Citizens Advice appoints former senior civil servant as CEO

Citizens advice has appointed former senior Whitehall boss Dame Clare Moriarty as its next chief executive.

She joins at the end of April taking over from acting CEO Alistair Cromwell, who had been in the role since the previous permanent CEO, Dame Gillian Guy, stepped down in October.

Moriarty joins after top level roles across Whitehall, including permanent secretary of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2015-19.

She also held the same role at the Department for Exiting the EU, until its closure in 2020.

Since leaving the civil service she has been chair of the Health Foundation’s Covid-19 Impact Inquiry. She has also worked with Transport for London and the Bank of England.

“Clare is a strong, authentic and inclusive leader with unrivalled experience running large, complex organisations,” said Citizens Advice chair Warren Buckley.

“Her expertise in transformation will help us build on the incredible progress we’ve already made towards providing advice to people over the phone and online, as well as strengthening our face-to-face offer for those who need it.”

Moriarty added: “I’m very excited to be joining Citizens Advice at this important time. Citizens Advice has a proud history of helping people find their way, and is also thoroughly forward-looking.

“The way that local Citizens Advice services around the country have moved even further towards phone and online advice during the pandemic is truly impressive.

“Through my work with the Health Foundation, I’m acutely aware of how unevenly the effects of the pandemic have been felt. Many people are struggling, and the help that Citizens Advice offers will be more valuable than ever as we move forward.”

Guy stepped down as CEO after a decade in the role to join the Financial Ombudsman Services, as its Independent Assessor.