His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of Fiona Cannon OBE as the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Fiona will take up the appointment on 9th July for a five-year, non-renewable term.
As Commissioner for Public Appointments, Fiona will ensure the processes ministers from His Majesty’s Government and the Welsh Government use to make appointments to the boards of public bodies is robustly regulated.
Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister said
I am pleased to announce Fiona Cannon OBE as the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Fiona has years of experience and a dedication to bringing in and supporting talent, which will bring enormous benefits to the public appointments system.
I would like to express my gratitude to Sir William Shawcross. Over the last five years he has carried out outstanding work to strengthen transparency and the candidate experience.
Fiona Cannon OBE, the new Commissioner for Public Appointments said
I am delighted to be chosen as the new Public Appointments Commissioner. It is a great privilege to take on this role and I look forward to working with His Majesty’s Government and the Welsh Government to make sure these appointments are regulated effectively and transparently, and to play my part in encouraging the best people to apply for these vital roles.
Notes to Editors
A fair and open recruitment process was carried out for the role in line with the principles of the Governance Code for Public Appointments.
The appointment is subject to pre-appointment scrutiny. The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee held a pre-appointment hearing with Fiona on 24 June and subsequently endorsed her appointment.
Sir William Shawcross was appointed in September 2021, and will conclude his term in July 2026.
Fiona is currently the Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer at Yorkshire Building Society. She was previously the Sustainable Business Director at Lloyds Banking Group. She has served as a Member of the FTSE Women Leaders Review and was appointed an OBE for services to equal opportunities.