The Prime Minister has appointed Lord Evans of Weardale, former head of MI5, to chair the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) responsible for selecting the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
Lord Evans spent 33 years in the Security Service and led as director general from 2007 to 2013. Since retiring, he has served as a crossbench member of the House of Lords and chaired the Committee on Standards in Public Life from 2018 to 2023.
Currently, he chairs the anti-landmine charity HALO Trust and the Public Interest Committee at KPMG UK, and is an active member of his local parish church.
Archbishop Justin Welby announced his resignation in November 2024, following a review that criticised his failure to report abuse cases involving the late barrister John Smyth to the police in 2013.
The CNC's selection process does not accept direct applications; instead, the public is invited to submit nominations.
No shortlist will be published, and no hustings will occur before the announcement of the new Archbishop, expected in autumn 2025.
Archbishop Welby will conclude his duties on 6th January, 2025, the Feast of Epiphany.
Subsequently, the Archbishop of York will assume his official responsibilities until a successor is appointed.
