Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and Chair of the London Legacy Development Corporation, today announced he has appointed Baroness Grey-Thompson DEB to the Corporation's board.
Following the huge success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and as the next critical phase of the legacy project is underway in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the Mayor wants to ensure that the strongest and most experienced team possible is in place to lead the Corporation in the years ahead.
Already a member of the boards of Transport for London and the London Marathon and previously the UK Athletics board, Tanni brings a unique mix of experience which will help inform many aspects of legacy planning and decision making.
To build on the board's commercial expertise, the Mayor has appointed Carphone Warehouse co-founder, David Ross, who will bring to the Board his considerable business acumen, experience in sport and sport infrastructure projects plus his extensive entrepreneurial skills.
The Mayor's long-standing London 2012 adviser, Neale Coleman, is to become Deputy Chair of the LLDC Board. Neale has advised City Hall for the last 12 years and worked on the London Games from 2003 when the city first decided to bid to stage them. His responsibilities have involved working with the Olympic Delivery Authority and LOCOG to deliver the infrastructure necessary to stage the Games, getting London ready to host the world's largest sporting event as well as ensuring that they leave a lasting legacy of regeneration and new opportunities for the capital.
To complete the board's new structure current board member Phillip Lewis, chair of the Corporation's Planning Committee, has been reappointed and Boris Johnson's Chief of Staff, Sir Edward Lister becomes the Mayor's official observer for its meetings.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "After staging the best Games ever we are now confident we will deliver a lasting legacy that will benefit generations of Londoners and become a blueprint for future host cities to follow. One of my key roles is to ensure we have the best team in place to achieve our goals. The unique experience and skills that Tanni and David bring will add a new dimension to legacy decision making, strengthen my board and help it build on its incredible achievements to date, including finding tenants for the majority of the 2012 venues, and sowing the seeds for thousands of new homes, jobs and other opportunities for Londoners."
Baroness Grey-Thompson DEB said: "The Olympic Park was the heart and soul of the greatest Olympic Games ever but in 2005 we set out a vision to not only bring new life to a neglected part of east London, but to provide lasting sporting and community infrastructure for the future. I am determined to bring that vision to life and to be a part of this important final piece of the Games jigsaw."
Notes to editors
1. The Baroness Grey-Thompson is Chair of the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation’s Commission on the Future of Women’s Sport, a member of the board of Transport for London, a member of the board of the London Marathon and in 2012 became President of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations. She was previously a member of the board of UK Athletics and Vice Chair of LOCOG’s Athletes Commission. In 2005 she received a Damehood for her services to sport and in 2010 she entered the House of Lords as a crossbench peer, taking the title, Baroness Grey-Thompson of Eaglescliffe in the County of Durham. One of Britain’s most recognisable Paralympic athletes, Tanni Grey-Thompson crowned a magnificent career with two gold medals in the 100 and 400 metres in the 2004 Athens Paralympics. It took her remarkable medal haul over 16 years and five Paralympic Games to 11 gold, 4 silver and a bronze, Tanni also won the London Wheelchair Marathon 6 times between 1992 and 2002.
Now retired, Tanni still plays and active role in administration of sport. She is the Vice-President of the Women's Sports Foundation, a member of the board of the London Marathon and in 2008 became a member of the board of Transport for London. In 2005 she received a Damehood for her services to sport and in 2010 she entered the House of Lords as a crossbench peer, taking the title, Baroness Grey-Thompson of Eaglescliffe in the County of Durham.
2. David Ross is a chartered accountant by profession and co-founded The Carphone Warehouse Group plc in 1991 and led the company's IPO and subsequent growth to becoming Europe's leading mobile communications retailer. David has since been involved in leading many other public and private companies.
David has also been a member of Sport England, the Home Office Audit Committee, and was appointed to London United, the body supporting the capital's bid to be a host city for the 2018 World Cup bid, having previously been the Mayor's representative for the planning of the 2012 London Olympics. David is also a Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery and the British Olympic Association.
He is passionate about developing educational opportunities for young people, and sponsors one of the UK's leading multi-academy Trusts.
3. The new London Legacy Development Corporation board.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson (CHAIR)
Neale Coleman, the Mayor's London 2012 advisor (VICE-CHAIR)
Sonita Alleyne
Nick Bitel
Nicky Dunn
Keith Edelman
David Edmonds
David Gregson
Philip Lewis
Lord Andrew Mawson
Jayne McGivern
Jules Pipe
Lutfur Rahman
Chris Robbins
Sir Robin Wales
For biographies of board members visit www.londonlegacy.co.uk
4. On Wednesday 8th February 2012, the Mayor of London announced his formal decision to create a Mayoral Development Corporation that will be responsible for the regeneration legacy from the London 2012 Games. The new body is called the London Legacy Development Corporation and will be directly accountable to Londoners through the Mayor.
The Development Corporation, which came into being on 1st April 2012, will continue the work of the Olympic Park Legacy Company (Legacy Company), as well as manage some of the assets and responsibilities of existing regeneration agencies in the area, such as the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC). It will also have greater powers over the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (the name for the Olympic Park after the Games) and in October 2012, the Development Corporation will also take over planning powers from LTGDC and the Olympic Delivery Authority.
The purpose of the Mayoral Development Corporation is:
"To promote and deliver physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in the Olympic Park and surrounding area, in particular by maximising the legacy of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, by securing high-quality sustainable development and investment, ensuring the long-term success of the facilities and assets within its direct control and supporting and promoting the aim of convergence"
The London Legacy Development Corporation aims to achieve its goals by:
Working in partnership with the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority, Central Government, the Olympic Host Boroughs, residents in neighbouring local communities, local organisations, businesses and regeneration agencies and other partners in both the public and private sector, including national and international sporting, cultural and leisure organisations
Leveraging our public assets to attract and secure private investment for the development of the Park
Setting and maintaining standards for quality of design, construction and urban planning, to ensure a sustainable and enduring legacy for the Park
The London Legacy Development Corporation promotes and delivers physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and surrounding area, in particular by maximising the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
It will secure high-quality sustainable development and investment and ensure the long-term success of the facilities and assets within its direct control and supporting and promoting the aim of convergence.
It took over responsibility for the Park from the Olympic Park Legacy Company, and additional powers including planning powers for the Olympic Park and the surrounding area from the Olympic Delivery Authority and London Thames Gateway Development Corporation.
For more information visit: http://www.londonlegacy.co.uk/about-us/