The chief executive of Leeds City Council, Tom Riordan, has been named as the second permanent secretary at the Department of Health & Social Care.
Tom had announced his departure from Leeds in May, after 14 years in the role – and he now moves on to help the new Labour government deliver its ambitious plans for health and social care reform.
DIB group chair and chief executive Frank McKenna said:
“We wish Tom all the very best in his new role. He is one of the most respective local government leaders in the country, and it is no surprise to those who have worked with him to see the new government identify him as a key personality in helping them drive improvement and reform in a key policy area.
“Tom has been hugely supportive of Downtown in Business since we established the brand in Leeds – not too long after he had started his role as CEO of the council, back in 2011. He spoke at our very first event in the city – and he has engaged with our network in Leeds and across the country many times since.
“I hope we can continue to work with him moving forward. Leeds and the business community here will miss him.”
