Former Government Legal Department permanent secretary Susanna McGibbon has received a damehood in the King’s Birthday honours.
McGibbon, who left her role as HM procurator general, Treasury solicitor and perm sec at the GLD in April, becomes a Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath – which recognises the work of senior military officials, diplomats and civil servants.
Commenting on receiving the honour on LinkedIn, McGibbon said: "Many thanks for all the lovely messages in response to this news. It is deeply humbling to be honoured in this way. The recognition reflects amazing work done by the teams across the government legal profession, including the Government Legal Department that I was privileged to lead.
"I have been blessed to work alongside talented people committed to making a difference. Thank you to all those in the UK civil service and the wider legal profession who have supported, challenged and encouraged me over the years."
Also named in list is former HM Treasury second permanent secretary Sir Jon Cunliffe, who has been upgraded from a Knight Bachelor to Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire. Cunliffe, is a former permanent representative of the United Kingdom to the European Union and deputy governor of the Bank of England. He has spent the last few years as chair of the Independent Water Commission.
HMRC second perm sec Angela MacDonald, who is currently leading the Civil Service Pensions Taskforce in its recovery of the scheme and is set to retire next month, is also among those honoured. She has been named Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).
Former Department for Science, Innovation and Technology perm sec Sarah Munby, who left the civil service last summer has been awarded the same honour.
Amanda Brooks, who is currently interim permanent secretary at the Department for Business and Trade on temporary promotion from her role as director general, trade group, has also been named a CB.
All five received their honours for public service.
Commenting on receiving the honour on LinkedIn, Munby said: "I think it’s basically impossible to write a post about getting a CB without falling into outright humblebragging, so I’ll restrict myself to saying that “public service” is a nice thing to be honoured for. Done right, it really matters, and we could certainly do with more of it. If you get the chance, do some! And let’s raise a glass to the many wonderful people at every level who devote their lives to it, usually without much thanks."
Two British ambassadors also received honours this year. Neil Crompton, HM ambassador at the British Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, for services to British foreign policy, and Fern Horine, HM ambassador, British Embassy Chisinau, Moldova received an OBE, also for services to British foreign policy.
Other recipients of an award this year include Ashley Ibbett, former director general for energy infrastructure at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and ex-Defence Equipment and Support chief executive Andy Start, who retired in April, and has been named Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Start received his honour for services to defence, while Ibbett's is for services to energy and net zero.
Here are all the civil servants named in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours List:
Order of the British Empire
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
Sir Jonathan Stephen Cunliffe, chair, Independent Water Commission. For public service
Order of the Bath
Dames Commander of the Order of the Bath
Susanna McGibbon, lately HM procurator general, Treasury solicitor and permanent secretary, Government Legal Department. For public service
Companions of the Order of the Bath
Amanda Melanie Brooks (Amanda Kendall), director general, Trade Group, Department for Business and Trade. For services to economic growth and international trade
Janette Anita Durbin, director, senior talent and resourcing, Cabinet Office. For public service
Ashley James Ibbett, lately director general for energy infrastructure, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. For services to energy and net zero
Glynne David Jones, lately director, Wales Office. For public service
Angela MacDonald, deputy chief executive officer and second permanent secretary, HM Revenue and Customs. For public service
Sarah Ann Munby, lately permanent secretary, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. For public service
Dr Rebecca Weston, managing director warhead, Defence Nuclear Organisation. For services to defence
Order of the British Empire
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Dr Damitha Adikaari, director, science and innovation for climate and energy, Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. For services to research and innovation to tackle climate change
Gary Anthony Badley, senior responsible owner – Property Transformation Programme, and director of property services, Ministry of Justice. For public service
Caroline Botwood, director, nuclear projects delivery, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. For services to the Nuclear Industry
Martin Dafydd Brown, director of retirement services, Department for Work and Pensions. For public service
Dr Meryl Anne Bushell, crown representative, Cabinet Office. For services to public procurement and to women’s empowerment in the commercial profession
Rebecca Evernden, director, UK Space Agency, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. For services to space
Thomas Goldman, deputy director, strategic finance, Department for Education. For services to education
Jane Elisabeth Hill, legal director, Department for Business and Trade legal advisers, Government Legal Department. For services to the law
Justin Andrew Cardale Holliday, chief finance officer and tax assurance commissioner, HM Revenue and Customs. For public service
Neil Anthony Johnson, director, materials, Department for Business and Trade. For services to industry
Christopher Neil Jones, director, Home Office. For public service
