Sir Robin Young

Sir Robin Young (58) joined the Department of the Environment in 1973 where his posts included work on housing and transport; finance; and Private Secretary to Guy Barnett, Parliamentary Secretary for planning and local government; and John Stanley, Minister for Housing.  He was promoted to Assistant Secretary in 1984.  Between 1985 and 1988 he was Private Secretary to three Secretaries of State — Patrick Jenkin, Kenneth Baker and Nicholas Ridley.

Robin was promoted to Under Secretary in 1989 and headed Directorates covering housing, environment policy and local government.  In 1994 he became Deputy Secretary and first Regional Director of the Government Office for London.  He transferred to the Cabinet Office in July 1997, where he headed the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat.  He was Permanent Secretary at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport from April 1998 to June 2001, when he became Permanent Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Robin left the Civil Service in 2005 to start a new, non-executive, career and became a non-executive Director of Bovis Construction Ltd (1989-1994).  In July 2005 he became deputy-chairman of Dr Foster Ltd;  in August 2005 Board Member of  EEI (East of England International) and in July 2006 Chairman of the EEI Board; in January 2006 Chairman of Dr Foster Intelligence Ltd; and in February 2006 Chairman of Euro RSCG Apex Communications Ltd. In 2006 he was appointed Chairman of the East of England Science and Industry Council and elected as member of the Council of the Institute of Directors. In January 2007 he was made a non-executive Director of A4e Limited.