Following Chris Corlett’s announcement that he is to step down as Chief Executive of the Department of Economic Development to pursue new opportunities outside IOM Government, Mark Lewin has been announced as the Interim Chief Executive from January 2017.

Mark first joined the Department in 2012 following an extensive career on and off the Island that included senior director positions across the banking, ICT and the hospitality and leisure sectors and is currently the Executive Director for Government Technology Services within the Cabinet Office.

In welcoming Mark back to the Department Minister Laurence Skelly MHK commented:

‘I am really pleased to secure Mark as the interim Chief Executive. His breadth of experience and strong connections with the private sector will no doubt serve the Department well over the coming months. As our economy continues to grow, increasingly so do our digital aspirations and Mark’s experience in establishing the Digital Strategy for Government will further complement his role in leading the Department on an interim basis.’

Mark Lewin commented:

‘I have a great deal of respect for Chris and for the vitally important work the Department does on a daily basis in supporting the economic health of our Island. Before joining Government in 2012, I worked extensively with the private sector and Government in economic development activities from the early days of the private sector E-Business Consultative Committee and then as Director of two of the Banks on the Island. I therefore have seen first-hand how joined up Government and the private sector can work together to deliver effective operational services and to identify and deliver targeted economic growth.

‘Over the coming weeks I am looking forward to working with the Minister, the Members and the staff within the Department to ensure that its critical services continue to be delivered as successfully as possible.

‘I will be working with my fellow chief officers and the new administration in the construction of the Programme for Government as continued economic growth and diversity will clearly need to remain central to supporting our future vision for “Our Island: A special place to live and work” and one that is inclusive, tolerant and sustainable.

‘Finally, 2017 is a different landscape to when the Department was created in 2010 and although the Department has played a vital role in ensuring 32 years of unbroken economic growth, the recent work looking at the Island’s economic future called Vision2020 and Beyond, has helped us understand the opportunities and start to identity new areas to build on for the future.  Consequently working with staff from across Government and the private sector we will be initiating an immediate strategic review for the Department. The conclusion of this together with options for the future will be the bedrock upon which a new Chief Executive can be recruited later in 2017.

‘Finally I would just like to add my best wishes to Chris, to congratulate him and the whole team for what has been achieved thus far and I am looking forward to continuing that positive journey going forward.’