Edward Playfair

Who is Edward Playfair?

Sir Edward Wilder Playfair KCB was a British civil servant.

Edward Playfair was educated at Eton College and King's College, Cambridge. He achieved a first class degree in Classics and then read History.

He started work at the UK government Inland Revenue in 1931. In 1934, he moved to the Treasury. He was involved in financing UK universities, at the time when the University Grants Committee received its funding directly from the Treasury.

In 1947, he worked for a year within the Control Commission for Germany in London. In 1949 he was made a Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath. He then continued at the Treasury until 1956 when he was appointed Permanent Under-Secretary at the War Office. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1957. He was Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence.

In the 1960s and 70s, he worked in business. He was the Chairman of International Computers and Tabulators, a Director of National Westminster Bank, and a Director of Glaxo Holdings. During his time at ICT, he was President of the British Computer Society.