Cat Little

Catherine Joanna "Cat" Little (born 19 May 1980) is a British civil servant, who replaced Sir Alex Chisholm as Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary and the chief operating officer of the United Kingdom's Civil Service in April 2024. Prior to this she was the Second Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury from October 2022, and was acting Permanent Secretary between September and October 2022.

Early life and education Little was born on 19 May 1980 in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England. She was educated at Beaconsfield High School, an all-girls grammar school in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. She studied at the University of Birmingham, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 2002. She was the president of the Guild of Students (i.e. the student union) for the 2001/02 academic year.

Career After graduating from university, she worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, rising from associate to senior manager between 2003 and 2013. She worked in the Legal Aid Agency, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Defence.

In April 2024, she became Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary and the chief operating officer of the United Kingdom's Civil Service, in succession to Sir Alex Chisholm. that it was her department that had suggested Peter Mandelson might not have required developed security vetting to take up his 2025 Washington appointment as British Ambassador to the United States.

Personal life Little lives in the Kent North Downs, enjoys running, cycling and walking the dog with her wife Ruth, whom she married in 2014.

Honours Little was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2023 New Year Honours for public service.