Melanie Dawes is stepping down as permanent secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to become chief executive of media regulator Ofcom.
Dawes has been permanent secretary at the department since 2015 and is set to take up her new position in early March.
Jeremy Pocklington, director general of housing at MHCLG, will be acting permanent secretary while the process of appointing a successor is carried out.
An MHCLG spokesperson said: “We congratulate Dame Melanie Dawes for her appointment as Chief Executive of Ofcom and offer our thanks for all her dedication, hard work and achievements over these past five years.”
In a statement, Dawes said: “Ofcom plays a crucial role in ensuring that people and businesses across the UK get the best from their communications services.
“It’s a great privilege to be appointed as chief executive at a time of significant change in the sectors Ofcom regulates.”
