The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has appointed the chief executive of growth-promoting think tank the Centre for Cities as director of industrial strategy.
Alexandra Jones’ new role was announced by the organisation, rather than the department, which was created by prime minister Theresa May in July last year and is headed up by secretary of state Greg Clark.
Jones has been at the helm of Centre for Cities for more than six years. During that time, the devolution agenda – in which Clark has played a key role – has been a major stream of work, along with the introduction of elected city-region mayors.
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She has worked on strategic projects with organisations including Leeds City Region and the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership and the business-led West End Partnership in London.
Prior to joining Centre for Cities, Jones was a senior adviser to the City Growth Commission, and also worked at the Department for Education and Skills, split up in 2007 to form the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
Announcing her departure from the think-tank, Jones said she was extremely proud of its work and said she expected its influence would continue to be felt.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to lead work on the industrial strategy at BEIS, and am confident the centre will continue to ensure that urban economies are at the heart of national and local policy debates in the years to come,” she said.