Sheila Lowe has been appointed as the Isle of Man Government’s chief financial officer on an interim basis.
The move follows yesterday’s announcement that Dr Malcolm Couch, the current chief financial officer, had been appointed as chief executive of the Department of Health and Social Care and would take up his post on Monday.
Mrs Lowe, who is currently director of finance and development at the Department of Economic Development, will take up her new post in Treasury from Wednesday.
A recruitment process is taking place to find a permanent successor to Dr Couch.
Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK said: ‘We have been working to ensure a smooth transition at Treasury and I’m delighted to have secured the services of an officer of Sheila’s calibre.
‘She is a well-known and respected figure in government and will slot straight in to provide continuity and strong leadership.’
He added: ‘Treasury is making good progress on a number of important issues and Sheila’s professional advice and support will help to maintain that momentum. I hope this sends out a positive message to the private sector that it’s very much business as usual at the Treasury.’
Mrs Lowe, a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales since 1993, has held senior government roles for the past 10 years.
She joined the Isle of Man Government as director of finance and development at the Department of Trade and Industry and retained that role within the Department of Economic Development after the restructuring of government in 2010.
A government statement released this afternoon (Friday) says the process to appoint a permanent chief financial officer is under way, with the post being advertised on and off-island. It says applications are being sought from qualified accountants who can offer strategic leadership and direction to Treasury and the Council of Ministers to support the national priorities of growing the economy, rebalancing public finances and protecting vulnerable people.