded in 1895 in Battersea, London by the religious order of the Salesians of Don Bosco, who arrived in Battersea in 1887 as part of Don Bosco's dream to establish a Salesian presence in Great...
, Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
, he read economics at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
before taking his M.Phil.
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
degree at Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is an all-graduate college and primarily a research establishment, specialising in the social sciences, particularly economics, politics and sociology. It is a research centre in the social sciences...
. He served as a lecturer for the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
in the Political Economy Department from 1975 until 1979, when he joined the Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
as an economist
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
.
In 1985, he joined the British Embassy in Washington, serving as the First Secretary of the Economics division for four years. In 1989 O'Donnell became Press Secretary for the Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
before transferring next door to serve as Press Secretary to the Prime Minister from 1990 to 1994.
From 1997 to 1998, O'Donnell was the United Kingdom's Executive Director to both the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
and the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, again in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, before returning to the Treasury to serve as both Director of Macroeconomic Policy and Prospects and also Head of the Government Economics Service, with overall responsibility for the professional economists in Her Majesty's Government. A year later, in 1999, he was appointed Managing Director of Macroeconomic Policy and International Finance, with responsibility for fiscal policy, international development, and European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
economic and monetary union.
Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service
In 2002, O'Donnell took over from Sir Andrew TurnbullAndrew Turnbull, Baron Turnbull
Andrew Turnbull, Baron Turnbull, KCB, CVO was the head of Her Majesty's Civil Service and Cabinet Secretary between 2002 and 2005 when he was succeeded by Sir Gus O'Donnell....
, now Lord Turnbull of Enfield, as Permanent Secretary of the Treasury when Sir Andrew became Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
. Three years later, on 15 June 2005, it was announced that O'Donnell would again replace Turnbull, this time as Cabinet Secretary, on the latter's retirement at the end of that summer. He took up office in September 2005.
O'Donnell is known for his "wondrous interpersonal gifts" and his informal style. He regularly visits Civil Service departments outside London "to meet civil servants at work".
The annual remuneration for this position is £235,000.
In his role as Cabinet Secretary, O'Donnell was responsible for overseeing the review of Christopher Meyer
Christopher Meyer
Sir Christopher John Rome Meyer, KCMG is a former British Ambassador to the United States , former Ambassador to Germany and the former chairman of the Press Complaints Commission...
's controversial memoirs, DC Confidential, in November 2005. The previous month he had told the Public Administration Select Committee
Public Administration Select Committee
The Public Administration Select Committee is a Select Committee appointed by the British House of Commons to examine the reports of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and to consider matters relating to the quality and standards of administration provided by civil service departments,...
that it was "wrong" for civil servants to publish personal memoirs.
Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News is the news division of British television broadcaster Channel 4. It is produced by ITN, and has been in operation since the broadcaster's launch in 1982.-Channel 4 News:...
on 10 August 2010 reported that O'Donnell will leave his post before the end of the current parliament.
In January 2011, it emerged that O'Donnell had decided not to publish correspondence sent between Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and George W Bush prior to the 2003 invasion. The papers were, however, provided to the Iraq Inquiry itself. His reasoning is explained in several documents between himself and Sir John Chilcot.
In November 2010, O'Donnell published a draft copy of the Cabinet Manual. This document outlines the laws, rules and conventions that apply to the British executive.
On 11 October 2011, it was announced by Downing Street that O'Donnell is to retire at the end of the year. He will be succeeded by the current No 10. permanent secretary Jeremy Heywood.
Personal interests
O'Donnell is a keen sportsman, having played football for the University of WarwickUniversity of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
First XI and for Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, earning two Blues in 1973/4 and 1974/5. While Permanent Secretary at the Treasury he won a football medal at the annual Civil Service Sports Day - the first Permanent Secretary to do so. O'Donnell has played for the Mandarins Cricket Club for many years, the third Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
to do so (the others being Sir Robin Butler and Sir Andrew Turnbull
Andrew Turnbull, Baron Turnbull
Andrew Turnbull, Baron Turnbull, KCB, CVO was the head of Her Majesty's Civil Service and Cabinet Secretary between 2002 and 2005 when he was succeeded by Sir Gus O'Donnell....
). He is keen supporter of Manchester United.
O'Donnell is a governor of his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Salesian College, Battersea. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2005 Birthday Honours
2005 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2005 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 11 June 2005 to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2005.The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and arranged firstly by the country whose ministers advised the Queen on the...
and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
2011 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
.
He is married, with one daughter. He is a visiting fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is an all-graduate college and primarily a research establishment, specialising in the social sciences, particularly economics, politics and sociology. It is a research centre in the social sciences...
.
External links
- The Guardian article on O'Donnell becoming Cabinet Secretary
- BBC News background profile article on O'Donnell on his attaining Permanent Secretaryship
- BBC News background profile article on his attaining Cabinet Secretaryship
- Cabinet Office biography
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