Attorney Generals Office
Nick Ephgrave QPM has been announced as the new Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) by the Attorney General, Victoria Prentis KC MP.
Mr Ephgrave was selected following an open and transparent competition and will take up the appointment at the end of September for an initial term of five years. He will replace the outgoing Director, Lisa Osofsky.
The Attorney General Victoria Prentis KC MP said:
I am delighted to announce that Nick Ephgrave QPM will become the next Director of the SFO. Nicks years of experience as a leader in law enforcement and across the wider criminal justice system make him the ideal candidate to drive the SFO forward in its continuing fight against economic crime.
The Attorney General also thanked Lisa Osofsky for her years of service to the SFO.
Most recently, Mr Ephgrave was Chair of the National Police Chiefs Council Criminal Justice Co-ordination Committee and held roles on the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee and the Sentencing Council.
Between February 2019 and September 2022, he was Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service and, prior to this, he was the Chief Constable for Surrey Police between December 2015 and February 2019.
The SFO is a non-ministerial department headed by the Director and is a specialist investigating and prosecuting authority that tackles the top-level of serious or complex fraud, bribery, and corruption in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The SFO is an operationally independent prosecuting body. It is responsible for making decisions on whether an investigation should be opened and ultimately if a case should be prosecuted.
Mr Ephgrave said:
I am honoured to be the next Director of the SFO. The SFO plays a unique and pivotal role in the UKs response to economic crime. I look forward to building on its recent successes and driving forward work to deliver long-lasting improvements to its