Sam Lister became the Director General for Industrial Strategy at the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in November 2024.

As Director General for Industrial Strategy, Sam is responsible for shaping and delivering the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, designed to provide long-term certainty for business investment, foster innovation, and drive sustainable economic growth across the UK.

Prior to DBT, he was Director General for Strategy and Operations at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. His portfolio included strategy and pan-departmental policy, commercial, finance, communication, research and analysis, HR and organisational change and legal affairs.

Sam was also responsible for Industrial Strategy, Science and Innovation at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Prior to this, he was Director of Communication at the Department of Health

Before joining the Civil Service in 2011, Sam spent 12 years as a correspondent, news editor, and health editor at The Times.