Michael Ellam

Michael James Ellam CB (born 4 October 1968) is a British civil servant and former banker.^[1][2]

Michael Ellam CB
Second Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office, European Union and International Economic Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 January 2025
Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Downing Street Director of Communications
In office 27 June 2007 – 1 August 2009
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	David Hill
Succeeded by	Simon Lewis
Personal details
Born	Michael James Ellam (1968-10-04) October 4, 1968 (age 56)
Alma mater	University of Cambridge (M.A.) London School of Economics (MSc)
Occupation	Banker, economist, civil servant, businessman

Biography

Ellam was educated at Forest Hill School, before studying economics at Peterhouse, Cambridge, from 1987 to 1990 and at the London School of Economics from 1990 to 1991.^[3] A career Civil Servant, he joined HM Treasury in 1993. He held a succession of posts including Private Secretary to Chancellor Kenneth Clarke, Head of Debt and Reserves Management and Director of Policy. He was appointed Director of Communications at 10 Downing Street under Gordon Brown from 2007 to 2009.^[4][5][6] In 2009, he returned to HM Treasury as Director General International Finance continuing into the premiership of David Cameron.^[7][8]

He was appointed Chairman of the EU Financial Services Committee in 2011.^[9] He joined HSBC in 2013 and is currently Co-Head of Public Sector Banking in the Global Banking and Markets Division.^[10][11]

He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to international finance policy.^[12]

In January 2025, Ellam left his role at HSBC after being hired by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as Second Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office, European Union and International Economic Affairs, tasked with leading a "reset" of UK-European Union relations.^[13]