A PENARTH man has been made a Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath in the New Year Honours.

Derek William Jones, permanent secretary for the Welsh Government, was given the honour in recognition of his public service, especially to economic and social conditions in Wales.

Derek, who was also appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2009 New Year Honours, said: “For me personally, it is obviously a great honour to have this recognition.

“But I think it is also a recognition of the hard work done by many others who I have worked alongside, both in government and elsewhere, to help make Wales as prosperous and fair a country as it can be.”

Derek was born and educated in Cardiff and studied Philosophy at Cardiff University. The earlier part of his career was in Whitehall, working at the Treasury and Department of Trade and Industry, before he returned home to Wales to join the Welsh Office in 1989 as head of industrial policy. He was subsequently head of finance programmes; director of the industry and training department and director of economic affairs.

Following the creation of the National Assembly in 1999, as senior director, he was a central figure in the operation of devolved government in Wales.

In 2008, Derek became director of business and strategic partnerships and an honorary professor with Cardiff University. His role was to identify opportunities for long-term partnerships within the business sector, in Wales and beyond and also with government; to share expertise and improve the commercialisation and application of the University’s knowledge and research.

Derek, who is married with two sons, became permanent secretary of the Welsh Government in October 2012.