Lindy Cameron Appointed as First Female Permanent Under Secretary of the UK Foreign Office

Lindy Cameron, the UK High Commissioner to India, has been appointed as the permanent under secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). She is the first woman to hold this position. Cameron previously served as the chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre and held senior roles at the Northern Ireland Office and the former Department for International Development.

Cameron replaces Olly Robbins, who was sacked following a scandal involving the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the U.S. ambassador. According to reports, Mandelson failed his security vetting in January 2025 due to links to Jeffrey Epstein and allegations of leaking government information. Prime Minister Keir Starmer dismissed Robbins after claiming he was not informed of the vetting failure in a timely manner. Robbins has since applied to the high court for a judicial review of his dismissal.

The appointment occurs during a period of departmental upheaval. The FCDO is currently managing cuts and redundancies under the FCDO 2030 program, which follows a reduction in the aid budget. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated that Cameron brings extensive experience in diplomacy, development, and national security to the role. Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo also praised her track record in security and diplomacy.

Other senior civil service changes include Cat Little moving to the Department for Business and Trade and Tom Riordan taking the top job at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.