Vikki Joanne Knight, director for fraud, error and debt policy and strategy, Department for Work and Pensions. For public service
Elaine Christina Lorimer, lately chief executive, Revenue Scotland. For public service
Annabel Ruth McKeon (Annabel Burns), director of strategy, development and change, HM Courts and Tribunals Service. For services to the administration of justice
Natalie Moore, director, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Helen Jane Palmer, people director, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. For services to the public and charity sectors
Kunal Patel, lately deputy principal private secretary to the prime minister. For public service
Jonathan Isaac Sherman, director, business assets and international, HM Customs and Revenue. For public service
Andrew Philip Start, lately chief executive officer, Defence Equipment and Support and interim national armaments director. For services to defence
Professor Ian Stuart Young, consultant chemical pathologist, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, and chief scientific adviser to the Department of Health. For services to health services research and development and to health education
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Siobhan Alloway, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Christopher Bailey, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Kristian Barnfield-Guest, deputy director, business effectiveness, Ministry of Justice. For services to diversity and inclusion
Andrea Elaine Bennett, regional probation director, North West Probation, HM Prison and Probation Service. For services to probation
Claire Jane Bennett, director, climate change and environmental sustainability, Welsh Government. For services to vulnerable people, children and to Community Cohesion
David Chapman, senior official receiver, Insolvency Service. For services to the insolvency sector and to the economy
Timothy David Coates, head of prisoner escort custody services, HM Prison and Probation Service. For public service
Steve Elderkin, director of environmental sustainability for National Highways. For services to the environment and to transport
Andrew Elliott, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Katherine Jane Herrick, lately head of elections, Northern Ireland Office. For public service
Joanne Irving, commercial director, UK Export Finance. For services to government procurement
Geraint Wyn Jowers, deputy director, security consultancy services, HM Revenue and Customs. For public service
Joanna Elizabeth Keating, head of international development, Scottish Government. For services to international development
Colonel (Rtd) Timothy Langton Kingsberry, Border Force deputy director operations south, Home Office. For services to border security and safeguarding
Maria Louise Lane, deputy director for people safety, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to people safety and wellbeing
Andrew Ronald Page, deputy director, transfer pricing, HM Revenue and Customs. For public service
Lisa Clare Pinney, lately chief executive of the Mining Remediation Authority. For services to the environment
Paul Michael Pitts, principal scientist, noise and vibration, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to measurement and assessment of the exposure to noise and vibration
Charlotte Potter, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Gillian Mary Preece, senior policy manager, Home Office. For public service
David Read, head of delivery north west, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. For public service
Dr Nicola Jayne Rose, interim executive director of science and research, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. For services to science and public health
Fleur Ruda, deputy director, employment rights, Department of Business and Trade Legal advisers, Government Legal Department. For services to the law
Hannah Rutter, deputy director, Office for Digital Identities and Attributes, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. For services to digital identity and open policy making
Hilary Margaret Ryan, specialist prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service. For services to law and order
Mark Stewart, courts and tribunals director, HM Courts and Tribunals Service. For public service
Allan Taylor, head of offshore wind investment, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. For services to renewable energy
Susanna Tugwell, deputy director, National Crime Agency. For services to law enforcement
Kayleigh Jane Wall, team leader, international directorate, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. For public service
Rebekah Warburton, deputy director for health transformation and delivery, Department for Work and Pensions. For public service
Professor Jamie Norman Waterall, deputy chief public health nurse, Department of Health and Social Care. For services to public health nursing
Dr Adrian West, officer, National Crime Agency. For services to law enforcement
Gillian Wright, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Dr Rosemary Elizabeth Agnew, lately director of agricultural policy, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland Civil Service. For services to agriculture
Peter Amies, flood and coastal risk management adviser, Environment Agency. For services to the environment and to flood protection
Elisabeth Jane Baines, senior manager, 16-19 funding policy implementation, Department for Education. For services to education
Stuart James Balnaves, deputy director, customer service enterprise operations, Department for Education. For public service
Margaret Ann Betts, front of house assistant, 10 Downing Street. For public service
Hiren Bhimjiyani, programme director, Global Supply Chain Intelligence Programme, Department for Business and Trade. For services to trade, to data-driven supply chain intelligence and to machine learning innovation
Graeme Michael Black, risk advisory assurance lead, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to young people in the community of Durham.
