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The prime minister has approved the appointment of Mike Clasper CBE as the new chairman of HMRC.
His role will be to strengthen HMRC's corporate governance and to provide oversight to the executive committee and departmental board. In addition, said the Revenue, he will play a key role by engaging with stakeholders.
Mr Clasper, formerly operational managing director at Terra Firma Capital Partners, has been hired by the Revenue following an open recruitment process and with the agreement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
He will take up the post on 1 August 2008, replacing acting chairman Dave Hartnett, and will be involved in the selection of HMRC's first chief executive — a role that Mr Hartnett is widely tipped to fill.
Alistair Darling hailed Mr Clasper's appointment by saying that 'someone of Mike's calibre and experience is particularly important at this point in HMRC's development, and I am delighted he has agreed to take on the role.
'Mike will bring the leadership and vision needed to deliver on HMRC's goals of providing an enhanced service to all of its customers across the UK.'
Cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell remarked that the new Revenue chair 'will be crucial to the success of HMRC in the years to come, and I have every confidence he will help the organisation meet the challenges ahead.
Finally, Mike Clasper said: 'I want to see HMRC in the vanguard of public service delivery, providing a top quality and reliable experience for all of its users.
'That is what those who work in HMRC want, and I'm determined that working together we will achieve that goal.'
