Articles

Former ambassador to the UN to succeed Philip Rutnam, who quit in bullying row

As 2020 approaches, senior figures from across government reflect on their highlights and challenges of 2019, look ahead to the next 12 months and share their favourite festive memories

With the end of 2018 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top civil servants to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2019 – and tell us who would turn on their town’s Christmas lights.

Matthew Rycroft has undertaken some challenging foreign policy roles in government, from helping end the war in Bosnia to facing down Russia in the UN security council. As he settles into his new role as permanent secretary of the Department for International Development he speaks to Richard Johnstone about the need for closer links with other departments, and the importance of showing what’s possible through the international aid budget

Former UN ambassador began work as department’s top official yesterday

Appointment of new department chief follows Mark Lowcock’s departure to run UN humanitarian agency

Matthew Rycroft, who heads up EU policy at the foreign office, hopes to move the union on from a decade of institutional wrangling to tackle strategic issues. He tells Matthew O’Toole why it’s time to focus on the big picture