8 December 1998
From: "Alan Burkitt-Gray" <alan@kable.co.uk> To: "UK Crypto" <ukcrypto@maillist.ox.ac.uk> Subject: New director of CESG Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 16:10:24 -0000 From Government Computing, December issue: There’s about to be a new DC. That’s director, Communications-Electronics Security Group, to you. Andrew Saunders, who has been in charge of the electronic security organisation since March 1991, is retiring from both CESG and the Government service at the end of the year. His successor is Dr Richard Walton, who is currently with Government Communications Headquarters, the Cheltenham-based intelligence gathering operation which hosts CESG. He takes up his appointment in 1999. There was an open competition for the position though not so open that it was advertised, of course. CESG hasn’t released any information about Walton’s background. During almost eight years in charge Saunders has seen an extraordinary transformation in CESG, moving it from the shadows of secrecy to a position in which it actively promotes its services to the public sector: this year he spoke at Government Computing’s conference and agreed to join our editorial advisory panel. The new director takes charge as the Government’s policies on such matters as public key infrastructure and official access to keys come under increasing scrutiny so Walton might find himself having to take an even more public role than his predecessor. ---- Since we went to press with that CESG's press office faxed the following release (to us, at least): The Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG) has announced the appointment of Dr Richard Walton as its next Director. He said: "This is a job I always wanted - I'm delighted. This is a very exciting time of change for CESG - overall demand for its services has never been stronger, and we have an important national role to fulfil." ... Notes for Editors ... 2 Dr Walton took a degree in mathematics at Nottingham University in 1968 and his PhD in 1971, before taking up a lectureship in mathematics at North Staffordshire Polytechnic. He joined the Civil Service in 1973 as a higher scientific officer, serving initially as a mathematician and more recently in a range of management posts. He is no stranger to CESG, having served in it twice before and has had first-hand experience of cryptographic algorithm design and evaluation for HMG customers. Between 1985 and 1991, Dr Walton was head of CESG's mathematical services group, responsible for cryptographic design and evalution and for computer security certification. He became a member of the senior civil service in 1996. 3 Dr Walton's appointment as Director CESG takes effect on 4 January 1999. .... If anyone wants a copy of the December issue, which also has an interview with Whit Diffie, please e-mail me direct. Alan B-G - ALAN BURKITT-GRAY, Editor, Government Computing The independent magazine about information age public service, for the people who are going to make it happen NEXT ISSUE: January 1999, mailed out 31 December 1998 Published monthly by Kable Ltd The Courtyard, 55 Charterhouse Street, London EC1M 6HA, UK tel 0171 608 0900, fax 0171 608 0901 international tel +44 171 608 0900, fax +44 171 608 0901 website http://www.kable.co.uk e-mail alan@kable.co.uk For advance features information see http://www.governmentcomputing.com Where's Kable? Look at http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?grid2map?X=531650Y=181750&arrow=y