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A "local candidate" has been appointed as the Government's Interim Chief Executive Officer from September 2023, it has been confirmed today.
Dr Andrew McLaughlin, the current CEO of Commercial and Institutional for Natwest's non-ring fenced bank in London, will work under a secondment and fixed term agreement between the Government and NatWest until May 2024.
This follows a "structured handover" with the outgoing CEO Suzanne Wylie, who resigned in March and will have her last day of work at the end of June.
Temporary leadership arrangements will be in place before Dr McLaughlin starts, with Tom Walker, one of the Assistant Chief Executives, taking on the role of Principal Accountable Officer, which is the legal head of the civil service,
Dr McLaughlin has lived in Jersey since May 2015.
The Chief Minister and Chair of the States Employment Board Kristina Moore said she was "delighted that such a highly qualified and local candidate as Andrew has stepped up to lead Jersey's public service."
She continued: "Andrew brings with him decades of strategic leadership experience across a number of sectors, and his personal and professional experience will be of direct benefit to the Government as we look to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and chart Jersey into a much more sustainable, prosperous, and community-focused future."
"We have been extremely fortunate with the value-based leadership, skill, and competence of Suzanne Wylie and I am sure Andrew will build on these foundations. Andrew will bring experience and drive to the process of increasing performance and professionalism in the public service, moving large parts of the civil service into a new corporate headquarters, and providing better customer service to taxpayers."
Speaking to Express, she added: "Islanders will be really excited by this opportunity to see a person with such depth of local knowledge and expertise and experience offering their skills and their approach to the organisation."
"This is a time where we recognise that we need a little structural change, and we have tasked the interim with focusing on performance management and cultural change."
Prior to his position at Natwest, he was CEO of Royal Bank of Scotland International in Jersey.
He has lived in Jersey since May 2015 and was a regular visitor to the Island from 1986 when he worked as a student in the Island's hospitality sector.
Dr McLaughlin has held several advisory and non-executive positions during his career including Chair of Prince's Trust Scotland, CBI Economics and Tax Committee, member of the Fiscal Policy Panel for the States of Guernsey and Visiting Professor at the Centre for Globalisation at the University of Nottingham.
He said: "It is a privilege to have the opportunity to serve the community of Jersey for this next period. I will do my best to support the Chief Minister and her Government as they deliver their biggest priorities.
"I hope my leadership experience brings something new to the executive team and that I, in turn, can learn from colleagues who have dedicated their career to public service."
Dr McLaughlin holds a first-class degree in Economics and Politics and a PhD in Public Policy.
His 1993 doctoral thesis won the prestigious Walter Bagehot prize for best UK dissertation. Andrew spent several years working in academia before beginning his commercial career. He published a book on the automobile industry in 1998.
In an interview with the Institute of Directors (IoD) after he won the Jersey IoD Award 2019 for the Large Business Category, he said he was "interested in trying to craft policies that would make peoples lives better, less so the cut and thrust of political life."
The appointment process was overseen by the Jersey Appointments Commission (JAC), the body which oversees recruitment for the most senior public sector roles. On the recruitment panel were:
The Panel was chaired by Beverley Shears, independent adviser to the States Employment Board (SEB), which is the panel of politicians which officially acts as employer to all Government workers. The role of the Chair was to provide oversight and assurance to the SEB, and does not have a vote in the selection of the candidates.
Deputy Kristina Moore, Chief Minister
Kevin Keen, Independent Panel Member
Helen Ruelle, JAC Commissioner
Kate Wright, JAC Commissioner
Suzanne Wylie will have her last day at work at the end of June, but be available for handover and urgent issues until she leaves the role officially on 31 July.
Tom Walker, one of the Assistant Chief Executives, will take over as the Principal Accountable Officer, for the month of August.
Andrew McLaughlin will take up the role on 5 September 2023 until May 2024.
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