The head of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology lifts the lid on a busy year, and looks ahead to much more to come over the course of 2025

In an annual festive-period tradition, PublicTechnology sister publication Civil Service World recently published the latest edition of the annual perm secs round-up, in which , departmental heads and other leaders from across government reflected on 2024, their plans for Christmas, and prospects for the year ahead.

Click here to read more from a wide selection of Whitehall figures.

Sarah Munby (pictured above), permanent secretary of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, discusses a year in which here organisation gained a raft of new digital responsibilities.

What was your highlight of 2024?
I think my family wouldn’t forgive me if I said anything other than my wonderful eldest daughter successfully starting secondary school, which she has taken absolutely in her stride. But in a highly imperfect analogy, we’ve been growing up in DSIT too, as the election saw a significant addition to our responsibilities with colleagues in the Cabinet Office leading work on digital, data and AI across government joining the department. This means we are now at the forefront of shaping the digital future of government, bringing together expertise and resources to create a centralised Digital Centre of Government. And even though machinery of government changes can mean a lot of work, this one has been a massive highlight for me. I love the work we are doing and the chance to work with digital and data professionals across HMG. Difficult problems and brilliant teams to work with are what get me up in the morning, so I am happy!

What was the hardest part of being a leader in 2024?
I think I am probably not alone when I say that with all the excitement and potential that comes with helping a new government, the hardest challenge is one of balance and prioritisation. On the one hand we face so much opportunity right across the science and technology landscape, with genuinely transformative potential to drive economic growth and improve people’s lives. On the other hand, we are operating under tough fiscal constraints and with limited resources. Keeping focused on the things that matter most is really vital, and not always easy.

What are the main challenges facing your organisation in the coming year – and how are you planning to meet them?
There’s so much to say here – we’re looking ahead to a year of high ambition for public-sector transformation; of extraordinary progress on frontier technologies like AI, quantum, and biotech; of major new work programmes on regulatory innovation and digital inclusion; and of continuing to build what is still the youngest department in government. If I had to pick a common theme across all that, it would be working with others across the public sector. Science and technology, including digital and data, underpin everything a modern government does, so our job is one that has to be done in partnership.

What was the best Christmas present you’ve ever given or received? And the worst?
Stockings are a big deal chez Munby, and the heart of Christmas magic for me. Father Christmas brought me a wind-up toy every year when I was a child, and interestingly he seems to have kept the tradition alive for my kids. The best ever was a red plastic mouse that did 360-degree somersaults, which I got when I was about nine. Let’s see what my similarly-aged son gets this year.

Click here to read all entries in the new edition of the CSW perm secs round-up