Capita director made interim Newham chief executive

Newham Borough Council has appointed former Capita boss Katherine Kerswell as its new interim chief executive to take up the post in September.

Kerswell previously has been a chief executive of four different councils including Northamptonshire and Solihull, and has spent the past three years at Capita running the organisation’s major health care support services business.

She also has experience in developing diversity in both local and national government, including at the Department for Education and the Home Office.

Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz said Kerswell will be supporting the council through the process of looking for a permanent CEO.

Fiaz added: “I am delighted Katherine is joining us as interim chief executive. I am looking forward to tapping into her extensive knowledge of resident focus, commercial skills, and leading large organisations through change.

“She shares the commitment of this new administration to put people at the heart of everything we do and introduce greater diversity to the council.”

Kim Bromley-Derry announced in June that he was retiring from the role on 31 August. Kerswell will take up the role in September when the next meeting of the Full Council makes a formal recommendation about her appointment.

The Capita lead was the first director general in the Cabinet Office to have responsibility for Civil Service reform, and is a former president of the Society for Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE).

Kerswell, who took flexible retirement in 2017 for personal reasons, said: “I am really positive for Newham and its future. Both mayor Fiaz and I agree that now is the perfect opportunity to seek a new permanent chief executive to help her and her Cabinet members deliver her exciting agenda for Newham and its people.”

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Image credit: Newham Borough Council