The Planning Inspectorate is pleased to announce that Navees Rahman is appointed Interim Chief Executive. Navees will be seconded from his current role as Corporate Services Director at the Inspectorate. The appointment follows the news earlier this summer of Sarah Richards’ intention to stand down as Chief Executive this autumn. Navees will lead the Inspectorate, whose services are a core part of the English planning system dealing with planning appeals, national infrastructure planning applications, examinations of local plans and other planning-related and specialist casework in England.

Chair of the Planning Inspectorate Board and Non-Executive Director Trudi Elliot said:

“I am delighted that Navees has accepted the role of interim Chief Executive of the Inspectorate. In addition to his leadership experience within the Inspectorate, Navees is also bringing his experience of leadership positions across financial strategy, financial management, audit, governance and business partnering in executive agencies and central government departments to the role.

“On behalf of the Board and non-executive Directors, I am looking forward to working with Navees in his new role.”

Director of Planning at Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Simon Gallagher said:

“I’m glad to welcome Navees into the interim role of Chief Executive while we recruit for a permanent appointment. Recruitment for the permanent post commences today. The leadership of the Planning Inspectorate is a pivotal role within English planning, particularly with the current focus on the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill progressing through parliament.”

Navees was appointed as Corporate Services Director at the Planning Inspectorate in 2016. He has been leading the professional services that support the work of the Inspectorate, developing a performance culture, investing in technology and processes, and using our diversity to help us innovate. As well as improving existing services, the directorate has been developing new capabilities in the digital and data fields to ensure that our public-facing services are digitally available and adhere to Government Digital Service standards. Our emerging capabilities in data will ensure that we can both protect and exploit the valuable data that the Inspectorate holds.

Navees said:

“I am proud of the work the Planning Inspectorate and the important role it plays in the planning system.

“As interim Chief Executive I look forward to continuing to deliver the priorities set out by the Department and the changes the Inspectorate has set out in our Strategic Plan. I believe that these will improve our customers’ experience and ensure that the Inspectorate is a thriving, challenging and inclusive place to work.”

Chief Executive job advert – closing date 28th September 2022

Appointed as a Board Member (Chair of Audit and Risk Committee) from 01 September 2022 until 31 August 2026.

Rachel is a general sports enthusiast. She is currently the Senior Independent Director at the LTA where she chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She is also the LTA Board sponsor for Inclusion and Diversity. Rachel is also an Independent Non-Executive Director of Somerset County Cricket Club where she Chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She is the Chair of the mental health charity Minds@Work.

Rachel was a partner at KPMG for over twenty years where she served as an audit partner and for eight years, until her retirement, she was also a member of KPMG International’s Global Executive serving as the global head of people, performance and culture and as the executive responsible for global communications. She has worked extensively abroad living in continental Europe, Asia and Africa. She is a qualified chartered accountant and was a fellow of the chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Rupen Shah

Appointed as a Board Member from 01 September 2022 until 31 August 2026.

Growing up a stone’s throw away from Wembley Stadium, it was almost impossible for Rupen not to be inspired by elite sport from an early age. Whether it was an England home international or FA Cup Final day, the excitement generated in the local area cemented his passion and enthusiasm for it. Rupen is now a powerful advocate for sport and believes in the transformational effect it can have on people’s lives and society.

Qualifying as a chartered accountant with KPMG, Rupen spent several years working strategically with high profile clients and also completed a secondment to India. He went on to become the Chief Financial Officer of the Football Foundation, the UK’s largest sports charity set up by the Government, The FA and Premier League. Rupen combines substantial expertise in commercial, charity and public finance with a real grasp of the challenges participants face when engaging and competing in sport.

Alongside his professional journey, Rupen developed a longstanding relationship with Arsenal FC for over a decade, which included several voluntary and part-time roles. This saw him deliver local community programmes, coaching clinics in 14 countries and coaching elite female players in the Academy, many of whom have now become, and will become, Lionesses.

Rupen now enjoys mentoring the next generation of talented sport enthusiasts, spending time with his family and travelling the world. He also continues his charitable work to tackle inequalities through trustee roles in sport and beyond, including Women In Sport and The Legal Education Foundation.

