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James Edward Bowler CB (born July 1973) is a senior British civil servant currently serving as the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury since October 2022 having previously served as permanent secretary to the Department for International Trade since 2021.{{cite web |title=James Bowler Government Profile |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/james-bowler |website=Gov.uk |publisher=UK Government |access-date=27 November 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Casalicchio |first1=Emilio |title=POLITICO London Playbook: COVID war room — Face of the government — Hagues and pains |url=https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/politico-london-playbook-covid-war-room-face-of-the-government-hagues-and-pains/ |access-date=27 November 2020 |publisher=Politico |date=9 October 2020}} Before assuming this role, Bowler was the second permanent secretary to the Cabinet Office from 2020 to 2021 where he led the COVID Taskforce for the British Government. He was the Director General for Policy, Communication and Analysis at the Ministry of Justice from March to October 2020.{{cite web |title=James Bowler CSaP Profile |url=http://www.csap.cam.ac.uk/network/james-bowler/ |website=Centre for Science and Policy |publisher=University of Cambridge |access-date=27 November 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Beckie |title=Former Treasury spending DG appointed Cabinet Office second perm sec |url=https://www.civilserviceworld.com/news/article/former-treasury-spending-chief-appointed-cabinet-office-second-perm-sec |access-date=27 November 2020 |publisher=Civil Service World |date=9 October 2020}} Bowler is currently Trustee of the charity Police Now.

Education

From 1986 until 1991, Bowler was educated at Abingdon School, an all-boys independent school in Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. He then attended Cardiff University where he studied Economics.{{cite web|url=https://www.abingdon.org.uk/uploads/school/files/abingdonian/1991_December_V019_N003.pdf#page=83|title=Entrants to Higher Education|website=Abingdon School|access-date=30 March 2021}}

Career

Prior to March 2020 Bowler worked at Her Majesty's Treasury for eight years, serving the positions of Director General for Public Spending between May 2017 and March 2020,{{cite web |title=A Short Guide to HM Treasury |url=https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/A-Short-guide-to-HM-Treasury-2017.pdf |website=Major programmes and developments – Page 13 |publisher=National Audit Office |access-date=27 November 2020}} Director General for Tax and Welfare between April 2015 and May 2017{{cite web |title=Appointment of new Director General, Tax and Welfare, HM Treasury |url=https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/articles/Appointment+of+new+Director+General+Tax+and+Welfare+HM+Treasury+01042015081020?open |website=HM Treasury |publisher=WiredGov |access-date=27 November 2020}} and Director for Strategy, Planning and Budget between January 2012 to April 2015.{{cite web |title=HM Treasury Organisation Chart – October 2012 |url=https://www.pempal.org/sites/pempal/files/event/attachments/hmt_organizational-chart.pdf |publisher=HM Treasury |access-date=27 November 2020}} Bowler was promoted to Director General in April 2015.

In May 2010 when David Cameron became Prime Minister, Bowler was appointed to the post of Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister serving until December 2011.{{cite web |title=Cabinet Office Structure Charts |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/60745/Cabinet-Office_0_0.pdf |website=Prime Minister's Office Chart – Page 7 |publisher=Cabinet Office |access-date=27 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=Senior Staff Salaries in CSV Format |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/60744/co-senior-staff-salaries_0.csv/preview |website=Cabinet Office Transparency Data |publisher=UK Government |access-date=27 November 2020}}

Bowler has also served under Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer having been appointed as his Principal Private Secretary between 2005 and 2007.{{cite news |last1=Webster |first1=Philip |title=Top Blairites set for a place at Brown's table |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/top-blairites-set-for-a-place-at-browns-table-59dfxjpmjn6 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=The Times |date=26 December 2005|url-access=subscription}} Bowler continued to work closely with Brown during his premiership as Prime Minister.{{cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Gordon |title=Beyond the Crash: Overcoming the First Crisis of Globalisation |date=1 September 2011 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-0857202888 }}

He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2012 New Year Honours.{{London Gazette|issue=60009|date=31 December 2011|page=2|supp=y}}

In May 2021, it was announced that Bowler would become the new Permanent Secretary to the Department for International Trade.{{Cite web|title=New Permanent Secretary to the Department for International Trade|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-permanent-secretary-to-the-department-for-international-trade|access-date=2021-08-26|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}

In October 2022, Bowler was appointed as the new Permanent Secretary to the Treasury.{{Cite web|title=New Permanent Secretary Treasury Team Announced|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-permanent-secretary-treasury-team-announced|access-date=2022-10-11|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}

Following Rishi Sunak's claim during the 2024 general election that Labour's plans would mean £2,000 of tax rises per household. Bowler said the Conservatives' assessment of Labour's tax plans "should not be presented as having been produced by the civil service". Bowler said the calculation of £38bn of uncosted spending used by the Tories "includes costs beyond those provided by the civil service".[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd11m307jjvo Top official's letter casts doubt on Tory tax claim][https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd1122q14dxo Treasury letter on Tory tax claim in full]

In January 2025, the creation of the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) in April 2025 was confirmed, with Bowler named as the body's principal accounting officer.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Beckie |title=NISTA: PM sets out machinery of government changes underpinning new infrastructure body |url=https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/nista-machinery-of-government-changes-treasury-cabinet-office-infrastructure-body |access-date=22 January 2025 |work=Civil Service World |date=21 January 2025}}