Beth Russell is Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury.  She is based at the Darlington Economic Campus, where Treasury is co-located with 8 other government departments.

Beth has worked in the Treasury since 2000 in a range of policy roles across tax, welfare and public spending. Previous to her current role she was the Director General of Tax and Welfare in the Treasury. Earlier Treasury roles included Director of Personal Tax, Welfare and Pensions (2013-2017), Principal Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne (2011-2013), Deputy Director of General Expenditure Policy (2008-2011), Deputy Director of Environmental and Transport Taxes (2005-07) and Speechwriter for Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor (2001-2005) and Prime Minister (2007-2008).  Beth started her career in Department of Social Security as a policy adviser on welfare (1996-2000).

Beth moved to Darlington in 2021 and serves as Head of the Darlington Economic Campus. Alongside this role, she is the Permanent Secretary Place Champion for the North East and Co-Chair of the Places for Growth Programme Board