The Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee of Newham Council met on Thursday 26 March 2026 to interview candidates for the position of Director of Transformation. After considering the candidates, the Sub-Committee decided not to make an appointment for the role at this time.

Appointment of Director of Transformation

The Sub-Committee interviewed three candidates for the position of Director of Transformation. Following careful consideration of the candidates throughout the interview and selection process, the Sub-Committee concluded that no offer could be extended to any of them. Consequently, the Sub-Committee agreed not to make an appointment for the Director of Transformation role.

The recruitment process for this position began with an advertisement placed on 22 January 2026. A total of 175 applications were received, with six candidates longlisted. These candidates underwent further assessment, including psychometric testing and interviews with various panels, before three were put forward for the final interview with the Chief Officer Appointment Sub-Committee. The role of Director of Transformation is a budgeted post within the Council's establishment, with salary costs falling within the range set out in the Council's Pay Policy for 2026/2027.

The meeting was attended by Councillor Rita Chadha (Chair), Councillors Zulfiqar Ali, Lester Hudson, and Blossom Young. Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, who was scheduled to chair the meeting, sent her apologies and delegated the chair to Councillor Chadha. No declarations of interest were received from the members. The Sub-Committee resolved to exclude the press and public from the remainder of the meeting due to the nature of the information concerning candidates, which was considered exempt under the Local Government Act 1972.