David Sterling

Sir David Robert Sterling is a Northern Irish civil servant. Since 2017, he was the Head of the [Northern Ireland Civil Service|Interim Head] of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Permanent Secretary of the Executive Office, and Secretary to Northern Ireland Executive: as such, he was the most senior civil servant in Northern Ireland.
He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2020 Birthday Honours. He stepped down as Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service on 31 August 2020, after 42 years as a civil servant. He is a keen golfer who plays at Malone Golf Club, Belfast.
In 2024, he was made a member of the Royal [Irish Academy].