Lead civil servant to stay in post for three years

Marke Lewin has been interim Chief Executive Officer since April

The interim head of the Isle of Man government will remain in the position for the next three years, it has been confirmed.

Mark Lewin, who has been acting in the top job in the civil service on the island since 1 April, has been appointed on fixed-term contract until 2028.

It follows the resignation of Andy Ralphs as chief executive in March, after 16 months in the role, due to a family bereavement.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said the appointment would help to ensure there was a "stable leadership team in place across the public service" during the period, which would include a House of Keys general election in September 2026.

The most senior civil servant within the Manx government, the chief executive serves as the primary advisor to the lieutenant governor, chief minister and the Council of Ministers.

'Critical position'

The creation of the position stems from a shake-up of the former role of chief secretary in 2023, after a review found a "management vacuum" where underperformance had not been tackled well.

The overhaul saw the post given new performance management powers.

That review was carried out in the wake of the Rosalind Ranson employment tribunal, which highlighted issues with the actions of senior civil servants during the pandemic.

Cannan said an open recruitment process for the "critical position" would take place by early 2028, allowing the next Council of Ministers a "reasonable period of at least a year to settle in" before a new appointment was made.

Mr Lewin said the next 12 months would be "critical to completing delivery of the priorities set out by this government and in preparing for the next administration".