Sarah Harrison (civil servant)

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Sarah Harrison MBE is a British civil servant, serving since July 2020 as the Chief Operating Officer for the Cabinet Office. [1]

Harrison has worked in the regulatory and public relations industries, with a number of higher-profile appointments. These started as Chief Executive of ICSTIS (now the Phone-paid Services Authority) from 1994 to 1999, and then joining Ofgem, first as communications director, then managing director of corporate affairs, and finally as Senior Partner for sustainable development. [2] She was then appointed Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission in October 2015, replacing Jenny Williams. [3]

In February 2018, Harrison took over as the director-general for corporate services at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy under Sir Alex Chisholm as permanent secretary. She transferred to the Cabinet Office in July 2020, shortly after Chisholm moved there as Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary, and she was eventually replaced at BEIS by Freya Guinness from April 2021. [4]

Harrison was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2016 Birthday Honours for "services to Consumer Protection". [5]

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References

  1. "Sarah Harrison". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  2. Ofgem (May 2011). "OFGEM Electricity Distribution Customer Service Reward Panel Members (2010/11)" (PDF). ofgem.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  3. "Sarah Harrison to be appointed Chief Executive at the Commission". Gambling Commission. 2015-06-11. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  4. "Freya Guinness". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  5. "Sarah HARRISON | Order of the British Empire | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
Government offices
Preceded by
Unknown
Director-General for Corporate Services
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

2018–2020
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Operating Officer,
Cabinet Office

2020–
Incumbent