GOV.UK · 8 Sep, 14:03 · Business briefing

Cat Little Appointed as New Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

Cat Little has been officially appointed as the new Permanent Secretary for the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

26%average salary uplift after a professional certificate

2.7xfaster promotion for certified professionals

71%of leaders prefer candidates who upskill continuously

20days to your first credential

The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Cat Little has been officially appointed as the new Permanent Secretary for the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. This senior civil service role places her at the helm of a critical government department responsible for shaping national economic policy, fostering scientific innovation, and managing international trade relations. The appointment confirms her leadership position within the UK’s public sector infrastructure, overseeing strategies that influence business growth and technological advancement across the country.

Employer demand for Public Administration skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This appointment signals a continued government focus on integrating scientific innovation with commercial strategy. Professionals in policy, trade, and technology sectors should monitor how these priorities evolve. Skills in regulatory compliance, strategic planning, and public-private partnership management are gaining significant value. If you work in business development or government relations, now is the time to deepen your understanding of trade regulations and innovation frameworks. Smart professionals will update their knowledge on current BIS and Trade policies, ensuring their strategies align with emerging governmental directives. Consider enhancing your expertise in public administration or compliance to navigate this shifting landscape effectively.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Public Administration, Compliance And Governance, Business And Management and AI in Government — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.