biography

Lucy Smith is the third Heywood Fellow.

Her career has been rooted in the leadership of strategy in government and expertise in governance and political systems. She was Director General for Strategy at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2020 to 2024. From 2012 to 2020, Lucy held senior roles at the Cabinet Office, first as Principal Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg during the Coalition Government, and from 2015 onwards – both as Constitution Director and then Director General of UK Governance Group – as principal adviser in government on the constitution, devolution, intergovernmental relations, elections and the democratic process. Lucy spent the early part of her career in the Department for Education in a number of roles, including Director of Strategy from 2010-2012.