The Cabinet Office has named its director of strategy, Gareth Davies, as the new head of the Office for Civil Society (OCS) as the two units are combined to drive the Big Society agenda.

The move will see the OCS work with the Strategy Unit's behavioural insights team to develop new ideas for encouraging volunteering and philanthropy.

The Strategy Unit provides the Prime Minister with in-depth analysis to help guide policy through to fruition. The collaboration adds weight to the Big Society agenda by bringing it closer to the frontline. 

Davies (pictured) has been involved in shaping pensions reform, school reform, correctional services and childcare while working up through the Strategy Unit after eight years as strategy consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

He said: “I am looking forward to taking responsibility for the government’s ambitious agenda for opening up public services, encouraging social action and giving more power to local communities by bringing together the best of the Strategy Unit and the Office for Civil Society."

Rolande Anderson, the outgoing head of the OCS, has completed her year on loan to the Cabinet Office. “I have really enjoyed this year, building the new Office for Civil Society, leading this great team through the Spending Review, and working on this key government agenda with the voluntary and community sector and social enterprise," she said, adding that she will be pursuing different challenges within the housing sector.