Attorney General's Office

New Serious Fraud Office Director Appointed

The Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP, has agreed to appoint David Green CB QC as the next Director of the Serious Fraud Office.

David Green will take up his appointment when the current Director, Richard Alderman, steps down in April 2012. His appointment is for four years. The appointment follows an open competition.

Dominic Grieve said:

"I welcome David Green's appointment to this key post.

"He joins at a challenging and exciting time for the Serious Fraud Office. The Government is committed to a better and more coordinated approach to economic crime and is putting the structures in place to effect this. The SFO will play an important role in this new strategy, working with Economic Crime Command partners and energetically pursuing the corruption and fraud which cause so much damage to victims, to law abiding competitors and to the UK's wider economy and reputation.

"I would also like to pay tribute to Richard Alderman. The SFO has been transformed under his leadership, becoming more effective, proactive and pragmatic. Richard has also pursued positive engagement both domestically and internationally and leaves the organisation more influential and outward facing."

David Green said:

"The SFO is here to stay, and I am delighted to accept the Attorney's offer of a four year contract as Director.

"The SFO harnesses all the specialist skills needed to tackle serious and complex fraud and bribery under one roof. Its cases have a high profile and a major public interest element. It is recognised as a major national and international agency and brand.

"Importantly, it will contribute to our economic recovery by working to ensure a level playing field in the markets and underpinning the maxim 'my word is my bond'. Over the next few years, the SFO will play a crucial role in the developing anti fraud strategy".

Notes to editors

1. David Green CB QC is a highly experienced barrister specialising in crime. He has prosecuted and defended in serious crime over a 25 year career at the bar.

He was called in 1979; appointed Assistant Recorder in 1996 and Recorder in 2000. He took silk in 2000.

He was appointed the first Director of the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) in 2005 when that Department was established in the wake of a series of controversial and unsuccessful Customs prosecutions. The independent Inspectorate HMCPSI concluded in a report on RCPO in 2009 that the department had succeeded in its primary objective of restoring public and judicial confidence in Customs (now HMRC) prosecutions.

RCPO was merged with the CPS in January 2010 and David was asked to stay on as Director of the CPS Central Fraud Group, which he headed until April 2011.

From that date he returned to private practice in the Chambers of David Perry QC and David Fisher QC at 6 King's Bench Walk, Temple.

He was appointed CB in the Birthday 2011 Honours List.

2. The recruitment was handled by consultants Odgers Berndtson. The post was advertised in October on the Times and Law Gazette websites.

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