The Head of the Ministry of Defence Resigns Following Data Leak

• David Williams retains the position of permanent secretary of the Ministry of Defence following the leak of data this autumn.
• The data leak jeopardized the lives of thousands of people, including Afghans and British officials.
• The process of selecting a new head began after the serious information leak.

The head of the Ministry of Defence of Great Britain, permanent secretary David Williams, announced his retirement this autumn.

This decision came after it became known about one of the largest data leaks in Great Britain, which put the lives of up to 100,000 people at risk. The data leak, which occurred in the summer of 2022, involved personal data of nearly 19,000 Afghans who were seeking refuge from the Taliban, as well as over 100 British officials, including members of the special forces and MI6.

David Williams has held this position for four and a half years. His departure from the post was known even before the public disclosure of the leak. The Ministry confirmed that the process of selecting a new head has already begun.

The new head of the defence forces, Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, will start fulfilling his obligations in the fall of this year. The Ministry thanks Williams for his significant contribution to the work of the department since 2021.

Tags: Europe/Politics