Jim Harra

Sir Jim Harra KCB
Harra in 2017
Chief Executive of HM Revenue & Customs
Incumbent
Assumed office October 2019
Minister	Sajid Javid Rishi Sunak Nadhim Zahawi Kwasi Kwarteng Jeremy Hunt Rachel Reeves
Deputy	Angela MacDonald
Preceded by	Jon Thompson

Sir James Alan Harra, KCB (born July 1962)[1] is a British civil servant who has been First Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs since October 2019, in succession to Sir Jonathan Thompson.[2][3]

Background

Harra's family are based at Dollingstown in County Down, Northern Ireland. He was educated at Donaghcloney Primary School, Tandragee Junior High School and then Portadown College. He read law at Queen's University, Belfast and then became an inspector of taxes with the Inland Revenue in 1984.[4][5]

Career

In January 2009, Harra became Director of Corporation Tax and VAT, and then Director of Personal Tax Customer Operations in March 2011, and Director Personal Tax Operations in October 2011. He was Director-General for Business Tax from 2012 to 2016, when he succeeded Edward Troup as Tax Assurance Commissioner.[6][7] He became Tax Assurance Commissioner and Director General Customer Strategy and Design in October 2016 and was appointed Second Permanent Secretary at HMRC in November 2017.[8] He is also a member of the Board of the department.[9]

In November 2017, Harra appeared on BBC's Panorama programme about VAT fraud.[10]

Harra is also HMRC's LGB&T Champion.[11]

In October 2024 it was announced that Harra would retire from HMRC in April 2025.[12] He will be replaced by JP Marks.[13]

Honours

Harra was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2015 New Year Honours and a Knight Commander (KCB) of the same order in the 2024 Birthday Honours.[14][15]

Offices held

Government offices
Preceded by Sir Jon Thompson	Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs 2019–	Succeeded by Incumbent

References

1. "James Alan HARRA - Personal Appointments". Companies House. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
2. "Biography of Jim Harra". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
3. "Appointment of the new Chief Executive and Permanent Secretary at HMRC". GOV.UK. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
4. James to be honoured with Companion of Bath, Portadown Times, 21 February 2015
5. Jim to receive Companion of the Bath next month, Lurgan Mail, 28 February 2015
6. "HMRC senior staff pay data: September 2014". gov.uk. HM Government. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
7. "Director-General, Business Tax: Jim Harra". gov.uk. HM Government. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
8. Jim Harra appointed as Second Permanent Secretary at HMRC
9. "HM Revenue and Customs – HMRC Board". gov.uk. HM Government. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
10. "The fraud costing the UK more than £1bn". 27 November 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
11. Moving forward with Pride, Civil Service Blog, 9 June 2015
12. Civil Service World, HMRC perm sec Jim Harra to stand down, published 4 October 2024
13. "New Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive at HM Revenue and Customs". GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
14. "New Year's Honours lists 2015" (PDF). gov.uk. Cabinet Office and Foreign Office. 30 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
15. "Awards for Birthday Honours List 2024" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2024.