UNITED KINGDOM
The United Kingdom Government’s lengthy search for a new National Statistician has ended with the appointment of Sir Ian Diamond (pictured) to the position.
Sir Ian, currently Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC), succeeds John Pullinger who retired at the end of June.
Since then Deputy National Statistician, Jonathan Athow has been in the role on an interim basis, after the initial recruitment process failed to fill the £160,000 ($A284,000) a year position.
Sir Ian is a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen. He will take up his new role on 22 October after relinquishing his position at the SSAC, an independent body that advises the Department for Work and Pensions, which he has held for just a year.
Figures released in response to a Freedom of Information request show the first round of recruitment for Mr Pullinger’s replacement, which closed in January, attracted 16 applicants.
Nine were considered qualified and four who “matched strongly the role requirements and person specification” were invited to interview, but none were appointed.
Executive Director of the Royal Statistical Society, Hetan Shah said Sir Ian was a “great catch” for the National Statistician role.
“Alongside being a top-class statistician, he is a visionary about the potential for data,” Mr Shah said.
“He has unlimited stamina, which he will need to deliver the upcoming census. Most important of all he has political nous, and will know how to navigate Whitehall at a time of political flux.”
London, 8 August, 2019
