With a long pedigree in working for the government, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) director general Gill Aitken is to replace HM Revenue & Customs’ outgoing general counsel (GC) Anthony Inglese, the body announced today (13 November).
Aitken, who will replace Inglese when he retires in January after 38 years in the government legal service, has been director general of legal services at the DWP since October 2011, after joining the team the previous year.
In her current role, Aitken leads lawyers at both the DWP and Department of Health, and previously worked as the director general for law and corporate services at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
HMRC chief executive, Lin Homer said: ‘The Solicitor’s Office plays a vital role in supporting HMRC to collect the tax that is due, from providing legal advice on complex issues to our tax professionals to pursuing legal challenges in tax tribunals. Gill will build on the strengths of our legal expertise and successes.’
Aitken added: ‘HMRC’s Solicitor’s Office has a deservedly high reputation across government, and the prospect of leading Sols and being involved in the important work that HMRC does for the country is both challenging and exciting. I’m really looking forward to joining HMRC in the New Year.’
The announcement comes as it also emerged today that Barclays head of compliance and the former head of the Financial Services Authority, Sir Hector Sants, is to leave the bank after suffering from stress and exhaustion.
Sants, who led the FSA during the height the of financial crisis, has been on sick leave since October and had been due to return in the New Year but decided to resign instead. His role will be filled on an interim basis by Barclays’ head of compliance for corporate and investment banking, Allen Meyer.