Non-executive director

Sir Stephen O’Brien

Biography

Sir Stephen O’Brien was appointed as a non-executive director of the Department for International Trade in June 2019.

He has significant international and UK legal, industrial, business (executive and non-executive) and political experience, as well as relevant development experience.

He was Member of Parliament (Conservative) for Eddisbury from 1999 to 2015 and served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development from 2010 to 2012.

Most recently he was the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

He is currently Chairman of Motability Operations Group PLC and Vice-Chairman of Savannah Petroleum PLC.

Non-executive director

Our non-executives are senior figures from outside the department who bring a diverse mix of expertise and skills from across the public and private sector.

They all:

  • give guidance and advice to DBT leaders and ministers

  • support and challenge management on the department’s strategic direction

  • provide support in monitoring and reviewing progress

Department for Business and Trade

Previous roles in government