With the end of 2017 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top civil servants to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2018 – and tell us what they cannot do Christmas without
What are you most proud of achieving in 2017?
Launching our new future-proofing initiative to drive up skills and performance standards across the Welsh Government. It’s a bottom-up change programme, intended to ensure that our organisation is resilient, flexible, skilled and sustainable for the future.
What was your most difficult decision in 2017?
Choosing two new directors general from an extremely strong field of internal and external applicants.
What are your top priorities in the year ahead?
Delivering the priorities set out in the Welsh Government’s new strategy “Prosperity for All”, an ambitious cross-cutting programme for action spanning the whole of government. The new strategy means working much more effectively across traditional policy boundaries to make a bigger difference to delivery of services for the people of Wales.
For you, no Christmas holiday is complete without...
A family get together round a crackling log fire, a large sparkly Christmas tree and a brisk walk in the country – preferably complete with snow. Followed by New Year somewhere abroad.