Remuneration and Governance Code

This role is remunerated at £218 per day. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Rachel Baillache and Rupen Shah have not declared any activity.

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has today confirmed the appointment of Marion Leslie as Non-Executive Chair. Marion will chair the UKHO Board in this independent position, after a year as interim Non-Executive Chair and six years as a Non-Executive Director at the UKHO.

The Board supports, challenges, and validates the UKHO business strategy and oversees the organisation’s performance. Marion leads the Board as Chair, acting in the interests of the Ministry of Defence and key stakeholders, and supports and provides guidance to Peter Sparkes, UKHO’s Chief Executive.

UKHO exists to support safe, secure, and thriving oceans. The UKHO is a world-leading centre for hydrography, specialising in marine geospatial data that supports defence and global shipping, while helping customers and partners to unlock a deeper understanding of the world’s oceans and coastal environments. The UKHO serves Defence and wider government, has a thriving navigation business, and is developing future maritime products and services.

Working closely with the UKHO CE and executive leadership team, the Chair and the Board offer support and challenge to ensure that there is a clear focus on transformation, increasing revenues, building partnerships, and exploring new markets.

Away from the UKHO, Marion is the Head of Financial Information at SIX Group and a member of SIX Group’s Executive Board. She is also a member of the BME Board of Directors.

Named as one of Swiss Finance’s Women to Watch in 2022, Marion was also included in the World Federation of Exchanges Women Leaders List 2021 and named one of the 100 Most Influential Women in European Finance by Financial News in 2020 and 2021. In 2017, she was nominated in the Cranfield University Female FTSE 100 Women to Watch Board Report and, in 2014, won the Award for Achievement at the Women in Banking and Finance Awards.

Commenting on the appointment, Peter Sparkes, Chief Executive at the UKHO, said:

The position of Non-Executive Chair plays a pivotal role supporting the UKHO Board in the delivery of its corporate goals. We look forward to continuing to work with Marion who, as Interim Non-Executive Chair, has played an integral role in propelling the UKHO’s digital journey. Marion has helped us to identify and realise the opportunities that our ongoing transformation will bring and supports our vital work in enabling safe, secure, and thriving oceans.

Marion said she was delighted to accept the role full-time after being in post on an interim basis:

I am thrilled to continue to lead the UKHO’s talented Board and support the UKHO as it continues to create world-class products and services for safe navigation and maritime decision support, both for defence and for the commercial world. It is a wonderful organisation with deep expertise, and I feel privileged to be part of its journey.

The Non-Executive Director role that Marion held for six years has in turn been filled by Tash Toothill, Director, Enterprise Transformation at Lloyds Banking Group. Tash also becomes the Chair of UKHO’s Remunerations Committee.

Since arriving at Lloyds Banking Group in 2019, Tash has led enterprise transformation across risk, finance, people, payments, fraud, and financial crime, supporting Lloyds Banking Group’s aim to help Britain prosper and build the best bank for customers.

Before joining Lloyds Banking Group, Tash was Head of Enterprise at Amazon, with responsibility for developing Amazon’s payments solutions and evolving voice commerce experience on Alexa. She has also worked extensively across Europe as Senior Vice President for Visa. In that role, she created an omni-channel payment experience across in-store, online and mobile, helping global retailers, fuel brands, hotels, and airlines to leverage digital technologies for a frictionless customer journey.

Speaking on the appointment of Tash as a Non-Executive Director of the UKHO, Peter Sparkes said:

I am delighted by Tash Toothill’s appointment as a Non-Executive Director of the UKHO, and as Chair of our Remunerations Committee. Tash possesses a wealth of digital transformation acumen and experience that will help us to drive forward our ambitious change programme, ensuring the UKHO remains a partner of choice and that our assured ADMIRALTY products and services continue to be relied upon by the world’s mariners.

Tash said she was relishing the opportunity to help advise the UKHO’s board:

Joining an organisation with such a rich history and tradition in the maritime sector is a great honour. I’m excited about working with and helping guide the UKHO as it continues delivering digital products and services that support the future of navigation.