Camden Council is set to appoint a new Executive Director for Investment, Place & Opportunity, following a meeting of the Audit and Corporate Governance (Appointment Panel) Sub-Committee on 15 July 2025.
The Investment, Place and Opportunity directorate is responsible for key services in the borough, aiming to create an inclusive, diverse, vibrant, and clean environment for everyone in Camden. The new Executive Director will provide leadership in delivering place-based services and lead strategy and delivery for a wide range of initiatives, including:
- Community safety, resilience, and cohesion
- Inclusive growth, employment and Camden's Community Wealth Fund
- Planning, placemaking and regeneration
- Arts and culture
- Recreation, parks and libraries
- Estate regeneration, commercial property and housing development
- Climate action, highways, sustainable transport and waste
The sub-committee convened to discuss the appointment process, review job details, and interview a candidate for the role. According to the Public Reports Pack, the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee delegated the responsibility of interviewing and offering permanent appointments to all posts at Chief Officer level to the sub-committee.
The Public Reports Pack stated that the role was advertised internally and attracted one applicant. Because of the exceptional strength of the candidate, who has demonstrated high performance and significant impact in their current role as Director, including while deputising for the current Executive Director of Supporting Communities, it was recommended to proceed directly to interview the sole candidate, combining the shortlisting and interview panels into a single process. The report pack stated that this approach would also avoid the cost of an external recruitment campaign, estimated at approximately £20,000.
The sub-committee was expected to interview the candidate and, if appropriate, recommend an offer of appointment, subject to there being no well-founded objections from any member of the Cabinet.
Item 8 on the agenda, concerning the Executive Director Investment, Place and Opportunity Final Member Panel Report, was considered exempt from disclosure under the Local Government Act 1972, as it could reveal information relating to an individual. The Agenda Frontsheet stated that the press and public were excluded from the proceedings during consideration of this item.
