Dame Melanie Henrietta Dawes DCB (born 9 March 1966) is a British economist and administrator.

She then undertook postgraduate studies in economics at Birkbeck College, London, graduating with a Master of Science (MSc) degree.

She was Director General for Business Tax at HMRC from November 2007, replacing Dave Hartnett.

[3][4][5] In January 2015, Dawes was announced as the next Permanent Secretary of the Department for Communities and Local Government, succeeding Sir Bob Kerslake.

[8] On 12 February 2020, Dawes was named as the new Chief Executive of broadcasting, telecoms and postal services regulator Ofcom.