A new chief executive has been appointed at Nottingham City Council to replace Ian Curryer, who leaves at the end of the month having worked for the authority for 20 years.
Katherine Kerswell will take up the role from Friday, May 1, having been the chief executive of five different authorities over the last 15 years, most recently the London Borough of Newham.
She will oversee the period between Mr Curryer leaving and the council appointing a new permanent Chief Executive in the coming months, with the process for that well underway.
Mr Curryer announced he was leaving to take up an appointment by the Secretary of State for Education to the new role as chairman of Children First Northamptonshire, a Trust for Children’s Services in the county.
She will work alongside Ian from mid-April in an attempt to smooth the transition.
As well as her local authority experience, from 2012 to 2014 she was the first Director General in the Cabinet Office to have responsibility for civil service reform and efficiency. She has also worked for a community healthcare trust in London.
The city council’s Leader, Councillor David Mellen, said: “These are very turbulent times, and we are assured that Katherine will provide steady and confident leadership to steer us through the current crisis, and set out a good foundation for our recovery, so that we can eventually move forward with our ambitious plans for the city and our citizens.
“We extend a warm welcome to Katherine and look forward to working with her in the coming months. We also thank Ian for the major contribution he has made to the city and the council and wish him well in his new role.
“Meanwhile we remain fully focused on keeping essential services running during these unprecedented times.”
Mr Curryer joined Nottingham City Council as a primary school adviser in September 1999 and held a number of roles in the Education department and Children’s Services before becoming Director of Children’s Services in 2008. He became the council’s chief executive in January 2013.
He oversaw a period of major change for both the council and the city, when Nottingham embarked on a £2 billion redevelopment.
The period has also seen the opening of new tram lines, the development of Sneinton Market and the Creative Quarter, developing the city’s profile internationally, and introducing major programmes within the council to transform the way it works.
