Civil Service Live
Profile: Howell James
Howell James started his working life in the media as head of promotions at Capital Radio. He was head of publicity at the launch of TVam, Britain's first commercial breakfast television channel.
In 1984 he became Special Advisor to Lord Young in the Cabinet Office, and moved with him to the Department of Employment and Trade and Industry.
In 1987 he joined the Board of Management of the BBC as Director of Corporate Affairs.
He joined Cable & Wireless as Director of Corporate and Government Affairs in 1992 where he was responsible for Cable & Wireless's press, public and government relations in the UK, North America and Hong Kong.
Howell became Prime Minister John Major's Political Secretary in 1994. He was a Founding Partner of Brown Lloyd James, a corporate PR Company. He was awarded the CBE in August 1997. He joined the Cabinet Office as Permanent Secretary for Government Communications in July 2004.