Richard Clarke
Biography
Richard Clarke was Director General for Policy, Research and Humanitarian at DFID, a role that included oversight of the work of the Government Equalities Office.
Richard’s career has mainly been in the Home Office. Prior to joining DFID he was its International Director, with responsibility for the department’s international engagement, work on international criminality, mutual legal assistance and extradition. Other senior roles have included his time as Programme Director for the Digital Services at the Border Programme, which was introducing new, digital solutions to key challenges facing the range of agencies operating at the UK Border; as the Director responsible for the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy and operational support to the Home Secretary; and as head of the Police Reform Unit. Richard also spent two years on secondment to the Metropolitan Police Service as its Director of Strategy and Improvement.
In 2006, Richard served as the first Deputy Director for Partnership and Delivery in the newly-formed cross-government Office of the Third Sector. He had lead responsibility for the sector’s role in the delivery of public services and co-ordinated the publication of the government’s action plan on third sector service delivery.
Richard began his career at HM Treasury, where he covered financial crime policy, counter-terrorism, public-private partnerships and corporate finance. Before joining the civil service, he was an academic anthropologist; his doctorate focused on Israeli/Palestinian identity.
Previous roles in government
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Director General, Policy, Research and Humanitarian