Dr John Blakeley, team leader, higher education student accommodation and consumer rights policy, Department for Education. For services to higher education
Samuel Joseph Boardman, specialist engineer, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Thomas Malcolm Calvert, senior professional technical officer, rivers directorate, Department for Infrastructure, Northern Ireland Civil Service. For services to flood risk management and digital transformation
Elizabeth Anne Clark, specialist prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service. For services to law and order
Daniel Connolly, officer, National Crime Agency. For services to law enforcement
Fay Susan Cornwell, senior lawyer, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to benefits recipients
Neil Cotterill, community engagement adviser, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to the youth community of North Staffordshire
Angela Crookall, customer service leader, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to ex-offenders and to working to reduce homelessness
Matthew Davenport, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Ivor William McKee Dunne, prison officer, Northern Ireland Prison Service. For services to criminal justice and the rehabilitation of offenders in Northern Ireland
Victoria Jayne Eccleston, senior probation officer, National Probation Service. For services to women on probation
Brian Peter Freemantle, lately head of rolling stock contracts and policy delivery, Department for Transport. For services to the railway network.
Kathryn Lorna Gibbs, deputy director, Improving Public Engagement Division, Scottish Government. For public service
Nicholas Goddard, technical lead, UK Submarine Superiority, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. For services to defence
Esperanza Gomez-Martinez, offensive weapons policy manager, Home Office. For services to the prevention of knife crime
Heather Joanne Harrison, data assurance manager, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Dr Carolyn Michelle Heitmeyer, head of social sciences, Government Office for Science. For services to social science
Anthony Hill, physical education officer, HM Prison Stafford, HM Prison and Probation Service. For public service
Anne Lynette Holland, front of house assistant, 10 Downing Street. For public service
Christopher Howarth, head of customer service for tax credits, HM Revenue and Customs. For public service
Dr Samuel John Jenkins, deputy head, public records and archives, Cabinet Office. For public service
Andrea Kinver, strategy and insight lead, Scottish Government. For public service
Alison Lawson, deputy STRAP security officer, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Department for Science Innovation and Technology. For public service
David Nathan Leighton, administrative officer, Crown Prosecution Service. For services to the community in the North West
Steven Richard Joe Lord, operations officer, Defence Nuclear Organisation. For services to defence
Duncan MacDonald, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Ian Brian Marson, lately digital product manager, Home Office. For services to migration and borders technology
Jameson Mashakada, head of VAT Deductions Policy Team, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to race equality, diversity and inclusion
Graham Douglas Metcalfe, lately Partnership manager, Department for Work and Pensions. For public service
Stewart William Muir, lately policy officer, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. For services to wildlife conservation
Michael Paul Murray, armed forces champion, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to the armed forces community in London
Claire Oxlade, lately private secretary to the UK special envoy on antimicrobial resistance, Department of Health and Social Care. For services to global health
Alexandria Page, engagement staff officer, HQ London district, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Alisoun Ruth Probert, work coach, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to the deaf community
Helen Ralph, team leader, Ministry of Defence. For services to defence
Simon Paul Richardson, lately ceremonials project manager, Department for Culture, Media and Sport. For public service
Dr Richard Peter Smith, technical specialist, Environment Agency. For services to soil health
Claire Vincent, deputy director Marine and Fisheries Division, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland Civil Service. For services to marine science and to women in science
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire
Sharifa Begum, employment adviser, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to women
Maureen Bingham, supply chain, Defence Equipment and Support, and Menopause Network chair, Ministry of Defence. For services to operational delivery, logistics and to diversity and inclusion
