News story

Gareth Davies appointed as new Second Permanent Secretary at DfT

New Second Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport, Gareth Davies brings significant experience from across government and the private sector.

• From: Department for Transport and The Rt Hon Grant Shapps
• Published: 14 December 2021

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

This news article was withdrawn on 10 May 2023

Garath Davies was replaced by Jo Shanmugalingam as second permanent secretary in May 2023.

The Department for Transport (DfT) Permanent Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has today (14 December 2021) announced that Gareth Davies, currently Director-General at the department, has been appointed as the new Second Permanent Secretary at DfT.

The Second Permanent Secretary will provide leadership of a number of high-profile areas across DfT including decarbonising transport.

Prior to his current role, Gareth was a Director-General in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He was responsible for securing business investment, managing distressed corporate situations and £9 billion in public funding for science and research.

He also led the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and was a Private Secretary in Downing Street. Recently he worked for AIA, the life insurance company based in Hong Kong.

The Secretary of State for Transport said:

I am delighted Gareth Davies has been appointed as DfT’s Second Permanent Secretary. He brings a wealth of experience from across government and the private sector. 

I look forward to working with Gareth on the key challenges for transport including decarbonisation, levelling up and ensuring transport is delivering for the travelling public every day.

Permanent Secretary for the Department for Transport Bernadette Kelly said:

Gareth’s appointment as Second Permanent Secretary is great news for the department. He has demonstrated outstanding skills in leading DfT’s international and operational work over the past couple of years and played a central part in mobilising our response to the pandemic.

In this new role, he will bring real momentum and energy to our work on the big strategic challenges facing transport in the coming decades.

Gareth Davies said:

I’m very proud to be appointed Second Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport. We have amazing teams who have been working tirelessly to keep the country moving throughout the pandemic.

I’m looking forward to leading our work to decarbonise and improve transport for the travelling public.

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Published 14 December 2021