Ruth Hannant
Biography
Ruth Hannant became Director General at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) – on a job share basis with Polly Payne – in March 2021. Their current role at the department is the Directors General for Society, Media and Culture. From 7 February 2023 to 10 July 2023, Ruth and Polly served as Interim Permanent Secretaries at DCMS.
Ruth and Polly are responsible for media, advertising and publishing, arts, creative industries, artificial intelligence, heritage, museums, cultural diplomacy, tourism and the visitor economy, the Government Art Collection, the National Archives, civil society, volunteering and tackling loneliness, and youth (outside of education).
Prior to DCMS, Ruth and Polly have job shared for over 14 years as:
- Directors General for Rail Group at the Department for Transport (DfT)
- Directors of Higher Education and Higher Education Reform at the Department for Education (DfE) and previously the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS)
- Directors for Strategy and Growth at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS)
Ruth and Polly moved to BIS from HM Treasury where they led the Corporate Finance, Business, Innovation and Skills team.
Before job-sharing with Polly, Ruth was a Deputy Director in the Shareholder Executive (now UK Government Investments) where she led work on Post Office reform, Royal Mail and Postal Policy, the government’s shareholdings in NATS and CDC and the restructuring of British Energy. Ruth started her career in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) working on exports, employment relations and energy. She also spent 9 months on secondment at HSBC Investment Bank in their Energy and Utilities team.
Previous roles in government
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Interim Permanent Secretary
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Director General for Culture, Sport and Civil Society (Jobshare)
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Director General Rail Group