DfT Appoints Two New Director Generals to Lead Strategy and Roads Programmes

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced two senior appointments to strengthen leadership across its Strategy and Roads programmes.

Ross Gribbin, formerly Director General for Policy, Prisons, Offenders and Analysis at the Ministry of Justice, will take up the newly created role of Director General for Transport Strategy. The post is designed to provide “strategic leadership across a multi-modal and cross-cutting portfolio,” covering themes such as transport strategy, science, AI, data, and decarbonisation.

Gribbin has previously held senior positions at the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Energy and Climate Change, including Director of Strategy and Principal Private Secretary. The new role was created under the leadership of Jo Shanmugalingam, DfT Permanent Secretary, as part of her vision for a more strategic and coordinated department.

Antonia Williams, currently Director of Public Services at HM Treasury, will become Director General for Road Transport Group, succeeding Emma Ward, who has moved to a new role at DCMS. Williams has led high-profile programmes and public service reforms, including roles as Covid Vaccines Director and Mental Health Director at the Department of Health and Social Care.

She also has international experience in infrastructure advisory at Ernst & Young and PwC in Australia and previously worked on transport and infrastructure policy in the No10 Policy Unit.

Both appointments take effect in January 2026 and are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of transport strategy and road delivery programmes in the UK.