Sarah Munby
Sarah Munby | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | Government official, Civil servant |
| Years active | 2000s–present |
| Known for | Permanent Secretary at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
Sarah Anne Munby (born 1982) is a British government official who held the position of Permanent Secretary at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from February 2023 until July 2025. Prior to this, she served as Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy between July 2020 and February 2023.
Early life
Munby was born in May 1982. During her education at James Allen’s Girls’ School, she was a member of the team that finished second in the 2000 World Schools Debating Championships.
She earned a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University and completed a Master's degree in Economics at the London School of Economics.
Career
Munby started her professional journey as an economist within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. She then dedicated fifteen years to management consulting at McKinsey & Company, where she led the UK and Ireland strategy and corporate finance division.
In July 2019, she transitioned to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), taking on the role of director general for business sectors. After Alex Chisholm was appointed chief operating officer of the civil service in April 2020, Munby replaced Sam Beckett as BEIS Permanent Secretary in July 2020.
When BEIS was divided into three separate departments in February 2023, Munby assumed the role of Permanent Secretary for the newly established Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
In March 2024, Munby became linked to controversy related to government payments made by minister Michelle Donelan to resolve a libel case. The subsequent month, she was connected to the Post Office scandal involving budget reductions affecting Horizon system replacement and compensation for sub postmasters who had been wrongly accused.