World Jewish Relief chair named No 10 chief of staff

Boris Johnson has appointed Dan Rosenfield, the chair of World Jewish Relief, as his new Downing Street chief of staff.

Rosenfield will begin working in No 10 next month before he formally takes over from acting chief of staff, Lord Udny-Lister, in the new year, Downing Street said.

The move comes after a row over a proposal to appoint No 10 communications chief Lee Cain to the post led to Mr Cain and his close ally Dominic Cummings both leaving Downing Street.

Rosenfield joins No 10 from Hakluyt – a strategic advisory firm for businesses and investors – where he has been global head of corporate clients and head of the UK business since 2016.

He had previously worked as a Treasury official for over a decade, serving as principal private secretary to chancellors Alistair Darling and George Osborne.

In addition to his senior position at WJR, Rosenfield has been an active member of the Jewish community, with roles at the RSY-Netzer youth movement and the Jewish Leadership Council.

Rosenfield’s appointment was welcomed by Osborne’s former chief of staff, Rupert Harrison, who worked with him in the Treasury. “Dan is a class act and an inspired appointment,” he tweeted. “He was the principal private secretary in the chancellor’s office who managed the transition from Alistair Darling to George Osborne.

“Bright, tough and politically savvy with a small ‘p’.”

Former Treasury minister David Gauke, one of the pro-Remainers purged from the Tory Party by Boris Johnson, agreed he was a sensible choice.“I’m probably not doing him any favours in saying this but Dan Rosenfield is smart, likeable and effective. This should be a good appointment,” he tweeted.