Management structure
The council management team is responsible for managing our staff's activities and advising councillors on the potential implications of political decisions. By law, senior council staff are not allowed to participate in any party political activity. They are expected to advise and help all councillors, regardless of their political affiliation.
The managing director is the senior officer who leads and takes responsibility for the council's paid staff. The role of the managing director is a full-time appointment. Post holders are selected on merit, against objective criteria, following public advertisement. The whole council appoints them.
The leader, together with the Cabinet, takes all significant decisions within the council (excluding planning and licensing issues) through their Cabinet meetings or through individual decision-making processes.
Joanne Roney, Managing Director
Joanne joined Birmingham City Council in September 2024.
Before her move to Birmingham, Joanne was the first female Chief Executive of Manchester City Council between April 2017 and August 2024.
During her seven-and-a-half-year tenure in Manchester, Joanne dealt with several unprecedented events. She led the council's response to two major crises – the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack and the Covid-19 pandemic.
In September 2021, Joanne was named the Local Authority Chief Executive of the Year at the annual MJ (Municipal Journal) Awards. She then oversaw Manchester City Council attain 'Council of the Year' status in July 2022.
Born in Shard End, Birmingham, Joanne began her career in local government as an apprentice with Birmingham City Council at 16.
Throughout her career to date, she has built a strong track record in transforming public services and delivering major regeneration initiatives across many cities in the UK. Joanne has extensive experience in local government, having previously worked as Director of Housing at Kirklees Council and Executive Director with responsibility for housing, communities and adult care services at Sheffield City Council.
Joanne also served as the President of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE) between 2020 and 2022.
In the 2024 New Year's Honours list, Joanne was awarded a CBE for services to Local Government.
Rishi Shori, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director for Strategy, Insight and Governance
Rishi Shori has worked at BCC for 6 years and was previously Director of Intervention Response and formerly acting Deputy Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council.
He is a qualified solicitor and has previously held senior leadership roles at Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Local Government Association. Rishi oversees the new Strategy, Insight and Governance Directorate, which brings together a collection of functions including Law and Governance, Strategic Partnerships, Public Participation, Communications, Corporate Performance, the CPMO, and the Insight Policy and Strategy Division.
Collectively, these functions encompass the brain, eyes, ears, and voice of the organisation, helping the council make the best decisions to improve outcomes for our citizens.
The Directorate has led the development of the council's new Corporate Plan and Improvement and Recovery Plan and manages the council's response to the current intervention.
Frank Jordan, Executive Director of City Operations
Frank Jordan is the Executive Director for the City Operations Directorate, which delivers the core services relating to the environment, regulation, enforcement, highways, culture, leisure, sport, resilience and community safety for the city. The directorate serves 1.2 million residents, almost 500,000 residential properties, tens of thousands of businesses over 2,500km of roads, and over 600 parks and green spaces.
Frank has over 30 years of experience in local government and before working in Birmingham he held Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director level positions at Cambridgeshire County Council, Nottingham City Council, Cheshire East Council and Leicester City Council covering a wide range of services relating to environmental management, regeneration, economic development, community development and cohesion.
Frank’s academic background is in environmental science and management and throughout his career has been passionate about protecting and enhancing the environment as well as striving to improve the quality of the local environment for local residents to support their wellbeing.
Sue Harrison, Executive Director of Children and Families
Sue joined the council in November 2021. Previously the Director of Children's Services (DCS) at Central Bedfordshire Council and, before that, at Blackpool Council, Sue has a strong background in Children's Services improvement, developing strong and resilient leadership, and encouraging the adoption of strength-based approaches to ensure children are at the heart of the council. She has a lifelong commitment to inclusion and ensuring that all children can thrive, whatever their circumstances.
An educationalist and experienced teacher, school leader, and DCS, Sue is working to embrace and build on the foundations for a 21st-century council while supporting the empowerment of communities and securing independence and improved outcomes for young people.
Sue supports the lifelong learning and skills agenda that goes beyond early years settings and schools, working across the further and higher education system and with the council and private regeneration services to ensure local young people can benefit from the career opportunities living in the forward-thinking, vibrant, diverse city of Birmingham.
A lifelong learner herself, Sue has recently completed her Professional Doctorate, researching to explore the relationship between personal and organisational resilience.
Paul Langford, Executive Director of City Housing
Paul began his career in the private sector, where he qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant and worked in the manufacturing industry within the Birmingham area. He later moved into the local authority sector, working his way up the ranks into more strategic and resident services areas of responsibility.
Over the last 20 years, Paul has undertaken Chief Officer and Strategic Director roles covering housing, regeneration, planning, community safety and a broad range of front-line resident services. Paul is the Executive Director responsible for delivering the Consumer Standards.
Paul spent 14 years of his career working in London. He enjoyed 10 years with the London Borough of Southwark throughout the challenging post-Grenfell and pandemic periods, both of which saw Southwark take a leading role in coordinating a London-wide response.
James Thomas, Chief Executive of Birmingham Children's Trust
James Thomas was the Corporate Director for Children and Culture at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets between 2020 and 2023, during which he was also appointed Deputy Chief Executive.
