Clive Maxwell named interim DESNZ permanent secretary
The government has named Clive Maxwell as Interim Permanent Secretary at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The GOV.UK notice was published on 31 October 2025 and says he will start at the end of November, serving until a new permanent secretary is appointed, with recruitment beginning soon. The move follows Jeremy Pocklington’s appointment as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence.
If you’re wondering who is stepping in, Maxwell is currently the Second Permanent Secretary at DESNZ and previously served in the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. That means he already knows the brief and the teams he will lead through the handover period. In Whitehall terms, a second permanent secretary is the next-most-senior official in a department.
If you teach or study government, this is a neat case study. A permanent secretary is the top civil servant in a department - the non‑political chief executive who runs the organisation day to day, manages the budget as the accounting officer, and advises ministers. Their job is continuity and delivery, not campaigning. That structure helps the state keep going when ministers or priorities change.
So where does DESNZ sit in UK energy policy? According to the department’s own summary, it leads on energy security, protecting bill payers and cutting emissions, with priorities that include clean power by 2030, a Warm Homes Plan, establishing Great British Energy, stronger consumer protection via Ofgem, and a fair transition away from fossil fuels - consistent with no new oil and gas licences - while accelerating offshore wind, carbon capture and hydrogen.
Why does an interim leader matter? Big energy projects don’t pause. The creation of the National Energy System Operator in 2024 changed how the grid is planned and run, and DESNZ now works alongside this independent body and the regulator to keep the lights on and decarbonise faster. An experienced interim permanent secretary keeps programmes moving while the formal recruitment plays out.
Ministers still set the political direction. The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero is Ed Miliband, appointed on 5 July 2024. He decides policy; the permanent secretary ensures the department can deliver it - from policy design to contracts and scrutiny in Parliament. Think of it as a team: ministers choose the destination; officials plan the route and drive.
How will the permanent replacement be chosen? Appointments at this level are overseen by the Civil Service Commission and made on merit through open competition, with the Prime Minister taking the final decision from a list of appointable candidates. Interim arrangements like this are common so departments don’t lose momentum.
What this means for you as a reader or learner: expect stability in day‑to‑day work at DESNZ while Whitehall runs a competitive process. Use this moment to track how energy policy is made - you’ll see officials and ministers sharing the stage in select committees, consultations and budget decisions, each with a distinct role. We’ll watch for the recruitment timetable and the handover at the end of November.