Latest civil service & public affairs moves – April 25

UK government

• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: FTSE Women Leaders Review – Penny James and Nimesh Patel appointed as Co-Chairs. Insolvency Service – Frances Coulson appointed as Non-executive Board Member. Office for the Internal Market Panel – Murdoch MacLennan appointed as Chair. He will also be a Non-executive Director of the Competition and Markets Authority.
• Cabinet Office: Geospatial Commission – Professor Louise Heathwaite CBE appointed as Commissioner.
• Ministry of Defence: Defence Equipment and Support – Andy Start appointed as Chief Executive. Defence Infrastructure Organisation – Mike Green as Chief Executive.
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: British Film Institute – Monica Chadha, Edgar Wright, Scott Stuber, Elizabeth Karlsen and Laura Miele appointed to the Board of the BFI Governors for four years from 9 May to 8 May 2026. British Library – Professor Dame Carol Black re-appointed as Chair for four years from 1 September. British Tourist Authority – Dame Judith Macgregor's term as Interim Chair extended for three months from 1 May to 31 July. This extension has been made while the process to appoint a permanent Chair is run. National Citizen Service Trust – Tristram Mayhew, Sir Ian Livingstone CBE, Ndidi Okezie OBE and Ashley Summerfield re-appointed as Board Members for two years until 30 November 2023; Lord McNicol of West Kilbride re-appointed as Board Member until 31 May. National Portrait Gallery – Blake Shorthouse appointed as Trustee for four years until 31 March 2026. Advisory Council on National Records and Archives – Liz Copper and Lady Moira Andrews re-appointed as Members for four years from 22 August to 21 January 2026.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Ofwat – Iain Coucher announced as the Government's preferred candidate as Chair, succeeding Jonson Cox. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee will hold a pre-appointment hearing and report on Mr Coucher's suitability for the post. Mr Cox’s term as Chair has been extended until 30 June. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Steve Almond, Kate Priestman and John Scanlon appointed as Trustees for three years.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeMatthew Lawson appointed as Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of North Macedonia from July, succeeding Rachel Galloway.
• Department of Health and Social Care – Dr Thomas Waite appointed as Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, replacing Professor Jonathan Van-Tam who stepped down on 31 March.
• Ministry of Justice: Legal Services Board – Habib Motani appointed as Non-Lay Member for four years from 18 April.
• Department for Transport – Nick Denton appointed to lead a new independent aviation panel created to strengthen transparency around decision-making and regulatory processes at the Civil Aviation Authority. The panel will be fully operational from 2 May.

Houses of Parliament

House of Lords

• Lord Pendry was a Labour Peer, now a Non-affiliated Peer.
• Lord Wolfson of Tredegar resigned as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice on 13 April.
• Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham joined the House of Lords on 19 April.

Devolved administrations

Scottish Government

• Suneil Mishra and Andy MacMillan appointed as Trade and Investment Envoys.

Northern Ireland Executive

• Invest NI – Deborah Lange, Mark Nodder, Dr Mark Sweeney, Padraig Canavan and Judith Totten’s terms as Board Members extended for two months until 31 May.

Mayor of London's Office

• Lyn Garner appointed as Senior Professional Lead for Housing Delivery; she will remain as Chief Executive of London Legacy Development Corporation.

Local authorities

• Haringey Council – Andy Donald appointed a permanent Chief Executive, he will take up the role following formal approval at full council on 27 April, having been Interim Chief Executive since February.
• Hastings Borough Council – Paul Barnett (Labour) confirmed as Council Leader.
• South Ribble Borough Council and Chorley Council – Chris Sinnott appointed as Shared Chief Executive from January 2023.

Industry

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Corporates

• Govia Thameslink Railway – Angie Doll appointed as Chief Operating Officer.

Interest Groups

• Association of Dogs and Cats Homes – Halita Obineche appointed as its first Executive Director.
• British Tinnitus Association – David Stockdale is stepping down as Chief Executive after 12 years in the role.
• Myeloma UK – Sophie Castell appointed as Chief Executive from May.
• Royal College of Physicians – Professor David Oliver elected as President for four years from 13 September.
• Press Recognition Panel – Gerard Lemos appointed as Chair.

Media

• BBC – Chris Mason appointed as Political Editor from May