The Office for Statistics Regulation is delighted to appoint Rob Kent-Smith as the new Deputy Head, joining Ed Humpherson and the rest of his team to deliver on our regulatory priorities.
Rob is an economist by background and is currently the Deputy Director for Transport Strategy and Policy at Welsh Government, leading important projects for accessible, sustainable and efficient travel. Before this he worked at the Office for National Statistics, leading the production of the UK’s National Accounts, including GDP and developed real time economic indicators to support decision making during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rob is a respected senior policy leader, communicator and analyst, based in Newport, South Wales, who has been at the forefront of professional practice in the government sector for over 10 years.
At Welsh Government, his role included delivering the ambitions of the Wales Transport Strategy, including decarbonisation of transport and leading the development of legislation for a 20MPH default speed limit in Wales. He has also been the lead official for the independent Roads Review Panel, who are providing advice on the future of road building in Wales.
At ONS, Rob had various senior roles in the National Accounts team, responsible for the production and dissemination of high-profile economic statistics.
He thrives on creating high performing innovative teams and building relationships to drive step changes in pace, quality and capability to ensure successful delivery of policy, projects and data driven decisions. His studies include a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Birmingham and a Master of Science in Official Statistics (with distinction) from the University of Southampton.
Rob Kent-Smith, who’s joining OSR from April said:
I am delighted to be joining OSR and can’t wait to get started, to work with the team, users, and producers to ensure that statistics serve society’s key information needs. I hope that my previous economic experience will enhance OSR’s reach, capability, and strategic impact through our regulatory activities, ensuring that statistics can always serve the public good.