John Lewis’ Andy Street to advise government

Andy Street, managing director of department store John Lewis, has been named as a lead non-executive director of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), and will advise government departments as they prepare to implement spending cuts.

Street, who has been managing director of John Lewis since 2007 and is a respected figure in the retail sector, will join the department from January 1, 2016, replacing Sara Weller who is stepping down at the end of the year.

As a non-executive director for DCLG, Street will be working with both ministers and civil servants, offering independent advice and challenge to both, In addition, he has also been named chair the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, the body tasked with driving economic growth in the region.

Communities Secretary Greg Clark said: “It is fantastic news that Andy will be joining my department as our lead non-executive director. He brings with him a wealth of experience and leadership from the business world and as Chair of Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, which will be invaluable as we drive forward our priorities on devolution, local economic growth and housing.”

Commenting on his appointment, Street added: “I am very pleased to be joining the DCLG Board at a critical time. The role of government and this department in particular is changing in many ways from the implications of devolution to the need to partner with business and communities across the country. I hope my experience will be valuable to the department as it navigates these exciting challenges under Greg Clark’s leadership.”