Polly Payne & Ruth Hannant

Polly Payne and Ruth Hannant job share the role of Director of Higher Education Reform at the Department for Education. Previously leading HE policy at BIS, they have now moved over to DfE and risen up the Power List ranking this year thanks to the major series of HE reforms that the government has introduced and that they are now responsible for. Both formerly of HM Treasury, they know their way around spending negotiations as well. With lots of reform to higher education already being proposed, and with more seemingly to follow, thanks to the new integration of universities in the Department for Education, Payne and Hannant sit in a critical role at a moment of high stakes for UK universities.