Sir Alex Allan KCB

Long career at the highest levels of the civil service, including as Principal Private Secretary (Chief of Staff) to the Prime Minister and to the Chancellor of the Exchequer; Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice; High Commissioner to Australia; and Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee.

Career
Current    Board Member, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Member of the Advisory Board of the Oxford Internet Institute.
2012-2021    Roles included: Prime Minister's Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests. Chair of the Selection Panel for QC Appointments. Member of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments. Trustee of the Treloar Trust (charity providing education and support for young people with physical disabilities).Carried out reviews for the government including on Records Management and on Digital Records.
2007-2011    Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee and head of Cabinet Office Intelligence Assessment Staff. Responsible for producing all-source assessments of international issues and of threats to the UK (Afghanistan, Arab Spring, international terrorism etc). Attended all meetings of the National Security Council. Other roles in Cabinet Office included overseeing constitutional reform team and cross-departmental co-ordination of planning for General Election.
2004-2007    Permanent Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs. Head of UK Government department responsible for running courts and tribunals, judicial appointments, constitutional reform etc. Oversaw implementation of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. From May 2007, Permanent Secretary at newly created Ministry of Justice, comprising the former Department of Constitutional Affairs and the National Offender Management Service (prison service, probation service, sentencing policy etc).
2001-2004    Moved to live in Western Australia. Member: Premier's Science Council; ICT Industry Development Forum; Senate of the University of Western Australia. Chairman Rottnest Island Task Force; Chairman Interactive Virtual Environments Centre. Member of the International Policy Advisory Council of MIT's Auto-ID Center. Consultant for Centre for Global Studies, Victoria BC.
1999-2000    E-envoy for the British Government. Responsible for co-ordinating policy across Government on e-commerce (legal framework, international issues, telecommunications regulation, education and training, access initiatives etc), and for overall policy on getting Government services online.
1997-1999    British High Commissioner to Australia. Responsible for British trade policy, diplomatic and consular work across Australia.
1992-1997    Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister (John Major to April 1997 and Tony Blair to Aug 1997). Responsible for all the work of the Prime Minister's office, overseeing advice and briefing on both policy and communications. Appointed G7 "sherpa" for Naples, Halifax, Lyons and Denver Summits.
1990-1992    Under Secretary, General Expenditure Policy, HM Treasury. Responsible for overall planning of public expenditure policy and programmes.
1989-1990    Under Secretary, International Finance, HM Treasury. Responsible for policy on IMF and World Bank programmes, as well as analysis and briefing on world economic trends. UK negotiator for agreement setting up European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
1986-1989    Principal Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Nigel Lawson). Oversaw all briefing and advice, covering international finance, economic and taxation policy.
1985-1986    Principal, Reform of Local Government Finance, HM Treasury.
1983-1984    Freelance computer consultant in Sydney (1983) and Perth (1984). In Sydney, primarily worked on projects developing accounting software. In Perth, worked on yachting applications.
1976-1982    Various job in HM Treasury (exchange rate policy, balance of payments, industrial policy etc)
1973-1976    Administration Traineee, HM Customs and Excise. Worked on introduction of VAT.
 
Degrees
1972-1973    MSc in Statistics, University College, London
1969-1972    BA(Hons) Mathematics, Clare College, Cambridge

Honours
KCB, New Year Honours 2012

Interests
Grateful Dead music, sailing, cycling, computers, bridge

Contact details
Email: alex@whitegum.com