Former Brexit Architect Sir Oliver Robbins Takes the Helm as Chief of the Foreign Office

Sir Oliver Robbins, the previous Brexit negotiator, has been designated as the leading civil servant at the Foreign Office.

He will succeed Sir Philip Barton, who took on the permanent secretary position at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in 2020 but opted to resign this month prior to the completion of the full five-year term held by his predecessors.

It is understood that Sir Oliver did not originally apply for the position, yet he will now rejoin the civil service to take on this role – having departed in 2019 after managing the Brexit discussions.

Sir Oliver expressed that he embraces the position with “immense enthusiasm.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy noted that Sir Oliver is “precisely the individual” needed to assist in “restructuring” the FCDO.

In his statement, Sir Oliver mentioned that he had collaborated with FCDO staff throughout “most of my civil service tenure” and observed “our remarkable diplomatic and development skills in action, from Washington DC to Mogadishu, Dublin to Sana’a, and Abuja to New Delhi.”

He further stated: “Following five years away from the Civil Service, I return with a stronger belief than ever in the importance of these capabilities and the public service values that support them.”

Lammy remarked that Sir Oliver’s “vast experience regarding economic and security matters, acquired across various Whitehall departments, will greatly benefit us as we recalibrate the FCDO to prioritize growth and migration while continuing to emphasize national security.”

Lammy also expressed gratitude to Sir Philip for “his numerous years of committed public service.”

Sir Oliver’s appointment, initially reported by The Guardian, may cause discontent within the Foreign Office as he will be perceived as an outsider due to his lack of prior experience within the department.

Prior to his departure from the civil service, he was regarded as a rising star, having acted as principal private secretary for Sir Tony Blair and subsequently Gordon Brown.

Sir Oliver then advanced to become deputy national security advisor, deputy permanent secretary at the Home Office, and the head of the Department for Exiting the European Union.

Sir Philip’s decision to resign early follows criticism from MPs in 2022 regarding his management of the chaotic withdrawal of UK personnel after Kabul fell to the Taliban.

During the evacuation process, Sir Philip went on a 17-day vacation – which he later stated to the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee he regretted.

Sir Philip contended that it was uncertain Kabul would collapse so rapidly when he took leave, yet his absence was perceived as a deficiency of leadership, and he faced criticism for undermining the FCDO’s capability to respond.

Over his four years at the helm of the Diplomatic Service, Sir Philip worked under five foreign secretaries: Dominic Raab, Liz Truss, James Cleverly, Lord Cameron, and David Lammy.

He has previously held multiple public service positions, including as the Foreign Office’s director general, consular and security, and as the acting chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee in the Cabinet Office.

Additionally, he was the former high commissioner to Islamabad, deputy head of mission in Washington, and director of foreign policy as well as coordinator for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In a social media message, Sir Philip stated: “I wish Olly all the best as he guides the department into its next phase.”