Alexandra Jones appointed as Chief Executive of Centre for Cities
Date: 05/08/2010Alexandra Jones has been appointed as Centre for Cities' new Chief Executive.
Alexandra joins from The Work Foundation, where she has headed up the influential Ideopolis cities programme for five years, working with city leaders across the UK. She replaces Dermot Finch, who led the Centre since its inception in 2005, and she will start in post on the 16th August.
Prior to The Work Foundation, Alexandra's career has included experience within the civil service, where she was private secretary to the Permanent Secretary at the former Department for Education and Skills, and as a researcher at the Institute for Public Policy Research.
Commenting on her appointment, Alexandra Jones said:
"I am delighted to be taking on the role of Chief Executive at the Centre for Cities at such an important time. Over the last five years, the Centre has established itself at the heart of debates about the policies and practices that support successful cities. Its evidence and analysis will be critical over the next five years, when cities will be vital to driving future prosperity and creating private sector jobs.
Significant challenges lie ahead on the road to economic recovery. The Centre, with its combination of rigorous research, extensive networks to exchange ideas and information, and city intelligence, is ideally placed to help the new Government and UK cities rise to these challenges and I am thrilled to be leading the organisation into this next exciting phase.”
Nigel Hugill, Chair of the Centre for Cities, added:
"This is a big time for the Centre and we are very pleased to have Alexandra leading from the front.
Having headed up the Ideopolis Programme successfully for five years and established a strong a network of city leader relationships, she will bring further insight into what works in modern urban economies.
Given the extent to which the political agenda has moved towards us, it is absolutely incumbent that the Centre maintains the generation of practical and high policy advice across the urban agenda and, in particular, around what national Government and cities can do independently to promote private sector led economic growth.
With Alexandra adding to the experiences and capabilities of the existing team, we are coming off a genuinely solid base. Much of the credit for helping build those foundations must attach to our outgoing Chief Executive, Dermot Finch. On behalf of the Centre and the trustees, I would like to thank Dermot for everything he has helped achieve since inception and wish him very well for the future.”
Notes to editors
For more information, please contact: Rosamund Taylor, External Affairs Manager, Centre for Cities 020 7803 4316
Alexandra Jones has over 10 years experience working with national and local policy makers and with business to develop strategies to respond to a rapidly changing economy.
Alexandra Jones biography:
- The Work Foundation, July 2005 – July 2010, Associate Director & Programme Director of Cities
- The Work Foundation, April 2002 – June 2005, Senior Researcher & Policy Specialist
- Department for Education & Skills (formerly Education & Employment), January 2001 – April 2002, Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary
- Institute for Public Policy Research, November 1999 – January 2001, Researcher for Director
Dermot Finch left Centre for Cities on 30th July, and from 31st August will be Head of Public Affairs at Fishburn Hedges.
