Rachel Sandby-Thomas CB

Biography

Rachel Sandby-Thomas was Director General for Skills, Deregulation and Local Growth at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills from September 2015 to April 2016.

Prior to that, she was Director General, Enterprise and Skills from September 2013, and Director General Business and Skills from May 2012. She was Director General, Legal, People and Communications from 2009. In addition, she has also been Director General Legal since 2008.

Before that, Rachel was a Director in the Legal Services Group of the then Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) between 2004 and 2006, before moving to head up the advisory lawyers at HM Revenue and Customs. Other departments she has advised include HM Treasury, Cabinet Office, the Attorney General’s Office, and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Rachel joined the Government Legal Service in 1993 from the City, where she worked as a solicitor with Linklaters.

Rachel was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 2012.