News story: New Government Chief Property Officer appointed

Following a full and open competition, Mike Parsons, Director General, Government Property, is pleased to announce the appointment of Janet Young as Government Chief Property Officer for the Civil Service.

As Government Chief Property Officer, Janet will be head of the Property Profession and lead this agenda for the property function. She will provide professional leadership to property professionals across a truly diverse range of government departments and arm’s length bodies, building capacity and capability.

Janet is a RICS qualified chartered surveyor with over 25 years professional experience. She joins the Cabinet Office from the British Council where she was Director of Global Estates. Prior to joining the British Council, Janet had been Director of Estates at Ministry of Justice, Head of Asset Management at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Deputy Director of Estates at the Department for Education. Janet also spent several years working for local authorities and housing associations. She has a proven track record of leading property professionals within complex and high profile environments.

Mike Parsons, Director General, Government Property said:

Janet’s appointment as the Government Chief Property Officer will help to position property as a strategic enabler to create a modern, effective and efficient Civil Service fit for the 21st century. We welcome Janet in joining us to deliver a Brilliant Civil Service that is a great place for property professionals to work and develop their careers.

Government Property Function

The property function exists to support the delivery of government services, as set out in the Government Estates Strategy and Departmental Strategic Asset Management Plans. This is a large responsibility – around 4,500 people are employed in the property function across government, managing an estate with annual running costs of around £25 billion – with lots of opportunities for transformation.