Island’s top civil servant to step down from role next year

Mr de Garis will clock up 40 years in the public sector next year, having served in a variety of positions, including senior roles at Customs and at Health & Social Care.

He was appointed to the newly-created position of head of the public service in July 2022.

Policy & Resources president Lyndon Trott thanked Mr de Garis for his service and said the States was now preparing for a new person to take over the role.

‘While Mark’s departure will be a significant loss to the organisation, we will shortly be launching a recruitment campaign for his successor,’ he said.

‘We hope to make an appointment during the autumn in order to provide a successful transition early in 2025.’

Before Mr de Garis was appointed, the role was advertised with a £190,000 salary, and saw 17 applications.

Mr de Garis made his announcement well in advance of leaving next year to allow time for recruitment.

‘It has been the privilege of my career to serve as the head of the public service, and I am very grateful to all of my colleagues who have supported me in this challenging, but hugely rewarding role,’ he said.

‘When I accepted the role of head of the public service I was clear that my intention was to support the current political body during an immensely challenging time, but that I was unable to commit to the next political term.

‘With the election now less than one year away, I was keen to provide early notice that I would be stepping down in 2025 in order that my successor is in post and I am able to provide a detailed and structured handover to ensure they are in the best possible position to support the incoming Assembly.’

Mr de Garis had previously been the strategic lead for people policy and took over as interim chief executive of Guernsey’s Policy & Resources in 2021, when Paul Whitfield was removed from the role, before getting the new top job the following year.

Deputy Trott said Mr de Garis had a distinguished career.

‘By the very nature of the public service, much of his work has, by necessity, taken place behind the scenes, but he has been integral to many of the most important steps taken by government over the last decade,’ he said.