Birmingham City Council appoints new managing director

Birmingham City Council has announced the appointment of Manchester City Council chief executive Joanne Roney as its new managing director.

Ms Roney (pictured), who grew up in Shard End and started her career at Birmingham City Council as an apprentice aged 16, will take up the position in her home city in the autumn.

She has spent the last seven years leading Manchester City Council.

In 2009 Ms Roney was awarded an OBE and earlier this year a CBE, both for services to Local Government.

Cllr John Cotton, leader of Birmingham City Council said: “Joanne was the standout candidate to steer the council through its current challenges and transform it into an organisation that delivers consistently good services for the people and communities of Birmingham.

"She's from Birmingham, knows and loves this city and is a committed public servant with a proven track record and a wealth of experience. I look forward to working with her as we strive to give the people of Birmingham the council and the future they deserve."

Ms Roney said: “I’ve loved my time in Manchester. It’s a wonderful city and I’m proud of what - together with colleagues, partners and the city’s political leadership - we’ve been able to achieve here. Whoever follows me as chief executive is inheriting an incredible role alongside a talented and dedicated leadership team.

“I might be an adopted Mancunian, and proud of it, but I’m a native Brummie and this was the only role which could have tempted me away.

“I began my career as an apprentice at Birmingham City Council at the age of 16 so the prospect of concluding it there as managing director, and helping the place where I grew up and my family still live rise to its current challenges, was a compelling one.”

Manchester City Council said it understood the "emotional pull" the job had and wished Ms Roney every success.

She succeeds Deborah Cadman who left Birmingham earlier this year in the wake of well-documented financial struggles at the authority.

Henrietta Brealey, CEO at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “We would like to congratulate Joanne Roney in her appointment as leader of Birmingham City Council.

“Her track record of running a council the size and scale of Manchester will hopefully stand her in good stead as she takes up the reins in the coming months.

“However, there's no shying away from the scale of the task she faces in fixing the inherent challenges that lie at the heart of Birmingham City Council and the knock-on impact this has had for residents and businesses alike.

“As a Chamber we look forward to working with Joanne and her team in driving economic prosperity, attracting investment and championing growth.”