Caroline Joanna Bird, lately diary and logistics manager, Cabinet Office. For public service
Charlotte Elizabeth Bradford, lately road safety policy adviser, Department for Transport. For services to road safety
Matthew Jason Brown, relationship manager, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to the community in Cleethorpes
Stephen John Davis, lately custodian, Prime Minister’s Office. For public service
Sarah Jane Edwards, implementation team leader, Delivery Strand Workplace Transformation Programme, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to grassroots sports
Lorraine Fergus, people and culture team, Department for Work and Pensions. For public and community service
David Gerald Gardiner, policy and honours team support, Welsh Government. For public and charitable service
Mary Mitchell, national returns progression officer, Home Office. For services to diversity and inclusion
Michael James Mitchell, custodian, Prime Minister’s Office. For public service
Overseas and international list
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Neil Crompton, HM ambassador, British Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine. For services to British foreign policy.
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Paul Berman, lately legal director, Legal Directorate, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy and to international law
Martin Kent, HM trade commissioner for Asia Pacific. For services to international trade and investment
Nick Pickard, lately director Europe, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Sarbjit Singh Uppal, director, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Franz Manderson, deputy governor, Cayman Islands. For services to the Cayman Islands Civil Service and to the wider community in the Cayman Islands
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Carolyn Ainsworth, head of department, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
Stuart Caine, head of department, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
Giles Dickson, chief executive officer, WindEurope. For services to renewable energy and UK/EU energy cooperation
Dr Matthew Dryden, consultant in infection – UK Overseas Territories Programme, UK Health Security Agency. For services to health, particularly in the UK overseas territories
Christopher Hammond, head of department, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Fern Horine, HM ambassador, British Embassy Chisinau, Moldova. For services to British foreign policy
Alexander Profumo, head of department, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Andrew Waggett, head of department, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Member of the Order of the British Empire
Ify Agboola, deputy head of mission, British Embassy Tallinn, Estonia. For services to British foreign policy
Ryan Chamberlain, lately technical services officer, British Embassy Tehran, Iran. For services to the British Embassy Tehran, Iran
Rufus Drabble, HM consul general Miami, Florida, United States of America. For services to British foreign policy, to trade and to British nationals overseas
Scott Dunning, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Jamie Hall, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
Alan Hayward, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to national security
Claire Healy, Head, Afghanistan Relocations Islamabad Team, British High Commission Islamabad, Pakistan. For services to British foreign policy
Paul Hughes, joint deputy head, Gibraltar Negotiations Taskforce, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Nicola Millington, team leader, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Hector Montado, chief technical officer, Government of Gibraltar. For services to His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar
Jane Sidebottom, lately deputy director, Gibraltar Negotiations Taskforce, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Hannah Whittock, lately joint deputy head, Gibraltar Negotiations Taskforce. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
British Empire Medal
Sapphire Dalton, desk officer, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Matthew Ellis, desk officer, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Mark Jewiss, desk officer, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For services to British foreign policy
Fiona Maxton, consular regional operations manager, British Embassy Moscow, Russia. For services to British foreign policy and to British nationals overseas
Glenda McTaggart, senior manager, education programmes, Cayman Islands. For services to education in the Cayman Islands
Keri Scott, director of education, Government of Gibraltar. For services to education in Gibraltar
Zoë Townsley, assistant administrator, the British Indian Ocean Territory. For services to British foreign policy
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