Before that, the substantive leadership roles that James held were:
- Interim Chief Executive of the Northamptonshire Children's Trust
- Director of Children's Services for the London Borough of Richmond
- Director of Children's Services for the Greater Manchester Borough of Tameside
- Director of Children's Services for the London Borough of Newham
- Director of Family Services for Westminster City Council
James has, for some years, provided leadership for the Association of Directors of Children's Services on multi-agency safeguarding. He is a Non-Executive Director of the Innovation Unit.
James has maintained his status as a registered Social Worker. James's core values are rooted in a commitment to public service, a conviction in the need for social justice and the fight against inequality and discrimination, and integrity in all he does.
He is a Londoner with family roots in Wales, India, Cheshire, Ireland, and Russia.
Katy Fox, Executive Director, HR, OD and Transformation
Katy has worked in Human Resources across all aspects of the function for the last 25 years. Having lived in Birmingham, Katy graduated in Law from the University of Wolverhampton and has worked in many private and public companies in strategic HR roles. Her experience spans across drinks manufacturing, logistics, engineering, public services, healthcare, defence, and central and local government.
Katy is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD), the highest achievement in practising HR at a strategic level. She has held the FCIPD designation for about 10 years. Katy leads the People Services function, which brings together Human Resources, Organisational Development, and Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
Our People team should deliver cost-effective HR services to our workforce to the highest quality and in the most timely way. We are here to ensure that our colleagues can do their work well and deliver the services the citizens of Birmingham deserve.
Anthony Cox, City Solicitor (Monitoring Officer)
Anthony Cox is City Solicitor (Monitoring Officer) having joined Birmingham City Council in June 2025. He is a highly accomplished local authority director, with a proven track record of leadership, strategic planning, and problem-solving.
Anthony was previously Director of Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer at Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council. He has substantial experience in legal, civic, and committee services, and is committed to innovation, efficiency, and continuous improvement in service delivery. He plays a key role in corporate strategic development, driving priorities, and maintaining high standards of probity, transparency, and equality.
Richard Lawrence, Executive Director, Place, Prosperity, and Sustainability
Richard Lawrence is the Executive Director of Place, Prosperity and Sustainability at Birmingham City Council. In this role, he plays a key part in creating a successful Birmingham, aiming to achieve the city's mission to become one of Europe's most liveable cities: resilient, sustainable, inclusive, equitable, economically productive, and supportive of good health and wellbeing.
Richard leads the development and delivery of a range of growth and community-related strategies, working with a wide array of local, national, and international partners to realise skills, employment, and investment opportunities and maximise sustainable growth.
Bringing a wealth of experience to Birmingham, Richard previously served as the Director of City Development at the City of Wolverhampton Council since August 2018. In his role at Wolverhampton, he oversaw City Development, Planning, and Assets, leading key regeneration projects such as Interchange and I9, Brewers Yard, City Learning Quarter, Canalside South, and City Centre West. He chaired the i54 development steering group and the Association of Black Country Authorities Heads of Regeneration, while also participating in several external forums supporting the West Midlands Combined Authority.
With over 25 years of experience in regeneration across both the private and public sectors, Richard has held senior positions in local authorities and consultancy firms, successfully delivering projects in housing, property, economic development, skills, transport, conservation, and tourism. Richard is well-equipped with the resilience, vision, and drive to shape Birmingham's future success.
Carol Culley, Executive Director of Finance and S151 Officer
Carol's previous roles include City Treasurer, S151 Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at Manchester City Council. She also served as a government-appointed Commissioner and as CIPFA President and Council member. Carol has extensive experience in financial management, governance and assurance. In 2020, she was awarded an OBE for her services to local government.
Stuart Lackenby, Executive Director, Adult Social Care and Health
Stuart was most recently the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of People Services at West Northamptonshire Council. Over 4 years in this role, he served as the Director of Adult Services and the Director of Children's Services. He also had responsibility for public health. Stuart began his career as a Support Worker and qualified as a Social Worker and Learning Disability Nurse in 2003. He then worked across 4 West Midlands authorities, primarily in Adult Social Care, also serving as a non-executive director on Sandwell Children's Trust.
Sally Burns, Director of Public Health
Sally Burns was appointed Director of Public Health for Birmingham in May 2025.
Before this, she served as Director of Public Health for West Northamptonshire Council from March 2022, where she led the successful transition from a joint county-wide public health service to an independent West Northamptonshire team.
Her previous roles include Assistant Director of Public Health in the London Borough of Newham and Public Health Consultant in Waltham Forest.
Sally began her career as an Environmental Health Officer in Yorkshire and has spent her entire career in local government, with a strong focus on developing and delivering services that promote health and wellbeing.
She also held the position of Director of Communities and Neighbourhoods at the City of York Council, overseeing a wide range of services, including Public Health, Housing, Community Safety, Community Engagement, Environment, Parks and Open Spaces, Culture, Leisure, and Regulatory Services. While in the East Midlands, she was the regional lead Director of Public Health for sector-led improvement in Tobacco Control and Smoking Cessation.
Page last updated: 6 March 2026
