The Department of Home Affairs is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Kelly as its next Chief Executive Officer. Mr Kelly brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served in a variety of senior Government positions since joining the Isle of Man Civil Service in 1983. His appointment has been welcomed by Home Affairs Minister Adrian Earnshaw MHK who said: ‘I am very pleased to welcome Mark and feel he will settle in quickly and lead the Department with great conviction and enthusiasm. We have a skilled and professional team in place at Home Affairs who will work closely with Mark to maintain the high level of public confidence in our services.’ Mr Kelly takes up his new post towards the end of February and will assume responsibility for a Department that encompasses the Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Service, Prison Service, Probation Service, Communications Division, Emergency Planning and Civil Defence. He succeeds Will Greenhow who became Chief Secretary on January 1. Mr Kelly entered the Isle of Man Civil Service after graduating from the University of Liverpool with a Degree in Economics. He enjoyed a brief spell with the then Tourist Board before joining the Treasury where he served as an economist for more than 10 years – taking charge of the Isle of Man Census in 1986 and 1991. He became Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of Health and Social Security in 1995 and was then appointed to the Department of Trade and Industry in a similar capacity in 2005. During 2010, Mr Kelly completed a five-month secondment to the Department of Home Affairs as Acting Chief Executive Officer, before accepting the role of Chief Operating Officer at the newly formed Department of Economic Development. Looking ahead to his new position, Mr Kelly said: ‘I am delighted and honoured to be appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Home Affairs and relish the opportunity to lead the Department through the challenging times ahead. Home Affairs provides services which make an immediate difference to people’s lives, often in difficult circumstances. I am proud to take responsibility for ensuring that those services are of the highest quality, working with a talented and dedicated team across the DHA Divisions.’ Ends