The planned departure of Hartnett, who turns 61 in February, was revealed in an announcement of the appointment of Lin Homer as HMRC’s new chief executive.
Homer, who is now permanent secretary at the Department for Transport, takes over from Lesley Strathie, who was forced to step down last month due to illness. She will take up the post in January, and will be responsible for choosing Hartnett’s successor.
The exact date of Hartnett’s departure was not given.
Hartnett’s retirement had been expected, since the normal age of retirement is 60. Nevertheless, some observers suggested his exodus had been hastened by publicity surrounding the Goldman Sachs matter, which involved HMRC giving the bank a £10m break, evidently in error, on penalties owed in connection with an offshore company the bank was using.
Others, though, praised Hartnett, a former tax inspector, for the innovation and openness he brought to HMRC during his time there. A number of recent tax amnesty schemes and various anti-tax evasion campaigns, including the Liechtenstein Disclosure Facility, were implemented while he was in charge.
Homer qualified as a lawyer in 1980, then began her career with Hertfordshire County Council, where she stayed for 15 years, rising to Director of Corporate Services. She worked her way through a number of government posts until she reached the transport department in 2010.
