Sarah Munby

Sarah Munby
Permanent Secretary of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 February 2023
Prime Minister	Rishi Sunak Keir Starmer
Minister	Michelle Donelan Chloe Smith Michelle Donelan Peter Kyle
Preceded by	Office established[a]
Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
In office 20 July 2020 – 7 February 2023
Prime Minister	Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak
Minister	Alok Sharma Kwasi Kwarteng Jacob Rees-Mogg Grant Shapps
Preceded by	Sam Beckett[b]
Succeeded by	Gareth Davies (DBT) Jeremy Pocklington (DESNZ) Herself (DSIT)
Personal details
Born	May 1982 (age 42)
Nationality	British
Occupation	Civil servant

Sarah Anne Munby (born 1982)^[1] is a British civil servant who has served as the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology since February 2023. She was previously the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from July 2020 to February 2023.

Early life

Munby was born in May 1982. As a schoolgirl, at James Allen’s Girls’ School, she was a member of the runner-up team in the 2000 World Schools Debating Championships held in Pittsburgh, USA. ^[2]

Munby has a PPE degree from Oxford and a Master's degree in Economics from the LSE.

Career

Munby started her career working as a civil servant at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as an economist.^[3] She later worked for the management consultancy McKinsey & Company for fifteen years, where she "led the company's strategy and corporate finance practice in the UK and Ireland".^[4][5] She joined the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in July 2019 as director general for business sectors.^[6] The permanent secretary at BEIS, Alex Chisholm, became chief operating officer of the civil service in April 2020. Munby replaced Sam Beckett, who served as acting permanent secretary at BEIS, as permanent secretary in July 2020.^[4]

In February 2023, Munby's department was split into three and she became Permanent Secretary of the newly-established Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.^[7]

In March 2024, Munby became embroiled in the scandal of Michelle Donelan using government funds to settle a libel claim made against her.

In April 2024, Munby was implicated in the Post Office scandal for applying pressure on the CEO of Post Office to cut costs, including on Horizon's replacement and compensation for sub postmasters innocent of wrongdoing. ^[8]

Notes

1. Herself as Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
2. As Acting Permanent Secretary.

References

1. "Sarah Anne MUNBY personal appointments". Companies House. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
2. "WSDC 1999: London, England Individual Results". Schools Debate. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
3. "Sarah Munby". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
4. "BEIS names new permanent secretary". Civil Service World. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
5. "New Permanent Secretary announced at Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
6. "Cabinet appoints new BEIS Permanent Secretary". Energy Live News. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
7. Smith, Beckie (7 February 2023). "Pocklington to lead new energy department in perm secs reshuffle". civilserviceworld.com. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
8. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/response-to-claims-on-the-governance-of-post-office-limited

Government offices
Preceded by Sam Beckett Acting	Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 2020–2023	Succeeded by Gareth Davies as Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business and Trade
		Succeeded by Jeremy Pocklington as Permanent Secretary of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
		Succeeded by Herself as Permanent Secretary of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Preceded by Herself as Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy	Permanent Secretary of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 2023–present	Incumbent