Olly Robbins

Sir Oliver Robbins (born 20 April 1975) is a British former senior civil servant who served as the Prime Minister's Europe Adviser, the chief Brexit negotiator from 2017 to 2019, and Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office from 2025 to 2026.

Prior to his roles relating to the European Union in HM Civil Service, Robbins served as Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister and Second Permanent Secretary at the Home Office. He also served as the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Exiting the European Union from July 2016 to September 2017, and as the Prime Minister's Advisor on Europe and Global Issues from June to July 2016. Between 2019 and 2025, he was an investment advisor with Goldman Sachs. He became a controversial figure among Brexit supporters for his perceived pro-European stance.

He was appointed Permanent Under-Secretary, the most senior civil servant at the Foreign Office, in January 2025, but was dismissed in April 2026 over the controversy around Peter Mandelson's appointment as British ambassador to the United States.

Early life and education Robbins was born in 1975 in Lambeth, to Derek Robbins and Diana (née Phillips). His father is Emeritus Professor of International Social Theory at the University of East London, where he has taught since it was founded as North East London Polytechnic in 1970, devoting his career to French post-structuralist social theory and the work of Pierre Bourdieu. His mother was a civil servant, who left her job to raise her children.

He was educated at Colfe's School, a private school in Lee, south-east London, and Hertford College, Oxford, where in 1996 he took a BA in PPE.

Career

Early career Robbins joined HM Treasury in 1996 after graduation, serving as head of corporate and private finance from 2003 to 2006, and then briefly as head of defence, diplomacy and intelligence finance. The Guardian described Robbins as "steely but punctiliously polite". In September 2015, Robbins moved to the Home Office as Second Permanent Secretary alongside Sir Mark Sedwill. He had responsibility for immigration and free movement, as well as the borders, immigration and citizenship system. During this role, Robbins was ordered to leave a meeting of the Home Affairs Select Committee after he was deemed to have given "unsatisfactory" answers about the budget for Border Force and to instead provide answers outside the hearing later the same day, which he did not do. Shortly thereafter, the secretariat was moved out of the Cabinet Office becoming a Ministry of State, the Department for Exiting the European Union, of which he became permanent secretary. In September 2017, Robbins moved from the Brexit Department to become Prime Minister Theresa May's personal Brexit advisor. His closeness to May led to him being described as her consigliere, though he was praised by allies of the four Prime Ministers he served.

Robbins's role in negotiating a deal for the UK withdrawal from the European Union led to some Conservative MPs blaming him for an anti-Brexit "establishment plot", criticising him as "secretive" and likening him to Grigori Rasputin. Acting Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill sent a letter to The Times defending Robbins, asserting that civil servants implement the decisions of elected governments. Sedwill pointed to the example of HMRC permanent secretary Sir Jon Thompson receiving death threats after giving evidence before MPs about the costs of a potential post-Brexit customs plan. Responding to Sedwill's letter, Andrew Adonis said that civil servants should "start getting used to criticism", as they had the option to work on other policies. A group of former military and intelligence officials associated with pro-Brexit pressure group Veterans for Britain, including Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, said Robbins had "serious questions of improper conduct to answer" over defence and security co-operation between the UK and the EU after Brexit.

Later career In June 2019 it was reported that Robbins intended to resign when Theresa May left office. He was elected to the Heywood fellowship at the Blavatnik School of Government in September 2019, after which he joined Goldman Sachs as a managing director of the bank's investment banking division; joining former European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, who was the non-executive chairman of Goldman Sachs International at the time.

Robbins worked for strategic advisory firm Hakluyt & Company in about 2024.

He applied to be cabinet secretary, but Sir Chris Wormald was appointed instead in December 2024. Robbins was one of the final four appointable candidates shortlisted by an expert panel with Sir Chris Wormald, Dame Antonia Romeo and Tamara Finkelstein.

Permanent Under-Secretary, FCDO

Robbins was appointed Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on 8 January 2025 for a five-year term, succeeding Sir Philip Barton.

Under Robbins, the FCDO underwent staff cuts. All directors general and director-level staff were required to reapply for their jobs with reductions to staff expected in 2026. On 16 April 2026, Robbins was dismissed over the controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson's appointment as British ambassador to the United States. Robbins gave evidence on this issue to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 21 April 2026. In July 2026, Robbins initiated legal proceedings over his dismissal, seeking a judicial review.

Personal life Robbins has been married to Sherry Birkbeck since 2005. They have three children. He was advanced as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 2019 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours.