Honor Chapman appointed acting chair of London Development Agency

Honor Chapman CBE has been appointed acting Chair of the Mayor of London's economic development arm the London Development Agency (LDA).

Her appointment, announced by Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, today (Thursday 27 March 2003), will follow the departure of the Agency's current Chair, George Barlow OBE.

Honor Chapman is consultant to international real estate services and investment management company Jones Lang LaSalle, where she has been a Partner and International Director since 1979. Honor has been Vice Chair of the LDA since July 2000.

Ken Livingstone said: "Honor's background and experience of international development mean she is ideally placed to make a major contribution to the new challenges facing the LDA. I look forward to working with her in the future."

Mr Livingstone has also announced the appointment of Dame Judith Mayhew as acting Vice Chair of the LDA - one of two Vice Chairs for the Agency. Judith has been an LDA Board member since the Agency's establishment in July 2000.

She is also Deputy Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee of the Corporation of London, and is the Mayor's Cabinet Advisor on the City and Business.

Both acting appointments will commence on Monday 31 March 2003.

Notes to Editors

1. Honor Chapman CBE is a Consultant to Jones Lang LaSalle where she has been a Partner and International Director since 1979. Honor is a Crown Estates Commissioner, Chairman of the London Office Review Panel, Member of the Investment Committee of the Goldsmith's Company and Chairman of the Burlington Gardens Development Committee for the Royal Academy. Honor specializes in property research, business strategy and urban development.
2. Dame Judith Mayhew is Deputy Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee of the Corporation of London, a Special Advisor at law firm Clifford Chance, the Mayor's Cabinet Advisor on the City and Business, Chair of the Private Investment Commission and Chair of the LDA's Business Committee. Judith has been an LDA Board member since the Agency's establishment in July 2000.
3. The LDA is London's job-creation agency. Working for the Mayor, and in conjunction with business and a wide range of other organisations, the LDA actively pursues economic opportunities for London and all Londoners. It uses its financial resources, property and land assets, and its influence to:
• Support business, industry and the economy
• Attract investment
• Develop skills and knowledge
• Revitalise the city
• Promote equality and diversity
• Unite London

PRESS STATEMENT (GLA release)
Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, today (Thursday 27 March) announced that George Barlow OBE will leave his post as Chair of the London Development Agency.

Letter:

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone has announced that George Barlow, the Chair of the London Development Agency, is to leave the LDA. Attached are copies of letters from George Barlow and Ken Livingstone.

In a letter to Mr Livingstone dated 25 March, Mr Barlow said:

'Dear Ken,

'When you appointed me to chair the LDA in July 2000, we agreed that its focus should be twofold: to promote London's economic success and to enable this to be shared in by the unacceptable numbers of unemployed and underskilled Londoners. I was, therefore, particularly pleased to announce in the current LDA report that, during the previous year, the Agency had helped 13,000 people to get jobs and 40,000 people to increase their skills.

'I realise, with the announcement by Government of its intentions for the Thames Gateway and the progress made in securing backing for the Olympic Games bid by London, that you envisage an enhanced role for the LDA.

'The LDA is important to London's future. It has been an honour, which I have enjoyed, to chair it in its formative years. It now has the capacity to make a great contribution, and I wish it continued success in the future.

Yours, George'

In reply, Mr Livingstone wrote to Mr Barlow on 25 March:

'Dear George

'Thank you for your letter of 25 March.

'I very much want to thank you for the incredible amount of hard work you have undertaken in establishing the London Development Agency. Your contribution in getting the agency up and running in such a short space of time has established a firm foundation for the LDA to move forward to tackle London's many economic and employment problems. I am also grateful for the work you oversaw in drafting and then publishing the Economic Development Strategy.

'The decisions the government is about to take on the Thames Gateway and an Olympic bid will mean major changes in the work of the London Development Agency, so the time is now right to put in place the team that will carry this work forward to what will hopefully be a successful Olympic bid in July 2005.

'I agree with you that now is the best time to make these changes and am grateful for your sound advice on the Board changes involved.

'I wish you every success with your next endeavours and thank you once again for all your hard work.

Yours sincerely
Ken Livingstone'