Ian Watmore

Who is Ian Watmore?

Ian Watmore, is an English accountant and former senior British civil servant, who from January 2012 until June 2012 was Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office in succession to Sir Gus O'Donnell, after the breaking apart of the tri-hatted role of Cabinet Secretary, Head of the Home Civil Service and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary.

Born in Croydon, Surrey, he was educated at Trinity School, Croydon and then graduated with a degree in mathematics and management studies from Trinity College, Cambridge. He trained as an accountant with Andersen Consulting, and ultimately became Accenture's UK Managing Director from 2000 to 2004.

Watmore joined the UK civil service, initially as the first central UK government Chief Information Officer and latterly as the Permanent Secretary for Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. He took over as head of the e-Government Unit, the direct successor to the Office of the e-Envoy in September 2004. He left this job in January 2006 to take over as head of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit

On 18 February 2009, he was confirmed as the new Chief Executive of The Football Association, succeeding Brian Barwick starting the job in June 2009. He resigned from this post on 19 March 2010.