Sir Chris Wormald will become the new head of the civil service and Cabinet Secretary later this month.
The prime minister has appointed him to replace Simon Case, who announced he was standing down in September after four years in the role, including during the Covid-19 pandemic and Partygate scandal.
Sir Chris, who has headed the Department for Health and Social Care since 2016, will be the most senior official adviser to the prime minister and Cabinet.
The prime minister said delivering the government’s priorities would mean “re-wiring” the British state to deliver reform.
Sir Chris will take up the post on 16 December, when the PM said he would be responsible for the government’s “five missions”, which are at the heart of Labour’s plan for reform.
The PM said: “He brings a wealth of experience to this role at a critical moment in the work of change this new government has begun.
“To change this country, we must change the way government serves this country. That is what mission-led government will do.
“From breaking down silos across government to harnessing the incredible potential of technology and innovation, it will require nothing less than the complete re-wiring of the British state to deliver bold and ambitious long-term reform.”
Sir Chris said that work would mean civil servants learning new skills in order to match the government’s ambition, adding: “That will require each and every one of us to embrace the change agenda in how the British state operates.”
One government source who is a fan of Sir Chris said: “He’s a consummate Whitehall insider, knows how government works like the back of his hand and is exactly the person you’d hire if you want to push through a big agenda quickly.”
But former Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings, who was working in No 10 during the Covid pandemic, criticised the appointment, writing on X: “The Westminster system is totally determined to resist any change.”
Case had to step aside from an investigation into Downing Street parties after it emerged he had hosted an event during lockdown.
Thanking Case for his “service to our country and for the invaluable support he has given to me personally”, Sir Keir Starmer added: “He has been a remarkable public servant over many years, and our best wishes go to him and his family as he now takes time to focus on his health.”
